In 1972, George McGovern picked New Jersey Representative Peter Rodino to be his running mate for his unsuccessful presidential campaign. McGovern had almost selected Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton, but Eagleton ended up admitting that he was the one who had described McGovern as the candidate of "amnesty, abortion, and acid" to Robert Novak.

What if Eagleton either never admits to saying these words or never says them at all, and he becomes McGovern's running mate? Remember that Eagleton had a history of depressive bouts and undergoing electroshock treatments. If his medical history becomes public in 1972 instead of a year later, how does that affect McGovern's performance?
 
I dunno; it was Rodino who convinced Ford not to pardon Nixon. If he’s not on the ticket, does he have the clout to pull a move like that? Supposedly the time Rodino spent studying Nixon and Agnew convinced him the two were no good, and Watergate just validated that for Rodino. So he called President Ford and convinced him not to pardon Nixon, and it worked.

Whether or not that was a good thing for America, well, that depends on whom you ask.
 
I dunno; it was Rodino who convinced Ford not to pardon Nixon. If he’s not on the ticket, does he have the clout to pull a move like that? Supposedly the time Rodino spent studying Nixon and Agnew convinced him the two were no good, and Watergate just validated that for Rodino. So he called President Ford and convinced him not to pardon Nixon, and it worked.

Whether or not that was a good thing for America, well, that depends on whom you ask.

If he pardoned Nixon, it could've backfired so bad that Ford would probably have lost in 1976.
 
If he pardoned Nixon, it could've backfired so bad that Ford would probably have lost in 1976.

People were pleased that Ford stood his ground against Nixon, but ironically it was what doomed his possible successor, Ronald Reagan, in 1980. America was just plain sick of the Republicans, and Ford bungling the Iran situation and stagflation was Reagan’s undoing.
 
How would this POD affect the Democratic nominees in 1976 and 1980? I assume Shriver would win the nomination in '76 regardless, his support from Peace Corps and WOP colleagues was strong and ppl were longing for a return to Kennedy. ITTL, he would probably beat Ford, though I'm not sure even he could fix things. Regardless, you probably don't get President Litton in '80. If Shriver wins, he probably loses reelection to Reagan. If Shriver loses, Eagleton probably sinks Litton's campaign. It would be a damn shame, Litton was one of the greats. I shudder at the possibility of a Reagan presidency. :confounded:
 
Whoever won in 1976 held a poisoned chalice and would have lost in 1980. I agree that Litton was one of the greats. Shame that Scoop Jackson lasted only two years as Secretary of State before this death.

Nevertheless, unemployment dropped to 5 percent and the Soviet Union was forced to democratize by the time Litton left the White House in January 1989. No surprise that Vice President Askew won in 1988.
 
Whoever won in 1976 held a poisoned chalice and would have lost in 1980. I agree that Litton was one of the greats. Shame that Scoop Jackson lasted only two years as Secretary of State before this death.

Nevertheless, unemployment dropped to 5 percent and the Soviet Union was forced to democratize by the time Litton left the White House in January 1989. No surprise that Vice President Askew won in 1988.

I liked Askew. It's a shame he was only a one termer. The economy took a bad turn in 1990 and that doomed his chances in '92.
 
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