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Prologue: Two Time's The Charm




CBS Broadcast, Monday, September 22, 1975. 6:31 pm (EST).

A rerun of “You Can Go Home Again”, an episode of Rhoda, aired.

Scene: Rhoda (Valerie Harper) and her sister Brenda (Julie Kavner) lugging a suitcase into the apartment. Brenda slumps over in exahustion.

Julie Kavner (As Brenda): I wonder how Mary managed this herself.

Valerie Harper (As Rhoda): When you look like Mary, you don't have to anything yourself-


The CBS logo appears with the caption, Special Report. Walter Cronkite appears on screen.



Walter Cronkite: Good evening. As you may have heard, there was another attempt on President Gerald Ford’s life. Let’s go to San Francisco.

(shot of Gerald Ford leaving the St. Francis Hotel, walking toward his limousine. Five shots are heard. Ford is shoved into the limousine while Secret Service agents swarm a middle-aged woman being tackled to the ground by a middle-aged man).

Walter Cronkite: The attempted assassin has been identified as Sara Jane Moore. The Secret Service is reporting a man injured in the incident, who appears to have been shot in the abdomen at least 3 times. I have just learned the identity of the man, Oliver Sipple, a former United States Marine. He is being taken to an undisclosed location, possibly a hospital to treat his wounds. He is said to be in critical condition…The president is being escorted to an airport.

6:38 pm. (EST)

Walter Cronkite: The agents when they heard the shots, rushed President Ford into his limousine. Mr. Sipple, when trying to force the gun from Moore’s hand, was shot several times in the abdomen. The president was nearly hit while leaving the St. Frances Hotel.

(Offscreen, an aide hands Cronkite a note. Cronkite picks up the note, confused)

Walter Cronkite: The President’s motorcade, which was originally headed for the airport, appears to be headed for the hospital. (Cronkite mutters something not heard by the audience). There have been no reports of injuries among members of the Secret Service.


6:47 p.m. (EST)

(Offscreen, an aide hands Cronkite another note)

Cronkite: The President w-was hit?! It appears the President was hit. (While his face is calm, it becomes noticeably redder to those with colored TVs). President Ford has been struck with a bullet. He was wounded, but his condition is still unknown.

6:55 p.m. (EST)

Walter Cronkite: It appears the President has been rushed to St. Francis Memorial Hospital. His condition is said to have been very critical

7:10 p.m. (EST)

Walter Cronkite: I have just received report revealing that Mr. Oliver Sipple died at 3:59 p.m. Pacific Time, 6:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, eleven minutes ago. The condition of President Ford was last reported as being very critical. Again, this is President Ford’s second assassination attempt since September 5, when he was nearly shot in San Francisco.

7:25 p.m.


Walter Cronkite: I have just received an official notice from St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco.

(He looks down)

Walter Cronkite: President Gerald Ford died at 4:16 p.m. Pacific Time, 7:16 p.m Eastern, nine minutes ago.

(Cronkite shakes his head, looks toward the camera, a sullen but dignified look on his face)

Walter Cronkite: Vice President Rockefeller has been rushed from (slowly) Number…One…Observatory…Circle… to the Capitol Building, presumably to take the Oath of Office.



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For the second time in nine months, the same two men stood face to face. Both had their left hands on a Bible, while one man raised his right hand. One man wore a black robe, while the other wore a suit. The face and bespectacled eyes of the man raising his right hand were carved from stone as he uttered an oath he longed dreamed of taking, but never under such peculiar circumstances, while television cameras sent the image to a shaken nation.


Warren Burger: "I Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller do solemnly swear…”

Nelson Rockefeller: "I Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, do solemnly swear…"

Warren Burger: "...that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States…"

Nelson Rockefeller: "...that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States…"

Warren Burger: "...and will to the best of my ability…"

Nelson Rockefeller: "...and will to the best of my ability..."

Warren Burger: "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States…"

Nelson Rockefeller: "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States…"

Warren Burger: "...so help you God..."

Nelson Rockefeller: "...so help me god…"



The Rock That Fell From The Ford: An Alternate 1970s TL.
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