The Second Term of Gerald Ford (No Reagan) TL

[NickCT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Ford's VP in 1976 was Bob Dole...

[MrHuman]

Originally Posted by The Conservative Fellah

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Ford's VP in 1976 was Bob Dole...

He addressed that in the first post, there was pressure to drop Rockefeller but Ford didn't cave.

[NickCT]

Originally Posted by MrHuman

He addressed that in the first post, there was pressure to drop Rockefeller but Ford didn't cave.

Sorry, didn't remember...

[MrHuman]

Originally Posted by The Conservative Fellah

Sorry, didn't remember...

Nah, I do that all the time. You've personally corrected me on it a few times too.

[Paul V McNutt]

So Ford does not make the no Soviet domination remark, I think that could have put him over the top. I am looking forward to the Democatic landslide of 1980.

[THE OBSERVER]

Originally Posted by Paul V McNutt

So Ford does not make the no Soviet domination remark, I think that could have put him over the top. I am looking forward to the Democatic landslide of 1980.

Hey, it helped in Jeff Greenfield's "Then Everything Changed."

[Paul V McNutt]

If Rocky is Vice Presiident when he has his heart attack then there is a secret service agent in the next room who knows cpr. Of course then he is alive when word gets out about what he was doing when he had his heart attack.

[Stolengood]

Originally Posted by Paul V McNutt

If Rocky is Vice Presiident when he has his heart attack then there is a secret service agent in the next room who knows cpr. Of course then he is alive when word gets out about what he was doing when he had his heart attack.

Even if they give him CPR, it's still a very severe heart attack; it could be as mild as stroke-like symptoms or as bad as a permanent vegetative state.

Either way, he'd be in very little condition to serve, afterwards...

[Republican Jim]

Originally Posted by Paul V McNutt

If Rocky is Vice Presiident when he has his heart attack then there is a secret service agent in the next room who knows cpr. Of course then he is alive when word gets out about what he was doing when he had his heart attack.

Rocky may or may not survive, but there will be a new VP in '79. I have an idea for this but I am open to suggestions.

Working on the next update - been busy lately, so I should have it up in the next couple of days.

[Republican Jim]

INAUGURATION DAY - THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1977

With the swearing in completed, President Ford goes before the American people to give his Inaugural Address.

"Today, we celebrate this wonderful thing called freedom. The American people have won a great victory, and together we can make the final years of this decade one for the history books and welcome in the 1980's with the optimism of our Founding Fathers.... We have accomplished a great deal in 2 1/2 years, but there is still a great deal of work to be done. This administration has laid out a series of goals that we want to accomplish. These are not the goals thought up by some economists and politicians, but by "We the People." We need to continue to work together as a people to achive our goal of bringing inflation down. We need to work with industry to achieve the goal of providing good paying, private sector jobs to middle class American's. Our goal of middle class tax reform, can and will be achieved with courage and determination. We need to achieve the goal of making ourselves energy independent.

I call on the law makers of Congress to act accordingly. The American people are ready to work together - are you? Or do you want to continue the stagnation that has plagued this nation for most of the decade, and allow America and this precious thing we call freedom, to destroy itself from the inside. We began our quest for prosperity and renewal in August, 1974. We faced opposition from both sides of the spectrum. But we united as a people. Our spirits didn't waver. We didn't back down. We made a stand. Now, almost three years into it, we're ready to take charge with a full head of steam and we must remember, that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction - it's not passed on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and passed down for them to do the same. If we don't take these steps, it is almost certain that we'll spend our sunset years telling our children and grandchildren what it was once like to live in America - where men were free. Thank you."

Being dubbed as the greatest speech of the President's career, many political insiders feel that the Ford Administration will be able to, at the least, set the wheel in motion for economic prosperity.

COMING UP: 1977

[ColeMercury]

Originally Posted by Peelitebkearns

Ford's second term will be interesting, he'll have many of the problems Carter had to deal with OTL and he's likely to have to pick another VP halfway through his own term.

Ford's new VP may be his designated successor as well, since he can't run again in 1980.

[Whanztastic]

Originally Posted by ColeMercury

Ford's new VP may be his designated successor as well, since he can't run again in 1980.

If things go well for Ford, maybe. But...

How did Pat Brown's career go after '66? He may still be a player.

[Admiral Ackbar]

One thing to consider in the event Rocky still dies of a heart attack and Ford needs to name a new VP, is that the Democrats should hold huge margins in the Senate so the nominee has to get through them to be confirmed. Picking a GOP Senator or Representative that is respected by both sides will make it easier to do that. You're probably not going to get someone polarizing like Reagan through the Senate. I've always liked the idea of Howard Baker for a situation such as this.

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Originally Posted by Paul V McNutt

If Rocky is Vice Presiident when he has his heart attack then there is a secret service agent in the next room who knows cpr. Of course then he is alive when word gets out about who he was doing when he had his heart attack.

Fixed it for you

[Republican Jim]

Here is my short list of people that could very well replace Rocky on the ticket. I have an idea who I'm going to choose as Rocky's replacement, but I want the opinion of the people on here.

George H.W. Bush
Howard Baker
Paul Laxalt
John Connally
Bob Dole
Mark Hatfield
Charles Percy
George Romney
Richard Lugar

If anybody has anymore names to add to the list feel free. Like I said, I have an idea who I'm going to make the VP, but I want your opinons.

[historybuff]

I'd got with Howard Baker. Anyone new in Ford's cabinet? Did anyoen switch positions?

[Republican Jim]

The President announces that former Congressman and CIA Director George H.W. Bush will replace Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State and Tennessee Senator Howard Baker will replace Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense.

[Paul V McNutt]

Why would Kissinger leave? If Rockefeller died. Or resigned for health reasons, there would be pressure from the Republican party to name Reagan. w Whomever was selected, Reagan is the frontrunnetfor the 1980 Republicsn nomination.

[ZincOxide]

Nice inauguration speech

Has anyone looked at the speech where Ford talks about ways to try and stop inflation? It was a pretty nice one.

[historybuff]

Givin his foreign policy background, I think Bush would be a good choice for Secretary of State.