What If ... Taft Beats Ike for 1952 GOP Nod?

Taft dies in 1953. Who does Driscoll choose for VP in 1956 assuming he runs for re-election (and I think he would)?

Maybe ... Nixon???? :eek:

If Stevenson ran again, I could see him doing better in the South than in 1952, as Driscoll was strongly pro-civil rights (much more than Eisenhower would have been), and for all of his red-hunting reputation, Nixon was also progressive on those issues. But Driscoll would win easily nonetheless.
 
In his brief time in office, I don´t think Taft would have been able to settle all the complex issues involved in withdrawing from NATO, the UN or the war in Korea, HIs Eastern Moderate Vice President would have governed as Ike did OTL.
 
In his brief time in office, I don´t think Taft would have been able to settle all the complex issues involved in withdrawing from NATO, the UN or the war in Korea, HIs Eastern Moderate Vice President would have governed as Ike did OTL.

I don't think Driscoll had much interest in foreign affairs. The Secretaries of State and Defense might have been very influential.
 
Presidents/Vice Presidents Lists for "What If Taft Won in 1952"

President Robert A. Taft, 1953 (dies in office)
Vice President Alfred Driscoll becomes President

President: Alfred Driscoll, 1953-1961
Vice President: Richard M. Nixon, 1957-1961

President: Richard M. Nixon, 1961-1969
Vice President: Henry Cabot Lodge, 1961-1969

President: John F. Kennedy, 1969-1977
Vice President: Henry M. Jackson, 1969-1977

President: Ronald W. Reagan, 1977-1981
Vice President: Howard Baker, 1977-1981

President: Robert F. Kennedy, 1981-1985
Vice President: Jimmy Carter, 1981-1985

President: Bob Dole, 1985-1993
Vice President: Jack Kemp, 1985-1989 (did not run for a second term as VP due to policy and personal differences with President Dole)
Vice President: John S. McCain, 1989-1993

President: Richard Gephardt, 1993-2001
Vice President: Bill Clinton, 1993-2001

President: Bill Clinton, 2001-2005
Vice President: Joe Biden, 2001-2005

President: Jeb Bush, 2005-?
Vice President: George Allen, 2005-?

Not sure if Bush-Allen wins in 2008.








Election results to be calculated ...
 
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How does Bill Clinton lose in 2004? I just want details. I am well aware the incumbent PResident narrowly won by that year.
 
Nixon winning in 1960:

I think he has a marginally better reputation because he did not go through the 1952 and 1954 campaigns, which turned off a lot of people. The "new" Nixon appeared in 1956.

Also, I see the GOP getting a higher black vote because a President Driscoll would be more pro-civil rights than Eisenhower was (indeed, I think a President TAFT would have been stronger on civil rights). Even with Ike's lukewarmness, the GOP got something like 40% of the black vote in 1956 and 30% in 1960. While the Dems might do better in the South as a result, the GOP would pick up more states in the northern urbanized regions.

Clinton losing in 2004:

This is more speculative. Would 9/11 have occurred and what would he have done about it? I may need to reconsider. There would be the issue of party fatigue though ... after 12 years of Democratic Presidencies people may be ready to give the GOP another try. Consider this: even though Clinton had two successful terms IOTL, his heir apparent, Al Gore, barely won the 2000 popular vote, aided by a late breaking story about Bush Jr's drunk driving arrest in the 1970s.


I see you asked about RFK as well. Why would he lose in 1984? I don't think Reagan's popularity in 1984 just happened but resulted in part from his specific policies of cutting taxes and increasing defense spending. I don't see America's economic or political position being as strong under a more liberal President like RFK (RFK was notably more liberal than JFK by the time he ran for President IOTL and I am keeping that difference here). I also didn't see RFK winning a landslide in 1980 either ... I think Reagan would have been more popular than Carter IOTL but not popular enough to win.
 
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Taft dies in 1953. Who does Driscoll choose for VP in 1956 assuming he runs for re-election (and I think he would)?

Maybe ... Nixon???? :eek:

If Stevenson ran again, I could see him doing better in the South than in 1952, as Driscoll was strongly pro-civil rights (much more than Eisenhower would have been), and for all of his red-hunting reputation, Nixon was also progressive on those issues. But Driscoll would win easily nonetheless.

IMO the order of likelyhood that Taft would pick for VP are as follows: Senator Bill Knowland of California, Sen. Leveret Saltonstall of Mass., Sen.Richard Nixon of Cal., Congressman Carroll Reece of Tennessee, and Governor Alfred Driscoll of New Jersey.
 
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