1976 Republican National Convention

The 1976 Republican National Convention was a United States political convention of the Republican Party that met from August 16 to August 19, 1976, to select the party's nominee for President. Held in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, the convention nominated President Gerald Ford for a full term, but only after narrowly defeating a strong challenge from former California Governor Ronald Reagan. The convention also nominated Senator Robert J. Dole of Kansas for Vice President, instead of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. The keynote address was delivered by Tennessee Senator Howard Baker.

[@williamdiemert2116]

Walter Cronkite, Gerald Ford, and Betty Ford R.I.P.

[@elwin38]

Nancy and Ronald Reagan too🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@altfactor]

R.I.P. Mike Wallace, Nelson Rockefeller, and Roger Mudd, too.

[@mrlarry271]

Reagan really blew Ford out of the water with those closing remarks.

[@brettbousman5070]

Ford won the nomination but Reagan won their hearts

[@bufnyfan1]

Mr. Reagan became even more determined to win the presidency in 1980 after losing to Gerald Ford in this convention--he worked tirelessly on behalf of electing many Republicans in Congress and the Senate and continued his weekly radio broadcasts to stay in the public eye---by the time of the 1980 election Mr. Reagan had courted a massive amount of support/favors and although he lost the Iowa caucuses to Mr. Bush he went on to win New Hampshire and ultimately the nomination

[@dlamiss]

But think im correct in saying Ford claimed Reagan never actively campaigned for the president in 76 whereas he (Ford) actively campaigned for Reagan 4 years later

[@bufnyfan1]

@@dlamiss Then President Reagan actually considered having Ford as his running mate at the Republican convention in Detroit. However, Ford had so many demands including wanting to be a "co-president" that President Reagan chose Bush instead (despite Bush saying that President Reagan's economic policies were "voodoo economics"

[@GregSticker]

@@bufnyfan1 President Ford lost in November and Jimmy Carter became President. The country was relatively still respected by other nations until the Iranian revolution. The way President Carter handled the hostage crisis when students stormed the U S Embassy and held 52 people for over a year, the way as president Jimmy Carter handled it was nothing short of true resolve. Which in the last seconds of his presidency the Iranian students turned loose those U S Embassy employees before Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. Reagan showed true courage in 1990 when he made the soon to be dismantled Soviet Union back down in their stranglehold on the East Germans. The wall came down. If history proves anything it shows us how to look back in the looking glass of time and see how the past formed the present which back then was the future.

[@bufnyfan1]

@@GregSticker I read somewhere that there was a rumor circulating in the fall of 1980 (prior to the election) that some of Reagan's senior campaign people actually met with some Iranian government representatives in Madrid and convinced them to not release the hostages until after Mr. Reagan became president. The Reagan campaign was fearful that if the hostages were released before the election this would give Carter a significant boost to his chances to be re-elected

[@williamwingo4740]

@@bufnyfan1 It's hard to believe that Ronald Reagan would seriously consider taking on Gerald Ford as VP, with all his negative baggage from Watergate and The Pardon, the "Energy Crisis," "WIN" Buttons, etc. All this--and especially The Pardon--followed Ford for the rest of his life, just as Chappaquiddick followed Edward Kennedy. Ford's image has been "cleaned up" somewhat in recent years; but in 1980, the media had not forgotten. Ford had denied them their vengeance on Nixon, and they were still ready and willing to pound him at any and every opportunity. It would have been a major distraction throughout the entire Reagan/Ford campaign; and, if by some miracle they won, for the entire Reagan presidency. So if Reagan mentioned the possibility of a Ford VP slot at all, it was probably a campaign tactic to consolidate support. I don't believe he was serious about it. But it would have made for some good SNL sketches.

[@robertshonk518]

Fun moment at 3:06:25. Roger Mudd's son, Matthew, about 13 or so, and Bill Moyer's son, who looks about 17, are asked to report on a meeting of the Mississippi delegation, as they were the only witnesses. What a thrill that must have been for these kids.

[@helpinghal]

The Kemper Arena's roof collapsed less than three years after this convention. Could you imagine if it happened during this event?

[@billfulbrightwithaberet7618]

Isn't it the same Arena as wrestler Owen Hart died 23 years later

[@markvidpa]

@@billfulbrightwithaberet7618 correct

[@marbury2403]

They would have somehow twisted it to say that Reagan raised the roof or something like that.

[@bbigjohnson069]

@@marbury2403 ''He brought the house down!"

[@robertshonk518]

From Wikipedia: The American Institute of Architects had given the building an "Honor" award in 1976 and the AIA, coincidentally, was holding its annual national conference in Kansas City half a mile away at nearby Bartle Hall. This sounds like it should have been mentioned in the Alanis Morissette song "Ironic".

