Ford doesn't pardon Nixon.

What if President Ford never pardoned President Richard Nixon after taking office in 1974.

Probably elected in 1976. Screws up Reagan's and George HW Bush's future as well....
 
What if President Ford never pardoned President Richard Nixon after taking office in 1974.

Probably elected in 1976. Screws up Reagan's and George HW Bush's future as well....

Probably not nominated in 1976. Before Ford can get on the ballot, he has to be approved by the GOP nominations committee. They're already looking for an excuse to pick Reagan instead of him. If he refuses to issue the pardon, and makes the GOP sit through the humiliation of a Nixon trial, they're not going to reward him with the nomination.

Having Reagan on the 1976 ticket might butterfly the Democratic nomination away from Carter to Scoop Jackson or Hubert Humphrey...
 
Probably not nominated in 1976. Before Ford can get on the ballot, he has to be approved by the GOP nominations committee. They're already looking for an excuse to pick Reagan instead of him. If he refuses to issue the pardon, and makes the GOP sit through the humiliation of a Nixon trial, they're not going to reward him with the nomination.

Having Reagan on the 1976 ticket might butterfly the Democratic nomination away from Carter to Scoop Jackson or Hubert Humphrey...

Why do you say "if he refuses to issue the pardon"? You make it sound like he acted against public opinion and against his advisors by granting it.

Had Ford not pardoned Nixon, most politicians and average Americans would at first applaud the decision. However, during the subsequent long trial and the lengthly appeal, all on national television, and culminating in the sight of a former President arriving at federal prison, the applause would turn to scorn. Ford's presidency would have been all about Watergate and nothing else. He would of been condemned for not granting Nixon a pardon, and thus prolonging the "long national nightmare" which he had proclaimed to be over. He would not of had the backing needed for a presidential run in '76. Reagan likely win the nomination and narrowly defeat Carter or Jackson in the 1976 presidential election. Whether he defeats the Democratic nominee in 1980 (Kennedy or Udall perhaps) depends of several economic & political factors (IMO, he'd face whatever challenges arise during his 1st term w/greater competence then Carter did in OTL).
 
Far more likely is that Nixon is not convicted of anything, after a long and costly trial which seriously divides the nation, leaving Ford looking bad on all sides and adding a certain viciousness as many Americans conclude that Watergate was a politically motivated witch hunt rather than a legitimate investigation.

The fact that on the Senate committee investigating Agnew all three of the top Democrats were guilty of the same crimes will certainly be raised.

The reality, of course, is that given enough Senators you could impeach the president for having a bad hair day.
 
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