“Real approval or according to the media? Carter’s approval had to have been nearly as low as Nixon’s at this point. Reagan did not have it locked up, if I remember correctly, and the only way he avoided a floor fight at the convention was by co-opting President Bush 41 by offering him the VP.”
You remember incorrectly. Bush 41 had an impressive string of late primary victories but the math showed he could not catch Reagan and he politely dropped out. Then the rumor got out that Ford was going to be the VP pick and some kind of “co presidency” would occur. When the “co presidency” thing started being talked about, that is when Reagan put the kabosh on that idea and picked Bush 41. Both Ford and Bush were considered due to their military and foreign policy experience.
WHICH BRINGS US TO HILLARY. If the polls keep going down for Obama watch for her to replace Biden.
I’m not surprised if I remember incorrectly. I was very young and it was a long time ago. Obama is smart enough to know better than to place his own heartbeat in between Hillary! and the White House.