When Gerald Ford took the oath of office in August 1974, the United States was basically in a tailspin. Richard Nixon had just resigned. The country was exhausted. One of the first things Ford had to do was pick a second-in-command, and he didn't have the luxury of an election to do it.
He chose Nelson Rockefeller.
Most people today know the name Rockefeller because of the "Standard Oil" money or the famous center in New York, but Nelson Rockefeller was a political titan in his own right. He wasn't just some wealthy donor who bought his way into a title; he was a four-term governor of New York who had been eyeing the presidency for decades. Honestly, his path to the Vice Presidency was one of the strangest and most contentious moments in American history.
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The Man Who Became Ford’s VP
Nelson "Rocky" Rockefeller became the 41st Vice President of the United States on December 19, 1974. It’s a trivia fact that often catches people off guard: for the first time ever, both the President and the Vice President were unelected. Ford had been appointed to replace Spiro Agnew, and then Rockefeller was appointed to replace Ford.
It was a weird time.
Ford narrowed his choices down to basically two people: Rockefeller and George H.W. Bush. He went with Rockefeller because he wanted a "heavyweight" who could help manage the economy and domestic policy. Rocky had the experience, but he also had a lot of baggage.
Why the Confirmation Took So Long
You’d think an appointment like this would be a quick "yes" during a national crisis. Nope. It took four months.
Congress went through his finances with a magnifying glass. Rockefeller was worth about $62.6 million back then, which was a staggering amount of money in 1974. The big concern? Conflict of interest. Critics were worried that a guy with that much private wealth couldn't possibly govern fairly. There were even "stormy" hearings about gifts he had given to government officials, including a massive loan to Henry Kissinger.
He eventually made it through, but the process left him bruised before he even started.
The Liberal Republican Problem
Rockefeller was the leader of the "liberal wing" of the Republican party. Nowadays, that sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? But back then, "Rockefeller Republicans" were a real thing. They were fiscally conservative but socially progressive—big on civil rights and massive infrastructure projects.
This made him a target.
The conservative wing of the GOP, led by guys like Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater, absolutely hated him. They saw him as a "New York elitist" who was basically a Democrat in disguise. This internal party war is a huge reason why his time as Ford’s VP was so rocky.
What Did He Actually Do?
Rockefeller didn't want to be a ceremonial VP who just attended funerals. He wanted power. He expected to be a "Deputy President" for domestic affairs.
It didn't really work out that way.
Donald Rumsfeld (Ford’s Chief of Staff) and Dick Cheney weren't exactly fans of Rockefeller’s ambition. They squeezed him out of the inner circle. Despite that, Rocky still managed to leave a mark:
- The Rockefeller Commission: He led the investigation into CIA activities within the U.S., which was a massive deal after the Watergate-era distrust of the government.
- Domestic Policy: He pushed for energy independence and tried to spearhead a $100 billion Energy Independence Authority. It failed in Congress, but it showed he was thinking big.
- The "Rockefeller Salute": In one of the most famous photos of the era, he playfully (or maybe not so playfully) flipped the middle finger at a group of hecklers at a campaign event in 1976. People called it the "Rockefeller Salute." He didn't even apologize—he actually signed copies of the photo later.
Why He Wasn't on the 1976 Ticket
By the time the 1976 election rolled around, Ford was in trouble. He was being primaried by Ronald Reagan from the right. To appease the conservatives, Ford basically had to fire Rockefeller.
Well, technically, Rockefeller "withdrew" his name from consideration, but everyone knew what happened. Ford replaced him with Senator Bob Dole. It was a cold political move. Ford later admitted that dropping Rockefeller was one of the biggest mistakes of his political career. He thought it would help him win, but he lost to Jimmy Carter anyway.
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The Legacy of the 41st VP
Nelson Rockefeller died just two years after leaving office. His death in 1979 was shrouded in a bit of tabloid scandal (he died in his office with a young aide), but his political legacy is much deeper than that.
He was the last gasp of the "Moderate Republican." After he left the scene, the GOP shifted hard to the right, paving the way for the Reagan Revolution. If you ever visit the Empire State Plaza in Albany or walk through the SUNY university system, you're looking at his legacy. He liked to build big, and he liked to use the government to do it.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs
If you're digging into this era, don't just look at the Nixon pardon. Look at the 25th Amendment. The fact that the U.S. had two unelected leaders for years is a wild constitutional experiment that we haven't seen since.
To get a real feel for the man, check out the 1976 Republican National Convention footage. You can see the moment the party changed forever—and you can see Rockefeller realizing his brand of politics was officially over.