Jack Kemp’s death over the weekend has produced a flood of news stories about his life and political career. From a purely political standpoint, though, one lesson from Kemp’s career stands out: it really matters who a presidential candidate picks for a running-mate.
Yes, vice presidents are a heartbeat away from the presidency, so of course the choice matters. But just consider how differently history might have played out if Ronald Reagan had simply gone with his instinct when, in the summer of 1980, it came time to pick a running-mate.
Reagan, then 69 years old, arrived in Detroit for the G.
