Is it possible for us to have Orrin Hatch to be Reagan's VP instead, I assume he would be the 41st president after Reagan as well, how would Orrin be different from HW Bush.
[1] Indeed, it has been argued that these were the only three possibilities Reagan seriously considered, though there's a story that he almost chose Rumsfeld. https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...esnt-choose-bush-for-vp.348849/#post-10533118
Honestly, I think you can pretty much effectively discount Ford as well. The move to pick Ford was never close to reaching culmination. It's actually surprising it got as far off the ground as it did, IMO
Have Ford say yes one of the several times Reagan asked him, Witcover lays out the scenario that would have worked better than the Ford wanting particular powers tack it took… that is, Ford sacrificing for the good of the country.
Versus the lightweight Bush and the boring Baker, Ford looks amazing so I certainly see why Reagan gave it a shot.
Given that Reagan didn’t even like Bush,
I agree that Hinckley/Baker—or even just how messy Baker ‘88 would be—is totally underplayed on the board.
(Hatch though, well, the Supreme Court is a rather more likely spot for him.)
What from I've read, it seems like none of the Reagan justice departments rated Hatch. I read something a while back, I think it was under Meese, about them deliberately inflating a 'disqualification' for Hatch during one of the vacancies due to him voting for a congressional pay increase.
[24] Hatch was on the short list for the Supremes IOTL in 1987, but was considered ineligible under Art. I, Sec. 6, cl. 2 of the U.S. Constitution because the Senate voted for a pay raise for Supreme Court Justices in February of 1987.
Yeah Hatch voted a raise, can’t legally transition to Supreme Court. @Andrew T and Dirty Laundry did a bit, why I thought of Hatch for the court.