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Show qualified for the same reason?' And President Nixon said to me, 'It sure does.' "Nixon seemed so positive that on the way out, I ran into Ford in the ante room, and I said to him, 'Jerry, it's not going to be either of us.' "Later in the day when reporters asked me about the Vice Presidency indicated that both Ford and myself were out of contention, which I must say damaged my credibility with the reporters. "The truth, of course, is that I was lied to. The Nixon White House crowd Haldeman, Ehrlichman, that bunch they never did like me, particularly they didn't like my stand on civil rights and when it came to choosing a Vice President, Nixon was looking for a man with traits different from mine." I Sen. Lowell Weicker (R., Conn.): "I think Nixon chose Jerry Ford as his Vice President for a very simple reason. There was no deal. Jerry was plainly a good, honest party lieutenant and loyalist on whom Nixon felt he could rely at all times. It was as simple as that He knew Ford would give him no trouble." Mr. and Mrs. Ford. A member of the House for 25 years and its Minority Leader, he was named Vice President by Nixon on Oct. 12, 1973, two days after Agnew resigned. Mr. and Mrs. lohn Connally. The Texas was top contender, but his switch antagonized Democrat-turned-Republic- Congress members who might have held up confirmation. Sen. Walter Mondale (D., Minn.): "Nixon picked Ford because (1) He thought Ford could be quickly confirmed. (2) He felt Ford would be an ally in aborting the move towards impeachment. (3) He knew Ford had always been a Nixon loyalist and would remain one to the end." Peter Lisagor (Chicago Daily News): "Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and Speaker of the House Carl Albert told Nixon that Ford was one of the few men the Congress would quickly confirm. Ford was one of their own, and Congress would confirm him without a hassle. With any of the others, there possibly would be a confirmation fight." by Lloyd Shearer WASHINGTON, DC. most jf&ne of the group of questions the of asked Personality frequently Kg P Parade department of this publicans tion concerns Gerald Ford. People ask over and over again: "Why did Richard Nixon choose Gerald Ford as his Vice President? . . . Was there a deal between Nixon and Ford? . . . Did Nixon choose Ford because he thought Ford would make the best possible U.S. President? . .' . Why did former President Richard Nixon choose Gerald Ford as his Vice President instead of George 12, Bush or John Connally or Senator Hugh Scott or former Secretary of State William Rogers or Ronald Reagan or Mel laird? . . . Did Ford have something on Nixon? Is that why Nixon picked him to be Vice President? . . . When Ford 6 was Vice President did he ever promise to pardon Nixon beforehand?" The one man who knows the answers to all these questions is Richard Nixon. But Richard Nixon is not speaking at this point. And if he were, his credibility has been reduced to so low a mark that practically no one would believe him. The question In an effort to find answers to the above questions. Parade recently conducted a sampling of knowledgeable White House correspondents, U.S. Senators and members of the House; each was asked: "Why do you think Richard Nixon chose Gerald Ford to replace Spiro Agnew as Vice President of the United States?" Some of the respondents asked not to A TV be identified. Others had no objection. Herewith some of their replies: Sen. Hugh Scott (R., Penn.): "On the day Jerry Ford was told Nixon was going to nominate him for the Vice Presidency, I preceded him in the Oval Office of the White House. Frankly, I considered myself one of the five possible nominees for the job. But President Nixon explained to me, 'I'm sorry, but I've decided not to appoint you Vice President. We don't want to have a fight in the Senate over the Republican leadership. I'm sure you understand.' "I said, 'Yes, sir, I do. And it will come as a great relief to my wife who frankly was against it.' And then I said, 'Does that leadership reason also apply to Jerry Ford in the House? Is he dis network White House correspon- dent: "In my opinion Nixon fixed on Ford because he knew that in Ford he had a 100 percent loyalist, one who had supported him all through the Vietnam i War, one who had supported him all down the line in every single vote and on every single issue. His loyalty was complete, and his gratitude would be endless. "To Nixon, Jerry Ford was impeachment insurance. We may not have known it at the time, but Nixon knew the Watergate conspiracy was unraveling, and he was determined to bluff it through, to stonewall it to the end. He needed someone like Jerry Ford desperately. In choosing Ford, Nixon was saying to the House, 'This is the man who will become President of the United States in case you impeach me.' Further, he was saying to the House, |
