Will Kürlich Kerl
Banned
What happens if George Bush replaces Spiro Agnew as Vice President instead of Gerald Ford?
WI: Bush replaces Agnew instead of Ford.
- Thread starter Will Kürlich Kerl
- Start date
Hmmm... Probably a more aggressive foreign policy, less attempts to be fiscally responsible, better image for the presidency--none of that Ford stuff, and an easier time running for re-election in '76. However, with his economic advisers calling for monetarism, there's still a good chance he could piss off conservatives in time for Ronnie to run in '76. Once he makes it into the GE, he has a much better chance in the South than Ford and can probably beat Carter or whoever it is that the Dems put up. Would be interesting to see how this effects the directions of the two parties and the fate of the Bush family, especially concerning the 1978 TX House election.
Part of what happens next will, of course, depend on whether or not he pardons Richard Nixon. I believe the pardon was a good idea, if only as a way to move us in a positive direction as a nation. Still, it enraged people who had gotten themselves worked up and wanted to see somebody get hurt, preferably somebody who was named Richard M. Nixon.
Even if he doesn't issue the pardon, the Nixon Administration had left a foul taste in people's mouths where the Republican Party was concerned, and the next election was going to be a hard fight, though Bush still could have managed to win with an aggressive, effective national campaign.
Dayton Kitchens
Banned
I don't see Bush winning a general election without the brilliant Lee Atwater to help guide him.
Carter would have kicked butt in '76. Bush's resume back then was a bit thin -- a couple of terms in the House, a stint as UN Ambassador and, worst of all, RNC Chairman during the worst of Watergate. And it is hard to see George Herbert Walker Bush dismantling the Nixonian Imperial Presidency the way Ford did. Ford had a common touch that kept him competitive with Carter in the post-Watergate environment, Bush did not. And given his gift for mangling the English language, he might well have given the late night comedians more fodder than Ford. GHW Bush would have been an awful choice and probably would have lost in a landslide.
An interesting possibility here:
If Bush plays the role of Ford TTL, there could be interesting pressure for Reagan to pick him as Veep in 1980 (OTL such pressure existed for Reagan to pick Ford.)
Bush might be more likely to be the Veep choice than Ford was iOTL, though just barely.
But if it happened you'd have an interestingly unique TL prospect of a Point of Convergence. Where the alternate history suddenly becomes indistinguishable from ours, with the exception of a brief Bush presidency in the mid seventies.
If Bush plays the role of Ford TTL, there could be interesting pressure for Reagan to pick him as Veep in 1980 (OTL such pressure existed for Reagan to pick Ford.)
Bush might be more likely to be the Veep choice than Ford was iOTL, though just barely.
But if it happened you'd have an interestingly unique TL prospect of a Point of Convergence. Where the alternate history suddenly becomes indistinguishable from ours, with the exception of a brief Bush presidency in the mid seventies.
Those kinds of possibilities really interest me.
Of course, the difference here would be that Bush would be barred from running for reelection in 1992...
Paul V McNutt
Banned
I do remember reading he was on the short list. I assume he still pardons Nixon and there is still the bad economy. I think he carries Texas but since Carter carries Michigan that is only a net gain of 5 electoral votes.
I actually considered doing this as a TL once, mainly because I see several butterflies resulting from a Bush presidency, even if you do get Carter in 76 and former president Bush ends up as Reagan's running mate.
This will probably effect the 1980 and 1984 campaigns in some way. I see a slightly different focus on Reagan's age if this happens, as Bush would have been a "tried and tested" president.
This will have even more impact on the 1988 election, as Bush will have to defend his previous time as president.
Even assuming that the Reagan/Bush years go the same as OTL with minimal butterflies, the fact that Bush will be barred from running again will completely change the 1992 election cycle. Without having to run against Bush himself, you may well see the likes of Cuomo enter the dem race-along with a host of other candidates. I doubt you'll see Bill Clinton imerge as the eventual victor.
Paul V McNutt
Banned
I don't think a former president would want to be Vice President. I read that Gerald Ford never really considered being Ronald Reagan's running mate. If Bush did become Vice President, then just as in OTL he would be the front runner in 1988. If elected he could not run in 1992. sSo ITTL his surge in popularity does not scare off Dick Gepgardt. sSo I assume Gephardt beats Bob Dole or Bush's Vice Prrsident in 1992.
I agree that Bush is more likely to pull an OTL Ford (demanding a co-presidency, knowing Reagan will refuse, because he doesn't want to be VP) than excepting it, though I wouldn't completely rule out a Reagan/Bush deal.
I think Bush is more likely to be offered a cabinet position, like Sec State or something in this scenario, which is interesting in itself.