[CarolinaGOP]

"Reagan had a poor heir apparent, much like with Thatcher in the U.K. Their George Bush, Sr., John Major, gave the UK over a decade+ of uncontested Labour power when he went squish on her policies."

I think that one of Ronald Reagan's biggest mistakes, was choosing George H. W. Bush to be his running mate. I really doubt that had Bush not been Reagan's V.P., he would have ever been elected POTUS in 1988.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yeah, I think you’re right. My personal choice would’ve been NV Sen. (and former Governor) Paul Laxalt, a solid Conservative who was friends with Reagan. Reagan didn’t choose him because he didn’t think the country would accept two Westerners on the ticket. Clinton, of course, broke that “region balancing” precedent by picking Gore from the neighboring state.

Had he not gone with Bush, he might’ve gone with Howard Baker, the Senate GOP leader, or perhaps then-DE Gov. Pete du Pont. But we all should be grateful he didn’t go with the early first choice, former President Gerald Ford.