associations into that envoy gig. His wife was able to amass one of the biggest rolodexes (she called it her "Christmas card list"
in the history of electoral politics--that was a MASSIVE donor list, before the days when those things were computerized, too. Not only were his associated positions in service to government useful but that list was incredibly useful too (and he added to it, 'big time' when he was RNC chair)--he could go to the well with those names, and parlay his moneyraising influence into political influence, given his background.
Gerald Ford wanted to be "co-president" with Reagan, and Reagan still had enough in the way of marbles to tell him where he could stuff that notion. Apparently Ford was somewhat insistent, and Reagan was having none of it. It would have been absurd--no one steps BACKWARD from the White House, even if one gets there without a single vote. The only options post-WH are in non-elective capacity, like the Supreme Court (Taft). For awhile there, there was talk about Bill Clinton running the UN (which would have been a break with custom/tradition, as Security Council countries don't put up candidates for that gig) -- it got a bit of buzz but in the end it went nowhere.
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