he be a member of the cabinet? Would he become the White House chief of staff? At the
same time, leaks were made to the press about the negotiations and how sweeping
constitutional issues were being haggled over in a classic smoke-filled room. These leaks
became more and more embarrassing, making it easy to convince Reagan that his imnage
was being tarnished, that he ought to call off the talks and pick Bush.
This complex strategy of intrigue culminated in Ford's notorious interview with Walter
Cronkite, in which the CBS anchor man asked Ford if "It's got to be something like a co-
presidency?" "That's something Governor Reagan really ought to consider," replied Ford,
which was not what a serious vice presidential candidate might say, but did correspond
rather well to what "Jerry the Jerk" would say if he wanted to embarass Reagan and help
Bush. As for Cronkite, was it possible that his coining of the term "co-presidency" was
stimulated by someone from Prescott Bush's old circles at CBS?
Bombarded by the media now with the "co-president" thesis, Reagan began to see
foreshadowings of a public relations debacle. Television reporters began to hype an
imminent visit by Reagan and Ford to the convention to present the "Dream Ticket."
Meese was despatched to Kissinger to demand a straight answer from the Ford camp.
"Kissinger told Meese that the Ford side might not be able to have an answer until the
next morning, if then, because there were still many questions about how the arrangement
might work." Reagan called Ford and asked for a prompt decision.
Reagan aide Lyn Nofziger concluded at this point: "Hey, we don't think this is going to
work, and these guys are kind of stalling for time here." Nofziger suspected that Ford was
trying to back Reagan into a corner, going down to the wire in a way that would oblige
Reagan to take Ford and accept any conditions that Ford might choose to impose. But
then Ford went to Reagan's hotel room to "give him my decision, and my decision is no."
"As Ford left, Reagan wiped his brow and said, 'Now where the hell's George Bush?'" [fn
32] Reagan had been so fixated on his haggling with Ford that he had not done anything
to develop vice presidential alternatives to Bush, and now it was too late.
The best indication that Ford had been working all along as an agent of Bush was
provided by Ford himself to Germond and Witcover: "Ford, incidentially, told us after the
election that one of his prime objectives at the convention had been 'to subtly help
George Bush get the [vice-presidential] nomination.'" [fn 33]
Drew Lewis helped Reagan make the call that he found so distasteful. Reagan came on
the line: "Hello, George, this is Ron Reagan. I'd like to go over to the convention and
announce that you're my choice for vice preident...if that's all right with you."
"I'd be honored, Governor."
Reagan was still reluctant. "George, is there anything at all ...about the platform or
anything else...anything that might make you uncomfortable down the road?"
"Why, yes, sir," said Bush "I think you can say I support the platform --wholeheartedly."