WI: Biden the Democratic nominee in 1988?

The POD is that Dukakis doesn't hire John Sasso and as a result Biden isn't accused of plagiarism. Who would be Biden's running mate? What are the campaign issues? What does the electoral map look like? How does the 1988 election effect the 1992 election?
 
Georgie used the extreme corner case Willie Horton. He will be the one to accuse Biden of plagiarism, even if Maggie has to ship Georgie the video of Kinnock personally.
 
Well one way to easily fix the whole plagiarism problem is to source it. Have Biden credit parts of the speech to Kinnock.

Could Biden have won the election? Maybe. It would've been close though.

Due to being Reagan's veep, Bush might win. But if Biden has enough charisma (he seems pretty charismatic as Obama's veep) he could beat Bush, if people liked his ideas. If he won, he could run again in 1992. Bill definitely wouldn't run until '96 (if at all) if Biden won.
 
Well one way to easily fix the whole plagiarism problem is to source it. Have Biden credit parts of the speech to Kinnock.

Could Biden have won the election? Maybe. It would've been close though.

Due to being Reagan's veep, Bush might win. But if Biden has enough charisma (he seems pretty charismatic as Obama's veep) he could beat Bush, if people liked his ideas. If he won, he could run again in 1992. Bill definitely wouldn't run until '96 (if at all) if Biden won.
Which states do you think that Biden would do well in? Which states do you think that he'd do poorly in?
 
Biden's health would be a significant problem if he continues his presidential campaign. In OTL he suffered two brain aneurysms in 1988 and had two surgeries, one in February and one in May, to fix each of them. His campaign had ended several months before then, in September 1987, but even when he was campaigning the symptoms of the aneurysms were apparent, with Biden experiencing frequent headaches and neck pain. The first aneurysm nearly killed him; a priest actually administered Last Rites to him on the hospital bed. Biden was away from the Senate for seven months in 1988 while he was hospitalized and undergoing recovery from the aneurysms. His wife and sister believe that if he had continued his campaign, then he might not have been able to receive the medical attention he needed in time. He would have literally campaigned himself to death.

This, in my opinion, is the biggest obstacle to a continued Biden '88 campaign. Even if he seeks treatment for his aneurysms before they get worse, he will be out of service for many months to recover. He won't be able to campaign effectively if he's confined to a hospital bed or going through rehabilitation.
 
Biden Resting After Surgery For Second Brain Aneurysm

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/04/us/biden-resting-after-surgery-for-second-brain-aneurysm.html

WASHINGTON, May 3 [1988]—Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. underwent surgery today to correct an aneurysm in an artery that supplies blood to the right side of the brain, . . . '
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' . . . The 4 1/2-hour procedure was similar to that performed Feb. 12 on the left side of Mr. Biden's brain. Under the procedure, a surgeon using a microscope pinches the aneurysm with a clip, bringing the walls of the artery together. The clip remains in the patient.

'Mr. Esker said there are no signs of any other aneurysms, adding that the second was much smaller than the first. . . '
Joe's political advocates in each state could be campaigning on his behalf all through the primary season.

The other candidates would most probably avoid direct criticism (you don't want to be throwing down on a man who's heroically fighting for his own life), and talk about the positive things they're going to do if elected.

And come the Democratic Convention the summer of '88, I guess we'll see. If the Democrats can nominate a man in FDR who beat polio and taught himself to walk again, even though Franklin only "walked" by pivoting from his hips and abdomen, maybe they can nominate a man who's beat not one but two aneurysms. A lot might depend on how much the public believes Joe has clear sailing from here on out, at least as much as anyone does.
 
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