Vice President Ford: "Why I Will Not Run in '76": An Exclusive Interview

In any case, that organization was put together then and its aim today is to bring the party, the leadership, together and to start planning for '76, as we did back in the previous era in planning for '68. It brings in Governors, it brings in State legislators, it brings in party officials, it brings in the congressional leadership, and it brings in the White House. This can't help but have a beneficial impact as we expand it and as we get into some of the political as well as policy areas.

Q  Whom do you see now as the leading Republican candidate for President in 1976?

A  I wouldn't like to pick a leading one. There are men we all know about—Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York, Governor Ronald Reagan of California and former Governor John Connally of Texas. I think those are the leading prospects. Then you also have Senator Charles Percy of Illinois and Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee. And I gather there's some movement for Government Tom McCall out in Oregon.

Q  Mr. Ford, suppose you were to become President before 1976. What kind of Administration would you organize? Would you have the same officials stay on or would you bring in new ones?

A  If, as a result of some unfortunate incident, I were put in that position, I would say that I would want most of the people now in the Administration to stay on. I think the President's Cabinet today is a good one. But I think it's bad for me to even speculate about that prospect.

Q  Getting back to the role you expect to play as Vice President: How much freedom do you expect to have to take positions independent of the President?

A  The positions I took before the two congressional committees that held hearings on my nomination were, in five or six instances, different from those that the President himself has taken. I think he and I had an understanding that, although we would have a high degree of unanimity on foreign policy, it wasn't quite as essential to have so close an identity on domestic policy. By that arrangement, I think we agreed that I could have a certain flexibility in areas other than foreign policy. That's what I did as far as my committee hearings were concerned.

Q  Do you expect to continue the same kind of arrangement as Vice President?

A  Yes, except that I think it might work a little differently. I would hope to be a part of the process by which programs are finalized—to have an input in their formulation.

There have been in the past—and probably will be in the future—instances where, after all that process of program planning has been completed, I still would not agree. For example, I didn't agree for a long time and still don't agree with the diversion of Highway Trust Fund to help finance mass transit.

Now, supposing you go through that process, and you have an opportunity to make you input, and you still have some serious reservations. The question then arises: Do you go out and crusade about the difference that exists between the Administration's view and your own? Or do you just remain silent and let others sell the President's idea, while you maintain your own position but don't go out and publicly undercut the President's program?

Q  Which course would you follow?

A  I think I would try to be a team player. There could be instances where I would have a serious, very deep-seated difference of opinion. I suppose in that instance, if I were asked, I'd have to indicate my difference.

But whether I would go out and crusade about it—that's another matter. I think we'll just have to wait and see how things go.

Q  What about your personal relations with the President? How much direct access do you expect?