But I digress. Likely Agnew would have kept Haldeman and Ehrlichman on for continuity but neither had any loyalty to Agnew. Now, I believe that this April '72 event was pre-Watergate, so what follows is based on that premise: I suspect Haldeman/Ehrlichman would have bet that the sympathy vote would have been enough to carry the day, even with a highly polarizing candidate like Agnew; thus, the concept of the Watergate break-in would have been squelched. I could also see the Republicans choosing a softer/more human VP nominee like Nelson Rockefeller: he could also add considerable executive experience to the ticket as a contrast to relative lightweight Agnew.
The fun starts in '73 (I think) with the allegations surfacing in Maryland about Agnew's corruption while governor. The first to bail would be Haldeman and Ehrlichman, with the bulk of the old Nixon loyalists following fast. Now, what happened in Maryland is old news and was not an impeachable offense, but it sure hampered Agnew's ability to govern. By early 1974, the government is all but at a standstill, and the pressure on Agnew to resign is immense. He finally steps down in March '74, making Nelson Rockefeller president.
QUOTE]
Interesting...I definatley like the idea of Watergate being butterflied away by Nixon's death. But I also agree with Electric with the idea that Agnew probably woundn't pick Rockefeller...He probably will try to continue Nixon southern strategy to get the silent majority. I think Gen. Whestmoreland would actually be a good choice for Agnew...It helps boost his foreign policy, stick it out in Vietnam stance and he's from South Carolina.
But I think what's more interesting about the Nixon Assasination is the ripples it would have on the democratic side. These are all the primaries and caucuses that would take place after his death...
April 25: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania [Humphrey wins latter]
May 2: DC (Democrats), Indiana, Ohio
May 4: Tennessee
May 6: North Carolina
May 9: Nebraska, West Virginia
May 16: Maryland, Michigan [Wallace takes both]
May 23: Oregon, Rhode Island
June 6: California, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota [McGovern over Humphrey in California]
Assuming that Bremer is caught and arrested/killed after the shooting; this automatically butterflies the OTL assasination attempt on Wallace. He undoubtdly will run stronger and probably take West Virginia from Mcgovern.
Also, Shirley Chisholm might do alil better in the primaries with a Nixon Death instead of a Wallace Assasination attempt...She migh campaign harder in Massachusetts, and be able to take DC, Marlyand and possibly California if she gets enough of the black vote rallied behind her...
So you might see a much more brokerd convention in TTL's 1972 with Jackson, Wallace, and Chisholm alot closer to Mcgovern mighty total. Pressure from the party elders might force Mcgovern to pick a different VP than Eagleton...Possibly Scoop Jackson may take the spot. So a Mcgovern/Jackson ticket would face a Agnew/Whestmoreland ticket in the general
I believe, with the sympathy vote might give it to Agnew but it's a hell of alot closer than OTL 1972 General Election results. But would Whestmoreland after stepping into to become the 39th POTUS, Would he be more Ford-like in his policies or even do we still get out of Vietnam by the time the election rolls around? I say the Democrats would still have a better chance of winning in their hands, but it may be alot different in the primaries esp. if Chisholm and Wallace decide to run again but with more national prominence than in OTL?