[@youngThrashbarg]

"Sponsored by Merrill Lynch"

[@robertshonk518]

This was the last Republican convention to put forward a platform that endorsed the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA had been supported in every Republican convention platform since 1940. It was generally opposed by New Deal Democrats as it was seen as something that would only benefit middle class women and that might harm working class women. That changed with the rise of the feminist movement in the early 1970s.

[@morticindavis9410]

Remember President Ford could have been the second longest serving President he finished Nixon’s 2.5yrs and had he won his own 4yrs he would of been eligible for reelection in 1980 meaning Reagan would have never seen the White House and probably Carter never gets a chance to be nominated again. History is golden how it changes things.

[@adamredfield]

Morticin Davis, had Ford won in 1976, he would not have been eligible for 1980. A Vice-President taking over from a President who has more than two years left in his term, is restricted to one full 4 year term. Had Ford taken over from Nixon on January 21, 1975, then what you wrote would have been correct.

[@morticindavis9410]

Adam Redfield I saw an interview that he did and Ford said in that interview he could of if he was lucky served until January 20, 1985. But I looked it up and you are right.

[@adamredfield]

Morticin Davis, wow. I liked Ford but he should have known better. Now, because he lost in 1976, he actually could have run in 1980 and served one term but, of course, he didn't.

[@morticindavis9410]

Adam Redfield Well my opinion is that it's not fair to limit terms with our freedoms it should be up to the citizens if they want a President to serve and he can he or she should be able to. Just my opinion.

[@adamredfield]

I agree.

[@bufnyfan1]

Mr. Reagan picked Senator Richard Schweiker of Pennsylvania as his running mate--this angered many of the more conservative members of the Republican Party and may have led to Mr. Reagan's loss--many Republicans felt Mr. Schwiker was too "liberal". Mr. Schweiker went on to have a very distinguished career in politics--he worked tirelessly to advocate for more funding for diabetes research/education. When he passed away he was fondly remembered as the "patron saint of the pancreas"

[@xanderalaric228]

I know Im kind of off topic but do anyone know of a good website to watch new tv shows online?

[@dawsongraysen2132]

@Xander Alaric i would suggest flixportal. Just search on google for it :)

[@xanderalaric228]

@Dawson Graysen Thank you, signed up and it seems like a nice service =) Appreciate it!!

[@hrtvfan2870]

And Schweiker would move to the right toward the end of his final term in the Senate, so it's interesting that he wasn't even considered as a possible running mate for Reagan in 1980.

[@Aa-fg6jf]

So MAGA lunatics still existed even back then

[@ybrix101]

Reagan didn't endorse Ford at this convention and yet there was no outrage. Ford's supporters didn't start acting ugly and booing Reagan. Hmm. How about that.

[@robertkresko6338]

Reagan did at least one campaign ad for Ford. In his memiors Reagan claimed that he asked for the party by acclaimation to make it unanimous for Ford.

[@disoriented1]

President Ford had dignity, decorum and class..and so did the majority of his supporters. It DOES matter how a leader behaves!...and this is no offense to Gov Reagan..I knocked on doors for him in '80 and proudly cast my first vote for him in '84

[@williamwingo4740]

OTOH in 2016, when Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton, his supporters booed HIM.

[@highsnburgers4862]

03:04:52 Mike Wallace cuts the cheese on camera. You can literally see bend and squeeze out the flatulence. Click it a few times.

[@josephconder9074]

I'll take your word for it.

[@dlamiss]

And you can hear it

[@janvanhoyk8375]

Haha he totally does you can hear it

[@BigBingFan]

If Gerald Ford had chosen our great former Governor of Texas, John Connally, he would have won, because amazingly, Carter barely won Texas, and Dole had no power to draw votes whatsoever! Biggest mistake in Presidential and VP history---Connally would have pulled in Texas, and a couple other states--he had personality, charm, charisma, a dapper, good-looking man, and sorry to say, Ford was not the sharpest knife in the drawer, overlooking John Connally.

[@diongullion7638]

Ford was pressured by the right and Reagan supporters to choose Dole as his running mate as he felt that it would unite the party and defeat Carter.

[@bfan6032]

no Reagan supporters pushed for Dole. Ford asked Reagan forces if Dole would be OK and the Reagan amp said yes. Dole was a non-entity till he was selected.

[@helpinghal]

Connally had too much baggage. Turncoat Democrat. Questionable financial dealings. Nixon wanted to name him VP after Agnew resigned but was told his confirmation would be too problematic. BTW Ford would have still lost 271-267 in the electoral college even if he had carried Texas. Also, elections are won by the guy at the top of the ticket, not by the VP candidate.

[@ChrisJones-ij3xp]

@@bfan6032 True. Dole had been National Chairman of the RNC, which Teddy White described as "fool's gold in terms of power", and never makes anyone a big player or a household name in and of itself.

