Whatever the outcome of the epic Ford-Reagan struggle, the No. 2 spot on the ticket appears to be increasingly within the grasp of a talented and tainted Texan who can outdazzle either Republican—and just possibly the Democratic ticket as well. The prospect of John Connally as a candidate for Vice President evokes emotions ranging from outright delight to abject despair, for few politicians engender less neutrality than Connally, the millionaire international lawyer, former Governor and Treasury Secretary whose assets and liabilities are formidable.
The Texas twang that most political antennas are picking up whenever...