erm earliest real shot, one of the names on Nixon's short list for VP in 1973 was Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke, he had some support from Democrats as a liberal, Brooke as VP came up a few times, the press floated the idea that Nixon would bump off Agnew for Brooke in 1972, and again the press brought up the idea of him as Ford's running mate in 1976, but 1973 was his shot, Ford's more right wing views and greater Democratic support got him the job, but despite their political differences I think Nixon respected Brooke more than Ford with whom he agreed more.