President George Bush in 1974

At the Republican National Convention in 1968, there were talks about the presumptive nominee, Richard Nixon, choosing then-Congressman George Bush of Texas as his running mate. But instead, Nixon chose Governor Spiro Agnew. What if Nixon chose Bush as his running mate? Presuming that Nixon/Bush would be elected in November 1968, Nixon would keep Bush as his VP in 1972 and would be re-elected in a landslide, and Watergate still occurs, what would happen if Vice President George Bush became POTUS when President Nixon resigns on August 9, 1974? How would Bush do as POTUS from 1974 to 1977? Would he be re-elected in 1976, and if so, what would happen in his second term?
 
Hard to see him not pardoning Nixon as Ford did. Its really the only move to make, and I think history justifies Ford's move. America needed to put Watergate behind it, and a long trial for Nixon wasn't going to help the country or the Republican party.

So that having been said, as necessary as the move will have been, it will still be an unpopular decision. Similarly, Bush having been on the ticket since 1972 doesn't give him even the small amount of distance Ford had IOTL. I don't know if he is able to come as close as Ford did in 1976 IOTL. He'd still likely have Reagan trying to primary him from the right.
 
At least all our presidents would've been elected (to the vice-presidency, if not necessarily the presidency).

If Reagan tries to primary Bush in '76, is a Reagan-Bush ticket even plausible in 1980? If not, who's Reagan's running mate?
 
Reagan thought about Ford as his running mate, so its possible. Otherwise probably someone like Baker or Dole or Rummy.
 
I don't think ITTL there would have been a Reagan Bush ticket in 1980. Ford never really considered it. There would have been a different moderate runner up in 1980. probably Baker. I assume it would have been Reagan Baker that was elected in 1980.
 
That means that Howard Baker is probably elected President in 1988 and loses in 1992. Probably to Bill Clinton as Baker wave of popularity folling the Persian Gulf War scares off the major Democratic contenders.
 
The more i think about the less and less this changes. George W Bush still has a name advantage and this helps his political career.
 
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