Reagan 1976 Cabinet

If RFK was the President from 1969-1977, and if Reagan choose Bush as his running mate (Since a Reagan candidacy in an RFK lives timeline doesn't mean that he'll pick Richard Schweiker as a running mate, contrary to "The Impossible Dream"), do you think Henry Kissinger will serve as Secretary of State to Reagan?
 
I'd imagine you'd have a hybrid cabinet between some of Ford's Admin and some of Reagan's OTL choices.
 
It probably looks like a cross between his OTL 1980 cabinet and Ford's cabinet. Kissinger probably stays at State. I'm assuming Schweiker is VP. (Unless of course your POD is Reagan not making the Schweiker announcement.) Bob Dole could probably get a high profile cabinet slot if he wants one (although I think he'd rather stay in the Senate). Reagan always liked James Buckley, so he could be a player, either at the Pentagon, as Attorney General, or heir apparent to Kissinger. He probably leaves Bush where he is at the CIA.
 

JoeMulk

Banned
In an RFK victory world Reagen would be the nominee in 72 and would lose in a landslide which would discredit the conservatives for the second time and the nominee in 76 would be somebody like Chuck Percy, Javitz or maybe Schweiker himself.
 

bguy

Donor
It probably looks like a cross between his OTL 1980 cabinet and Ford's cabinet. Kissinger probably stays at State..

Reagan keeping Kissinger is ASB. Attacks on Kissinger were a primary element of Reagan's OTL '76 campaign.

"Mr. Ford and Dr. Kissinger ask us to trust their leadership. Well, I find that more and more difficult to do. Henry Kissinger's recent stewardship of U.S. foreign policy has coincided precisely with the loss of U.S. military supremacy."-Ronald Reagan, March 4, 1976

I'm assuming Schweiker is VP. (Unless of course your POD is Reagan not making the Schweiker announcement.) Bob Dole could probably get a high profile cabinet slot if he wants one (although I think he'd rather stay in the Senate). Reagan always liked James Buckley, so he could be a player, either at the Pentagon, as Attorney General, or heir apparent to Kissinger. He probably leaves Bush where he is at the CIA.

Agree about Dole staying in the Senate, and Buckley as AG makes a lot of sense. Bush almost certainly gets one of the big three positions. (State probably makes the most sense for him.) Maybe Norman Livermore as Secretary of Interior or at EPA (which would mean a much more environmentally friendly Reagan Administration.)
 
Reagan keeping Kissinger is ASB. Attacks on Kissinger were a primary element of Reagan's OTL '76 campaign.

"Mr. Ford and Dr. Kissinger ask us to trust their leadership. Well, I find that more and more difficult to do. Henry Kissinger's recent stewardship of U.S. foreign policy has coincided precisely with the loss of U.S. military supremacy."-Ronald Reagan, March 4, 1976

Really? Good to know. I wasn't aware of the rift there.

Agree about Dole staying in the Senate, and Buckley as AG makes a lot of sense. Bush almost certainly gets one of the big three positions. (State probably makes the most sense for him.) Maybe Norman Livermore as Secretary of Interior or at EPA (which would mean a much more environmentally friendly Reagan Administration.)

Bush only became CIA director in January of 1976. While it would be tempting to promote him to a higher position (especially given his foreign policy credentials), it would be preferable for the CIA to have a high-profile guy leading it to restore confidence in the agency. Given those two factors, I think it's just as likely that Reagan leaves him at the CIA at least for a few years.
 
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