[@ChrisJones-ij3xp]

Had Connally been seriously considered for the VP nomination instead of Dole? Or are you saying that this MIGHT have been a good idea?

[@Doug41160]

Is there a full evening clip from the following night when ford won nomination? If anyone has it, please upload it!

[@swallowme535]

Roger Mudd doesnt get the credit he deserves...

[@williamwingo4740]

Few of us do.

[@bfan6032]

I remember the 1980 Convention in Detroit while the votes nominating Reagan were being cast, word spread on the floor that Reagan had picked Ford for Vice President and Ford had agreed.

[@pendorran]

Nelson Rockefeller at 3 hour mark. Would have made a great President but the timing and circumstance were never right for him. A truly great American.

[@swallowme535]

Reagan lost because of his critical flip-flop; at the 1968 Republican National Convention when Reagan declared himself a candidate, he had been asked who his prospective running mate would be. His answer? Nobody specific, but he made it clear that he didn’t believe a candidate should choose somebody that isn’t ideologically just like them. Believing that if the President had to step down for whatever reason then the next man up would be somebody that ideologically they never supported. And Reagan throughout the 60’s had been championing the idea of a “real choice” for America, presumably a choice for a true, thoroughly conservative administration. However, in choosing Richard Schweiker, he lost not because he broke with tradition and named his VP before the convention, but because he went back on his word. Reagan’s supporters still wanted a thoroughly conservative Presidency with Reagan and whoever he may have chosen otherwise, I believe it would have been Jesse Helms if not Schweiker. And on top of crossing his supporters in this way, he was never going to win over the moderates and few remaining liberal Republicans by selecting Schweiker. Why would they elect a conservative to be President so they could have a liberal as second fiddle, when they could elect a moderate for President at the top of the ticket? It was just a bad calculation by the Reagan campaign, but it ultimately paid off for them. I don’t believe Reagan would have won in ‘68, or in ‘76. I think the year 1980 was the perfect time for the Reagan Revolution to commence, and history shows that to be the case.

[@paulsonj72]

Thought they would do the rule change vote on the first night of the convention. This rule change was the key pre nomination vote.

[@votemonty1815]

It's striking how much Ford represented the past and Reagan the future.

[@disoriented1]

Stephan..I loved Ronnie..but I so admire President Ford as well..

[@votemonty1815]

@@disoriented1, no doubt about it. If Reagan can be called the Great Communicator, Ford can be called the Great Conciliator.

[@bufnyfan1]

in 1979 a portion of the Kemper Arena (where the 1976 RNC was held)-collapsed after a major rain storm

[@bufnyfan1]

@Liam Mccormick The inquiry into the cause of the collapse revealed that the roof had been designed to gradually release rainwater to avoid overloading sewers. This caused water to pond, adding to the weight. Second, there had been a miscalculation on the strength of the bolts on the hangers when subjected to the 70 mph (110 km/h) winds that night (June 4, 1979) while supporting the additional rainwater weight as the roof swung back and forth. Once one of the bolts gave way there was a cascading failure on the south side of the roof. Sadly there was another architectural caused accident in Kansas City in 1981 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel where two overhanging walkways collapsed during a dance resulting in the deaths of 114 people--these walkways weren't designed to hold the number of people who were on them-and this dance was so popular that more people than were expected showed up

[@s.patrick9268]

Boy that was a real "stem-winder" of a speech by Connally. If Ford didn't think Connally couldn't help help him in Texas by naming him his vice-presidential nominee, I doubt if his keynote speech changed his mind

[@brettbousman5070]

I am a state delegate. I am itching to go watching this. It is a rush debating the platform planks

[@tony84.]

4:49:55, President Ford challenges Jimmy Carter to a debate.

[@billwipperman9492]

Can you upload nights 1,3 and 4

[@Amber90125]

Real reporters something lacking today

[@rentslave]

Cronkite was wrong at about 3 hours,56 minutes when he claimed that there hadn't been a polled delegation since 1952.New Jersey did the same thing in 1968,breaking for Nixon.

[@TJS19026]

2:02:57 This woman almost punches a guy in the face. LOL.

[@hisham-ju2wt]

Lol How did u catch that

[@cameronelliott9709]

I miss Julie Soracco ❤

[@angusthecat1689]

love the people smoking in the arena

[@tony84.]

2:12:10, Everyone look at the CBS News anchor booth so Cronkite can take your picture!🤣😂

[@andrewmiller4885]

Ronald Reagan , what a speech at the end there .He really was the great communicator .

[@bbigjohnson069]

He just winged it. On the way down he told Nancy that he didn't know what he was going to say.

[@jamesbonnen]

4:53:58 Reagan saying What did he say?

[@kevbomevbo3492]

I noticed that too. He stood up and acknowledged what he couldn't hear anyway!

