Word: laxalt
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Reagan had asked Sears and Laxalt about two months ago to come up with a single recommendation for Vice President. Working in a highly informal way among other campaign chores, they quickly compiled a list of nearly every prominent Republican who could meet two main criteria: 1) help unite the party, and 2) have a reputation for not being cozy with the Washington establishment. Conspicuously missing was the ability to lead the nation if elevated to the Oval Office. The choice apparently narrowed to William Ruckelshaus, the Deputy Attorney General in the Nixon Administration who refused to carry out orders...
Ruckelshaus was approached first by Sears and Laxalt, but was never firmly offered second place. Says he: "About three weeks ago, it became clear to me they were serious." Ruckelshaus told them he favored Ford, and only if Reagan got the nomination would he consider joining the Governor. He was not approached again...
...Reagan operatives had settled on Schweiker by Friday, July 16. Laxalt tried to reach him in Washington, but discovered he was on vacation. He could not make contact until the following Monday, when Schweiker returned his call from a pay phone in Ocean City, N.J. Laxalt said that he had something so important to discuss that he could not reveal it on the phone. Schweiker agreed to meet him and Sears in Washington on Tuesday morning. At a 90-minute meeting in Laxalt's office, Sears recalls, "we told him if he was agreeable, we would recommend...
With their selected candidate in hand, Laxalt and Sears moved to persuade Reagan. "It was too sensitive to telephone Governor Reagan about," Laxalt explained. "We decided he should be told personally." Sears flew to Los Angeles on Thursday night, July 22. On Friday morning he told Reagan and his wife Nancy for the first time about the Schweiker choice. That day Schweiker, traveling under the alias of Troy Gustavson, an aide, checked into the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. He was told by Sears to meet Reagan on Saturday at noon. He spent a restless night...
...that same day, Reagan and Nancy served a tuna salad lunch at their home to Schweiker, Laxalt and Sears. The talk in which the deal was struck lasted at least six hours...