But for Ronald Reagan and his conservative movement, GW and his father (and his brother in Florida) could have been elected to nothing. They would have been limited to the occasional small potatoes political appointee appartatchiks as GB Senior had been under Gerry Ford and Nixon (remember, his only elective office had been as a congressman in a safe Houston district). The biggest mistake Ronaldus Magnus made was to elevate this family by choosing someone who stood for nothing as his Vice President.
In restrospect, maybe a bad move by Reagan. But, Reagan needed to keep the “Eastern Liberal Establishment” (what Reagan referred to GHWB as) from bolting to Jimmy Carter or liberal Independent John Anderson....and especially Anderson (8% of 1980 vote)
Still, Reagan did warn us of the Bushes when he called Bush part of the “Eastern Liberal Establishment” during the 1980 primary season. And, oh, was President Reagan so accurate!
Reagan was forced to let Poppy on the ticket.
Ex CIA head Poppy is no lightweight. The family has been in the game since the days of Vannevar Bush, a real genius.
Jim Baker and the ‘awl people back them.