Who would Nixon pick?

Japhy

Banned
As a side note, Nixon's plan to develop a conservative party is not particularly unique. Many Presidents, most prominently TR, FDR, and Wilson, sought to realign the American political system. They mostly failed.

Of course they mostly didn't work. I'm just saying thats what the logic was for Conelly, and that logic is such that it doesn't HAVE to be him. As you noted, its alot of capital wasted for Nixon.
 
I'm convinced that it would be either Ford or Baker, as they seem like the logical choices for 2nd in Command. I think Ford would still get it because of his tenure in Congress. Baker was four years into his first term as Senator and I don't think he would be as established as Nixon would want his VP to be.
 
But why would they do that if they refused to accept it when Nixon tried? You keep skipping over that part Paul. He's not a turncoat yet as he hasn't even joined the Democrats! How do they accept that? Give us more then a handwave excuse of "Because"

Conally is a member of the administration, so I think that gee him Republican support. I think in most confirmation votes there is assumption that the president should be able to appoint his own people unless there is something wrong with the nominee.
 

Japhy

Banned
Conally is a member of the administration, so I think that gee him Republican support. I think in most confirmation votes there is assumption that the president should be able to appoint his own people unless there is something wrong with the nominee.

But Paul. Again, THEY DIDN'T DO IT WHEN HE WANTED THEM TOO. Administration service, Democrats for Nixon, his isle-crossing and his record aside he was not accepted. They did not let the President choose his own nominee, because they thought there was something wrong (He was an LBJ ally!) with Connally. Why would Nixon waste his political capital when there's an election coming on something that will damage GOP support before an election?
 

Japhy

Banned
I'm convinced that it would be either Ford or Baker, as they seem like the logical choices for 2nd in Command. I think Ford would still get it because of his tenure in Congress. Baker was four years into his first term as Senator and I don't think he would be as established as Nixon would want his VP to be.

But Ford brings nothing to the table and there's an election coming, what appeal does he offer to any of the groups Nixon was targeting to bring into the GOP?
 
But Paul. Again, THEY DIDN'T DO IT WHEN HE WANTED THEM TOO. Administration service, Democrats for Nixon, his isle-crossing and his record aside he was not accepted. They did not let the President choose his own nominee, because they thought there was something wrong (He was an LBJ ally!) with Connally. Why would Nixon waste his political capital when there's an election coming on something that will damage GOP support before an election?

The difference between ITTL and OTL is that Conally has not served as the head of Democrats for Nixon. His role there made him too controversial.
 

Japhy

Banned
The difference between ITTL and OTL is that Conally has not served as the head of Democrats for Nixon. His role there made him too controversial.

It wasn't that role, it was the fact he was qualified to chair the organization!

No response to anything else?
 
I think it's being suggested that quite large sections of the GOP would have a problem selecting a Democrat as their VP nominee, something which makes a lot of sense to me.
 
But Ford brings nothing to the table and there's an election coming, what appeal does he offer to any of the groups Nixon was targeting to bring into the GOP?

There were two reasons Ford was chosen as VP in 1973 in OTL, were 1.) Watergate was in full force and it was highly probable that Nixon was gonna resign sometime in 1974. 2.) Ford was the most loyal of any Congressman to Nixon. 96% of Nixon Legislation was voted "Yea" by Ford, and with some say in the pick, and in their own minds, Ford would carry on with the Nixon Cabinet and the Nixon Agenda. After the pardon, Ford, still a moderate, tried his best to distance himself from Nixon to gain support from the American People.

I've studied Ford for years and is probably my favorite President.
 

Japhy

Banned
There were two reasons Ford was chosen as VP in 1973 in OTL, were 1.) Watergate was in full force and it was highly probable that Nixon was gonna resign sometime in 1974. 2.) Ford was the most loyal of any Congressman to Nixon. 96% of Nixon Legislation was voted "Yea" by Ford, and with some say in the pick, and in their own minds, Ford would carry on with the Nixon Cabinet and the Nixon Agenda. After the pardon, Ford, still a moderate, tried his best to distance himself from Nixon to gain support from the American People.

I've studied Ford for years and is probably my favorite President.

But Watergate hasn't happened yet, Nixon wants 1972 to be the year he starts to construct his new Coalition and Ford doesn't help with that.

Him being your favorite is absolutely irrelevant to that point.
 
But Watergate hasn't happened yet, Nixon wants 1972 to be the year he starts to construct his new Coalition and Ford doesn't help with that.

And furthermore it removes a powerful ally from the House.

I'm surprised nobody has said Robert Finch yet (or if they did I missed it).

He was Nixon's first choice but had to appease Goldwater-Reaganites. With his Presidency secured, and Finch already confirmed for a Cabinet position by the Senate so questioning him would be pointless and nobody wants to have a succession issue and no VP.
 
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There were two reasons Ford was chosen as VP in 1973 in OTL, were 1.) Watergate was in full force and it was highly probable that Nixon was gonna resign sometime in 1974. 2.) Ford was the most loyal of any Congressman to Nixon. 96% of Nixon Legislation was voted "Yea" by Ford, and with some say in the pick, and in their own minds, Ford would carry on with the Nixon Cabinet and the Nixon Agenda. After the pardon, Ford, still a moderate, tried his best to distance himself from Nixon to gain support from the American People.

I've studied Ford for years and is probably my favorite President.

Carl Albert's advice that Nixon took was that Ford would easily win confirmation. He respected and liked by both Republicans and Democrats.
 
But Watergate hasn't happened yet, Nixon wants 1972 to be the year he starts to construct his new Coalition and Ford doesn't help with that.

Him being your favorite is absolutely irrelevant to that point.

Why doesn't Ford help with Nixon's new Coalition? What would prevent him as the V.P. from working with Nixon to establish this? Ford supported a great majority of the groups the New Coalition was to support.

I just don't agree with Ford bringing nothing to the table. Yes, Nixon does lose a big ally in Congress, but he's still got Baker and in a year he has Connally, so I think he would still be realativly safe to pick Ford.
 
But why would they do that if they refused to accept it when Nixon tried? You keep skipping over that part Paul. He's not a turncoat yet as he hasn't even joined the Democrats! How do they accept that? Give us more then a handwave excuse of "Because"

Because Watergate.


Carter was a pretty decent candidate, he just wasn't a very good president.
No way, at the Democratic Convention he was pulling 62% to Ford's 29%, but nearly lost.
 

Japhy

Banned
Because Watergate.

The Republican Party knew because of Watergate that Agnew's replacement would be the next chief, they rejected Conally because he had until a short time before been a Democrat. That doesn't change just because its before CREEP screwed up big time.
 
Bush would be interesting, but I don't think it will be him because he will have just lost that U.S. Senate race, so he may be seen as being unable to bolster Nixon's strategy.
 
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