I failed to notice the author of this piece, shock of shocks it’s Pat Buchanan. Guy is sure no fiscal conservative (or intelligent political commentator).
I wish Former Governor Frank Lowden of Ill. had excepted Coolidge’s VP offer in 1924 (he was nominated and declined, possibly the only time that has happened). Hoover was popular (he won the nomination easily over Lowden and others) but he might have stood a chance against him in 1928 as the sitting VP.
I don’t know what kind of Prez he would have been (he sounds good) but it could not possibly have turned out any worse.
It would have even been preferable to have Al Smith as President. At the least that would have meant no FDR in 1932. Possibly no anti-GOP backlash at all.
Had Smith won and had he presumably followed a similar course as Hoover, it still may have resulted in the GOP moving leftward for 1932 and perhaps nominating Hoover for a rematch (for which Smith would’ve almost assuredly lost). Hoover, of course, would’ve proceeded to exacerbate the problem (as FDR did), and we might’ve faced an even more frightening scenario for 1936... Governor/Senator Huey Long as the Democrat nominee.