What if FORD Had Been Assassinated in 1975?

[liberalpragmatist]

Ford survived two assassination attempts in the fall of 1975. What would have happened had he been shot?

The appointed Vice President, liberal Republican (and former NY Governor) Nelson Rockefeller would have become President (America's third president in a single 4-year term).

Could Rockefeller have survived a primary challenge by Ronald Reagan? Given Rockefeller's liberal views, I'm guessing no. Ronald Reagan is nominated in 1976 and faces Jimmy Carter. Carter defeats Reagan and where does that leave Reagan?

Does Reagan come back, win the nomination a second time in 1980 and history unfolds largely the same? Or is Reagan tainted by his '76 loss and the GOP nominates somebody else - John Connally, Bob Dole, or Howard Baker? Do they defeat Carter (whose approval ratings are VERY low in 1980) and go on to serve two terms?

[Tellurian]

1. The question begs..

Who would have been Rockefeller's choice for VP?

You're only allowed one guess.. Uh, I see you've made several?

And the final answer is: GHWB!!!

[Historic NY]

3. Definitely not Bush..........

The Bush family couldn't stand Nelson, because he divorced his wife and married another mans wife. Old Prescott Bush so resented the infidelity of Rockefeller that he and his son Bush 41 failed to support him in 60, 64 & 68 as he tried to seek the nomination.

[Tellurian]

4. Not so fast..

whose to say the crime family wouldn't have made it 4 presidents in a 4 yr term.

[LTR]

6. Not to mention...

Rockefeller died the way that many men would probably want to go: He suffered a fatal heart attack allegedly during a tryst with his 26-year old secretary in 1979.

And of course, this would add another angle to this alternative history.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Carter would have defeated Reagan

if it weren't for the backroom REPUBLICAN dealings in Iran.

[timtom]

5. Would that assassination have

taken place in Lincoln's Theater in Washington, D.C.?

[charlie]

7. There are days

I'd prefer Reagan won in 1976. He only lost to Ford in a squeaker. Let him inherit the circumstances that vexed Carter -- the runaway inflation, the Pahlavi mess, the Chrysler bailout, the Fed "killing" inflation with monstrous interest rates, OPEC -- and try to fix them with his knucklehead jingoistic hoohah so soon after Vietnam. As with Carter, Americans would've been primed to vote anyone-but-the-incumbent-party and Movement Conservatism would be stillborn.