#james baker

[scurviesdisneyblog]

Early character designs for WALL•E by James Baker

[politicalrpf]

Ronald Reagan struggles to wrangle his dog, Lucky.

[musickickztoo]

James Baker

March 7, 1954 - May 5, 2025

[joeinct]

Rain Shower, Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado, Photo by James Baker

[politicaldilfs]

[dadsinsuits]

James Baker

& Ronald Reagan

[theartofpixar]

[deadpresidents]

Do you think James Baker could have been president?

Baker was certainly well-qualified for the job, but I don't know if he would have been as effective in the Jed Bartlet position as he was in the Leo McGarry role. If he had ever made a run for the Presidency, his best bet when it came to timing was probably the 1996 election. I don't think he would have beaten Bill Clinton, and we never really saw Baker on the campaign trail as a candidate, so I'm not sure how he would have done in the primaries against Bob Dole. But that would have been the year for him to take a shot at it.

After his best friend, George H.W. Bush, was defeated for re-election in 1992 (a campaign that Baker managed), Baker probably would have been a really good choice as someone's Vice President. As a former Treasury Secretary, Secretary of State, and White House Chief of Staff under two Presidents, Baker was the ultimate political insider and had significant foreign policy experience. He would have fit perfectly in the slot that Dick Cheney ultimately filled as George W. Bush's running mate in 2000. However, since Baker was also from Texas, a Bush-Baker ticket would have created Electoral College problems. The Electoral College is ridiculously complicated and has some rules that most people don't even realize. The Constitution would have prohibited Electors from Texas from casting both of their Electoral votes for Bush and Baker since they were both Texas residents. So that could have resulted in one of them not receiving enough Electoral votes to win the election. That's why Cheney (who was living in Texas in the years before the 2000 campaign) had to switch his official residence back to Wyoming before the election. Baker was probably too closely connected (personally and professionally) with George H.W. Bush for George W. Bush to want to choose him as VP if he could have, but he would have been a very good pick for that role.