3-29-88 . . . Robert Dole has withdrawn as a Republican candidate for president. That leaves George [Herbert Walker] Bush and Pat Robertson as the only Republican candidates, with Bush the clear frontrunner. Robertson, like Jesse Jackson, is a religious leader. Neither, in my view, can be elected. Here’s an early prediction: Bush will select California Governor George Deukmejian as his vice-presidential running mate. Deukmejian is a conservative Republican who is popular in his state. He would balance the ticket both geographically and ideologically and make it likely that Bush would capture California. Originally, following the 1984 election, I predicted that Bush would select Jeane Kirkpatrick as his running mate, but she came out in support of Dole a few weeks ago. That effectively shot her down. It’s hard to believe that George Bush may be our next president. I’m surprised not just that he beat Dole, but that he beat him so easily and quickly. [Bush chose Dan Quayle as his running mate. Dole was the Republican nominee in 1996. He was defeated by Bill Clinton.]