Bush's special treatment during the 1970 campaign was a subject of acute resentment,
especially among senate Republicans Ford needed to keep on board. Back in 1970,
Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon had demanded to know why John Tower had given
Bush nearly twice as much money as any other Senate Republican. Senator Tower had
tried to deny favoritism, but Hatfield and Edward Brooke of Massachusetts had not been
placated. Now there was the threat that if Bush had to go through lengthy confirmation
hearings in the Congress, the entire Townhouse affair might be dredged up once again.
According to some accounts, there were as many as 18 Republican senators who had
gotten money from Townhouse, but whose names had not been divulged. [fn 11] Any
attempt to force Bush through as vice president might lead to the fingering of these
senators, and perhaps others, mightily antagonizing those who had figured they were
getting off with a whole coat. Ripping off the scabs of Watergate wounds in this way
conflicted withe Ford's "healing time" strategy, which was designed to put an hermetic lid
on the festering mass of Watergate. Bush was too dangerous to Ford. Bush could not be
chosen..
Because he was so redolent of Nixonian sleaze, Bush's maximum exertions for the vice
presidency were a failure. Ford announced his choice of Nelson Rockefeller on August
20, 1974. It was nevertheless astounding that Bush had come so close. He was defeated
for the moment, but he had established a claim on the office of the vice presidency that he
would not relinquish. Despite his hollow, arrogant ambition and total incompetence for
the office, he would automnatically be considered for the vice presidency in 1976 and
then again in 1980. For George Bush was an aristocrat of senatorial rank, although denied
the senate, and his conduct betrayed the conviction that he was owed not just a place at
the public trough, but the accolade of national political office.
NOTES:
- Washington Post, August 16, 1974.
- Washington Post, August 9, 1974.
- Washington Post, August 16, 1974.
- Gerald R. Ford Library, Robert T. Hartman Files, Box 21.
- Gerald R. Ford Library, Robert T. Hartmann Files, Box 19.
- Philip Buchen Files, Box 63.
- Robert T. Hartman Files, Box 21.
- Robert T. Hartmann Files, Boxes 19 and 20.
- Robert T. Hartmann Files, Box 21.