WI: No George Schultz Sec State in 1982?

George Schultz was named Secretary of State after Al Haig was pushed out in 1982. What if Schultz says no or isnt considered? Who would be other potential nominees and what would their impact have been had they taken the role?

One request - No Kissinger nominations.
 
I don't think you have to worry about Kissinger nominations, I believe one of the main reasons the Reagan/ Ford dream ticket of 1980 never came to be was because Ford wanted Kissinger as Sec. of State and Reagan didn't.
 
Come on folks! I've seen primary polls for the mayor of London in 1850. Surely someone has an opinion on SecState in 1981-1988. Thanks.
 
Maybe Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana,

or John Danforth of Missouri who was a big advocate of free trade and who I think later served as U.S. ambassador to the UN.


PS I'd love to have a senior, well-respected Republican who thinks propping up every dictatorship which says it's anti-communist is not exactly the greatest idea in the world.
 

TinyTartar

Banned
Maybe Richard Helms, the famous CIA guy? AFAIK, Reagan held him in high regard. He was a bureaucrat of well known efficiency and an ardent anticommunist.

If not Helms, why not Jeanne Kirkpatrick? Reagan was a big proponent of hers, after all. She was not very popular with many people outside the administration, with the exception of the people she advocated for propping up, but you never know.

If Reagan wanted to go more practical and less ideological, he could go with Scoop Jackson in the spirit of bipartisanship. They were similar on foreign policy, after all.

But basically, I think Reagan if he goes ideological will do so in a way to piss off his opponents. Its kind of like how we now have Lamar Smith head up the Science Committee in the House; its a slap in the face to the Liberal establishment more than anything.
 
Maybe Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana,

or John Danforth of Missouri who was a big advocate of free trade and who I think later served as U.S. ambassador to the UN.


PS I'd love to have a senior, well-respected Republican who thinks propping up every dictatorship which says it's anti-communist is not exactly the greatest idea in the world.

Danforth and Lugar were probably too young. The only SecStates that young were Rice and Kissinger and they were NSA beforehand so they had an insight track.

Maybe Richard Helms, the famous CIA guy? AFAIK, Reagan held him in high regard. He was a bureaucrat of well known efficiency and an ardent anticommunist.

If not Helms, why not Jeanne Kirkpatrick? Reagan was a big proponent of hers, after all. She was not very popular with many people outside the administration, with the exception of the people she advocated for propping up, but you never know.

If Reagan wanted to go more practical and less ideological, he could go with Scoop Jackson in the spirit of bipartisanship. They were similar on foreign policy, after all.

But basically, I think Reagan if he goes ideological will do so in a way to piss off his opponents. Its kind of like how we now have Lamar Smith head up the Science Committee in the House; its a slap in the face to the Liberal establishment more than anything.

Jackson is interesting although he died in 1983. So then I would be interested in who is replacement would be.

Helms would never get approved by congress given he lead the CIA during so many of its abuses and was convicted of lying to them.

Kirkpatrick is interesting. I dont know a lot about her other than she switched parties and was very hawkish.
 
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