[bd476]

Verginius Rufus wrote: "Maybe the selection of Truman as VP in 1944 is comparable...plain Midwesterner on the lower half of the ticket with a charismatic figure on top. Of course FDR was in failing health in 1944 and the Democratic Party insiders knew that he wouldn't survive another 4 years (and didn't want Wallace to become President). Trump appears to be very healthy.

One advantage of Pence is that he will be only 65 after Trump has served 8 years...Gingrich would be 81 after serving 8 years as Vice President so not a plausible candidate in 2024."

Good points, Verginius Rufus. And I might add, Dan Quayle, another Midwesterner and actual Hoosier as an example.

[Verginius Rufus]

I like Quayle, but Bush sent him out there with inadequate preparation and the media created a negative image of him before he knew what hit him. If Bush had picked someone more experienced in 1988 (say Kemp) it would have been better. Quayle’s career seems to be over after his unsuccessful run for President (still burdened by the media caricature of him). If he had stayed in the Senate and built up more of a record he would have been more credible as a Presidential candidate. But hindsight is always 20/20.