WI: Reagan and Bush Both Die on March 30th,1981

:rolleyes: its an old and historically bad joke, the media likes to make hay out of nothing, when some reporter asked in the after math of the shooting asked who was in control Of the White House because the President was down and the Vice President was out of town Secretary of State Alexander Haig stated that till the Vice President got there he, as the highest ranked member of the cabinet would be in control of the running of the White House, our sound bit media saw a story(thats what they all making some one look bad) and made it look like Haig was stating he was acting President or some such thing

from what I remember, Haig didn't mention the VP, and flat out said "I'm in charge". I was in college at the time, and can remember saying to my roommate "No he's not!"
 
As I mentioned before, I think O Neil would be reelected in 1984, it is also my assumption that a Democrate would win in the good economic times of 1988 but would not win a second term in the recession year of 1992. I also believe during the term of the two Democrats Justices Brennen, Marshall, White and Blackmun would retire. That means those two presidnts would appoint a majority of the Supreme Court. OTL Chief Justice Beger retired in 1986 at the age of 79. 80 year old Juarice Powell left the court in 1987. I think that these two Nixon appointees would have delayed their retirements while a Democrat is in office. Health problems could have forced one or both of them off the court before 1993. So when the next Republian is sworn in, 5 to 7 justices got there due to a Democrat.
 
I don't think Potter Stwert would retire with a Democrat in the White House. He did die in 1983,so O Neil would have gotten to make a Supreme Court pick. I think he would have chosen Shirley Hoffstedder. She was an apeals vourt judge, Johnson appointee, who resigned in 1979 to accept Jimmy Carter's offer to become the first Secretary of Education

It depends on why Justice Stewart chose to retire. He was only 66 and in good health when he chose to step down in 1981, so there was no reason for him not to stay on the Court -- unless he decided it was time to go. You'd have to know his personal motivation to know for sure.

He died in December 1985 after suffering a stroke. So it's also possible that O'Neill wouldn't have had a chance to make an appointment, unless he had a second term.

O'Neill would probably have won the 1984 Democratic nomination if he wanted it. But with George Bush dead, who would his Republican opponent have been?
 
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