1973: Nixon replaces Agnew with Gov. Rockefeller instead of Ford

[BluegrassBlueVote]

Nelson was originally seen as a frontrunner for the selection, after all. And consequently, after Watergate Rockefeller becomes the 38th President of the United States in 1974.

What happens? Do we see a resurgence of the Eastern Establishment and a postponement (or possibly a permanent removal) of the coming conservative revolution? Does Rockefeller pardon Nixon? Does he have a stronger path to reelection than Ford in '76? What about his VP pick?

Discuss!

[Mr. Morden]

Reagan almost snatched the 1976 GOP nomination away from Ford.  Wouldn't he have an easier time of doing so against Rockefeller?

[BluegrassBlueVote]

Because he pardoned Nixon, right?

[Mr. Morden]

Because he pardoned Nixon, right?

Huh?  The GOP primary voters didn't care about that.

[BluegrassBlueVote]

Because he pardoned Nixon, right?

Huh?  The GOP primary voters didn't care about that.

Wasn't Nixon's approval ratings making a push into the teens by the time he resigned? No one liked him.

I don't have a great knowledge of the 1976 primary, but I assumed that Ford's pardon made the entire country -- both Democrat and Republican -- feel like he had reached a corrupt bargain with Nixon. Most of his appeal as a politician was his honest character.

And I guess another scenario to assume is if Rockefeller would've ran the country liberally enough to be overcome by Reagan.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Because he pardoned Nixon, right?

Huh?  The GOP primary voters didn't care about that.

Wasn't Nixon's approval ratings making a push into the teens by the time he resigned? No one liked him.

I don't have a great knowledge of the 1976 primary, but I assumed that Ford's pardon made the entire country -- both Democrat and Republican -- feel like he had reached a corrupt bargain with Nixon. Most of his appeal as a politician was his honest character.

And I guess another scenario to assume is if Rockefeller would've ran the country liberally enough to be overcome by Reagan.

The 1976 Republican primaries were all about ideology. If Ford, a man who had folks both to his left and his right was nearly toppled, Rockefeller would go down easily. Reagan made some missteps that endangered his candidacy at its beginning. However, with someone as much out-of-step with his party as Rockefeller of all people in charge, I doubt that those would even matter. Reagan probably takes New Hampshire or even Iowa.

I'm wondering who Rockefeller would appoints as Vice President. Highly likely it would be Ford himself, which would be ironic. A man as independent-minded as Rockefeller probably wouldn't throw a bone to the conservatives.

[sdu754]

Rockefeller was more liberal than Ford, but both were from the liberal wing of the Republican party. I don't even think Rockefeller was amoung the people Nixon was considering for VP, but I'll play along anyway.

I think Rockefeller would have been renominated for president, but lost to Carter anyways. If Nixon hadn't been pardoned, the entire focus of the country would have been on watergate, and Rockefeller wouldn't have been able to get anything done. Pardoning Nixon allowed the country to move on, and probably put Ford in a stronger position for re-election. An entire term devoted to watergate wouldn't have helped Rockefeller. Watergate pretty much assured a Democratic victory in 1976. Reagan would have come along in 1980 and won anyhow. Other than the loss of some bad saturday night live skits, the country probably would have been the same.

[BluegrassBlueVote]

Rockefeller was considered a front-runner for the VP role, yes. John Connally was of course Nixon's favorite, but he didn't think Connally could be confirmed.

[sdu754]

Rockefeller was considered a front-runner for the VP role, yes. John Connally was of course Nixon's favorite, but he didn't think Connally could be confirmed.

Other than Ford, the two I remember were Connally & Bush. I could be wrong about Rockefeller, but I was thinking of the choices Nixon was considering. Rockefeller could have been a name the media came up with, that Nixon wasn't considering. Ford was chosen, because Nixon knew he would be nominated. He did this to hold the white house for the republicans.