WI: Ford Appoints George H.W. Bush as VP in 1974

[Galba Otho Vitelius]

The really interesting POD is George HW Bush being the Vice Presidential Republican nominee in 1972. Apparently this was seriously considered.

As an addendum to my other point, and as a piece of electoral trivia, both major party Vice Presidential nominees in 1976 were later nominated by their parties for President. The one other election I can think of where this happened was 1920.

 

[Whanztastic]

If picked by Ford, he’d be tainted and would no longer be a viable candidate. He may not even pass muster in the Senate nomination. As Chairman, how could he separate himself from Watergate? Furthermore, we now know that Bush was implicit in the Agnew scandals, putting political pressure (obstruction of justice) on the Baltimore federal prosecutors.

Without Bush, could Howard Baker or a different Republican beat Reagan in ‘80?

 

[Amadeus]

If picked by Ford, he’d be tainted and would no longer be a viable candidate. He may not even pass muster in the Senate nomination.

Huh? Nelson Rockefeller, one of the most divisive politicians in the GOP, was tapped by Ford and he was confirmed 90 to 7 by the Senate.

As Chairman, how could he separate himself from Watergate?

In 1974 he called on Nixon to resign. Bush could easily distance himself from Nixon by pointing this out. And it's worth noting that the Senate confirmed Bush's nomination as DCI two years later, so there's no reason he wouldn't be confirmed as Vice-President.

Without Bush, could Howard Baker or a different Republican beat Reagan in ‘80?

If Ford/Bush loses in 1976 (which I doubt), then either Bush pulls a Mondale and runs in 1980 or he doesn't run and Reagan cruises to the nomination that year. Without Bush he picks Rumsfeld as VP, meaning we would probably get President Donald Rumsfeld in 1989.

 

[Bomster]

If Ford/Bush loses in 1976 (which I doubt), then either Bush pulls a Mondale and runs in 1980 or he doesn't run and Reagan cruises to the nomination that year. Without Bush he picks Rumsfeld as VP, meaning we would probably get President Donald Rumsfeld in 1989.

R U M S F E L D I A

 

[ScrewySqrl]

IMHO, regardless of who is VP, ford's biggest mistake was Pardoning Nixon.

If ford wins in 1976, I don't think there will be an Iranian Hostage Crisis. It was triggered by Carter taking the deposed Shah into the US for cancer treatments, instead of returning him to Iran, whcih was what his advisors suggested. If the Shah is returned to Iran to face trial, teh crisis is probably averted.

 

[Amadeus]

R U M S F E L D I A

I would find it ironic if President Rumsfeld decides to overthrow Hussein in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War. Or better yet, Hussein invades Kuwait but Rumsfeld does nothing. After all, who can forget this little gem from the 1980's?