The 1976 election was one of the most interesting ones I think. What could Gerald Ford have done (or not done) to win reelection?
Considering that he was a president of the incumbent party which controlled the White House for two terms, that the economic challenges were still big enough, that Vietnam fell although it wasn't his fault and, most important, a president resigned in disgrace two years before, he came pretty close to win. The pardon? It actually didn't play such a large role; Carter didn't attack him directly for it. The gaffe at the debate with "no Soviet domination in Eastern Europe"? I think that keeping Nelson Rockefeller on the ticket could have saved him. Rocky could have delivered NY's electoral votes. Had Ford won only NY in addition, he would have been reelected with 282 electoral votes. Any thoughts?
Yeah I've always thought that replacing Rockefeller with Dole is what cost Ford the election. Ford only lost New York by four points and Rockefeller likely would have pushed him over the top there.
