WI: Mondale picks Tom Bradley as his VP candidate

I was reading an Intrestind tidbit... Aides later said that Mondale was determined to establish a precedent with his vice presidential candidate, considering San Francisco Mayor (Later U.S. Senator) Dianne Feinstein and Governor of Kentucky Martha Layne Collins, who were also female; Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, an African American; and San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, a Hispanic, as other finalists for the nomination. [2] Unsuccessful nomination candidate Jackson derided Mondale's vice-presidential screening process as a "P.R. parade of personalities", however he praised Mondale for his choice.

So What If, Walter Mondale chose against Geraldine Ferraro and chose LA Mayor Tom Bradley to run with him for the presidency? Would Tom be popular enough(remeber at this time, he was able to clinch the LA Summer Olympics) to pose any signifacant threat against the Reagan Machine? Would we see an unified Black support that may allow for a few states to tip into the Dem's favor? Anyother possibilites that may arrise if Mondale had made the choice?
 
About the only difference would be the magnitude of Reagan's re-election landslide: at that point, the vast bulk of African-Americans would have voted for Mondale anyhow. It might have made a modest difference with some of the handful of fence-sitters in '84, but nowhere near enough to change the bottom line. In other words, not quite rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, but close.
 
About the only difference would be the magnitude of Reagan's re-election landslide: at that point, the vast bulk of African-Americans would have voted for Mondale anyhow. It might have made a modest difference with some of the handful of fence-sitters in '84, but nowhere near enough to change the bottom line. In other words, not quite rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, but close.

Ok, I do agree...But I was wondering how it could possibly help Tom Bradley future political Career, could he move on and win the California Gubnertorial Election of '86 or run for the Presidency in '88?
 
Ok, I do agree...But I was wondering how it could possibly help Tom Bradley future political Career, could he move on and win the California Gubnertorial Election of '86 or run for the Presidency in '88?

it didn't help Geraldine, in fact it killed her career.
 
Think of one vice-presidential candidate of a losing ticket in the 20th century who went on to do greater things after losing than he did before.

Going back from recent years:

Edwards
Lieberman
Kemp
Quayle
Bentsen
Ferraro
Mondale
Dole
Shriver
Muskie

While you could argue Dole and (maybe) Lieberman, I think my point stands.
 
Bradley is, after all, the guy they named the Bradley Effect after (black person having overstated polls because people are racist). I suppose it's possible being VP nominee helps his career—primarily his 1986 run for Governor.

So, with butterflies, maybe Bradley becomes Governor of California but that's probably about it. Perhaps it gives Douglas Wilder a bit of a boost over in Virginia.

Think of one vice-presidential candidate of a losing ticket in the 20th century who went on to do greater things after losing than he did before.

Dole

Dole became Minority Leader of the Senate and the 1996 Republican Presidential nominee. But he's pretty much the exception.
 
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