I think Ford would pick a running mate that he'd want to succeed him in 1984 seeing as how he'd be term limited.
Who? Poppy? Or Howard Baker?
Howard Baker wouldn’t say yes cause VP would be like a step down from Party Leader in the Senate . That’s why he said no to being Reagan’s vp because it’s a step down and not only is that true , it became even more true when he became not only party leader but the Senate Majority Leader as well.
As for succeeding to the Presidency, Van Buren was the last sitting vp to be elected President at that point so the VP job wasn’t viewed as a direct line to the Presidency either
