WI: Nixon Dies or Becomes Incapacitated in October 1973

I wonder how much power Kissinger would have during an Albert Administration. Albert talked about being a caretaker President, but I don't think he would just let Kissinger conduct his own foreign policy.
 
The war would likely be handled differently by nature of the fact that there is a functioning president in the white house. After the Saturday night massacre on October 20 the nation was basically headless, and Kissinger handled most of the negotiating with the UN and the Soviets himself, even sending letters to Brezhnev under Nixon's name. It was Kissinger who put the SAC on defcon 3.

It was a rather chaotic month.
 
I can see Kissinger sending a letter, even under the president's letterhead. But is it really well-documented that he put SAC on defcon 3?
 
I can see Kissinger sending a letter, even under the president's letterhead. But is it really well-documented that he put SAC on defcon 3?

It wasn't solely his decision; after receiving a letter from Brezhnev after the first ceasefire was broken, Kissinger met with Nixon and Nixon entrusted him with making any decisions regarding the war. The decision to raise to Defcon 3 was made at a meeting he arranged with other senior white house officials later.
 
Thanks for the prompt response.

And, oh wow, here we go again. I guess it's a little like close calls in aviation. Not every close call leads to catastrophe, but it's not something you want to flirt with.

And along these lines, I am intrigued by the concept of "system accident" or "normal accident" in engineering.

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As far as reference, I guess what I have in mind is a mainstream paper or a brave little indy paper for that matter. And the reporter would cite (or describe) a source and we'd have to make a judgment call.
 
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