Got out of prison, could he simply regain his position as boss? Traditional cosa Nostra rules dictate a boss is the boss. But with most of his original underlings either dead or in jail, would the current leadership step aside for him

Now Jackie nose was his flunky back then but even he has probably retired. And times have changed, given Jackie's status

John jr is obviously very low key now and not a power anymore

Gotti with his ego will never accept a lower position and it wouldn't be surprising if he had the same problems Paul did.

He would be the boss until somebody put a bullet in him....which probably wouldn't take long....he personally created much of the mess that still persists today.

If he were still alive,he would have already been replaced as Boss while he was in prison. His brothers are out of the picture,and his son never was respected by the street guys.
With all of the damage that he did to the Family(Sammy turning rat,the open defiance of the Feds,basking in the spotlight,etc), the Gambinos would have distanced themselves as much as possible from this mook. He has no allies,no support,and no respect from anybody.
My personal scenario: Jr.goes to meet Daddy at the gate.They get into a limo enroute to a welcome home party. Neither Gotti Sr.,Gotti Jr.,the limo driver,or the limo is ever seen again.

No way,no how,would the Gambinos ever go back to the darkest era in their history. Gotti as returning Boss would kick off a Federal onslaught that would literally result in the end of the Gambinos.

He would immediately get re arrested! He was his own worse enemy!

He would appear on Celebrity Survivor and go on trial for animal cruelty after severing the head off of a snake.

Danny Bonaduce and Alfonso Ribeiro would turn up in court to support him.

Cefalu and Bellomo try to assassinate him outside a social club with a UGV but they accidentally kill close aide Jake Busey instead after mistaking him for Gotti.

^ that's great.

At the party to celebrate the release from prison, Gotti meets with his supporters in the family, suddenly someone loocks the doors and windows and there is a powerful blast.Gotti has its men die.

The next day all the newspapers of NY on the front page with the news, Victoria Gotti while gives interview scries and swears revenge; it's talk of a gas leak.
Spend some time, neither the police or the Feds arrest or accuse someone, the Sicilians went crazy and don't go to Gotti's weak, Victoria Gotti assails Cefalu but Frankie Boy rejects her with a slap.

In a secret place, great party, the captains elect boss Domenico Cefalu that chooses as underboss,Frank Cali.

Calì makes a toast and says in Sicilian and English "now that this asshole and his ass-licker are dead, long life to the family"

If he was still alive, he'd been in prison reading fan mail.

I strongly believe Gotti would be working/ owning a bakery.

He would be modeling suits for Brioni and signing autographs

If Gotti was still alive he would be a force to be raekon withn he still has a following on the streets, even though he couldnt keep his head down. He was a great gangster and street. So the heads of he family would be killed or have to kill him

If Gotti didn't get pinched, Gigante would have eventually succeeded in killing him. Then he would have helped install Jimmy Brown and Danny Marino into the Gambino hierarchy. No doubt in my mind.

I'm not sure PB, simply for the fact with Gotti's big mouth and his arrogance would have landed him in jail eventually even if he avoided this.

There is no way he would have come out of the can and expected anything other than the rank of boss period. So chances are it would have been war either with his own family or with others as well (Gigante, etc.). I just don't think he would have been able to keep himself out of prison long enough for anything to happen.

.... he'd go looking for Sammy the Bull.

......he'd be looking to get photographed!

I don't disagree with any of that, Dix. But I thought the hypothetical here implied that Gotti was on the street?

Maybe I'm reading the question wrong. But IF Gotti was on the street, I think Vince would have eventually gotten to him. That's all .

I don't doubt that either. I'm still not even sure Gotti knew who it was that bombed the car did he?

I'm just betting Gotti would have went back to jail before Gigante had another chance to get him. The way Gotti acted there was no way he wasn't going to jail for something.

Been gone awhile. Just read Raab's book. Says the FBI informed Gotti the Westside was trying to get him. Almost just like that. Between Casso on the run, but still dangerous, they would've got to Gotti. And Jimmy Brown or Marino installed.