[@Amber90125]

Growing up as a kid we as a family would eat dinner as a family right after CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.

[@EuropeanQoheleth]

This was the norm in America at the time or so I've read.

[@Yobbie72]

Reagan was very lucky he lost that day...his time was the 1980s, and he needed to be in office then to end the Cold War.

[@leoaniana7080]

i totally agree for reagan is an idea whose time(the right time)has come in the 1980s

[@robertkresko6338]

True. The political climate warmed to his message by 1980. 1976 gave him important exposure. In the end it worked out for him.

[@djtforever1414]

If President Ford had won in '76 - what (cabinet) position would he have given to Governor Reagan?

[@bufnyfan1]

Not sure--but it was known that President Ford and President Reagan didn't like each other at all--President Ford was angry that President Reagan even ran against him in 1976 (and remarkable successfully up until the convention)--in 1980 President Reagan considered President Ford as his running mate at the convention in Detroit but ultimately chose Mr. Bush as President Ford didn't want to be just "vice president" but essentially "co-president"

[@williamwingo4740]

Gerald Ford never had any presidential aspirations until he had the presidency thrust upon him. Then he discovered he liked it and he let it go completely to his head. He never realized that he had torpedoed himself with the Nixon pardon. In 1976 he should have declined to run and endorsed the nominee of an open convention. But by then he had come to think he deserved it, and his handlers (mostly fellow Nixon-era hold-overs) hoped they could continue to manipulate him. Fortunately they all overestimated the advantage of "incumbency" and underestimated the negative impact of the pardon. And he wasn't even a true "incumbent" because he had never been elected president or even vice president. Nowadays revisionist history seems to have improved Ford's reputation, but feelings at the time (including mine) were still high and hot. The liberal press hated him because of the pardon and every time he fell down on his skis or somebody died from the swine flu vaccine, it was the lead item on the news that night. In the 1974 mid-terms, many lower-level republicans turned down his offers to campaign for them. He was more of a liability than an asset. If I had been Ronald Reagan and Ford had won in 1976, I would have refused to have anything to do with his administration, and I certainly would not have accepted any cabinet post, even if offered. I would just have waited for Ford to continue screwing up royally for four years so I (Reagan) could run with a completely clean slate in 1980. And Ford couldn't run again in 1980: he was limited to one term of his own by the 22nd amendment, because he served more than two years of Nixon's term. And who but Ford would even consider running as somebody else's vice president, after being president himself?

[@josephmackela8466]

@@bufnyfan1 Then Ford would have been the one to say “read my lips no new taxes” and he would have presided over the Gulf War and run against Clinton in 92. He still would have been eligible for a second term.

[@TJS19026]

@1:20:00 Chris Griffin from Family Guy goes to a school named after this guy.

[@sdlock83]

2:30:32 Where can I get a headset like that?

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

Roger...(re "Where can i get a headset like [2:30:32]")---The PITY is one COULDN'T have worn one and also kept one's STACK OF FIVE PLASTIC BOATERS on at the same time. The 1970s were a time of choices; now one can Have It All. Set my Wayback for 1976.

[@firgasz2920]

3:07:44 the guy looks like a republican lyndon johnson.

[@josephmackela8466]

It might be Spiro Agnew. He looked very similar to LBJ.

[@SpeccyHorace]

This was the arena where Owen Hart died wasn't it?

[@dongabenski783]

yes

[@calvinbealer7264]

BICENTENNIAL GOLD 76

[@ABC-zg7pn]

Whats the music at 5:39:20?

[@TJS19026]

"Hail To The Victors", The University of Michigan fight song.

[@ABC-zg7pn]

@@TJS19026 Thank you so much!!

[@Votedjt2024]

Gerald r Ford jr knows Charles Manson on early years

[@millsyinnz]

Ford, Reagan, etc, all would be too left for the GOP today.

[@swallowme535]

Delusional. Utterly delusional. The GOP has adopted many historically left-wing positions

[@millsyinnz]

@@swallowme535 Yes, back 40-50 years ago. But now the GOP is the most right wing party in the world.

[@therealtornadosam]

Ford is a moderate by today's standards, but Reagan is still pretty right.

[@williamwingo4740]

Political parties undergo a slow but constant evolution. The major parties remain major parties by co-opting popular ideas from each other and from the minor parties. A democrat or republican time-warped to the present from the 1940's, the 1960's, or even the 1980's, would hardly recognize their party today.

[@Texasjim2007]

@@millsyinnz By "right wing" do you mean like the Nazis because that would mean being in favor of gun control by a one party elite, censorship of the politically incorrect, and arrest of their political opposition as well as a socialist program of redistribution of wealth based on racial identities I would think. Sounds a lot more like the Democratic Party these days to me. Are you using some sort of Orwellian doublespeak instead of plain English?

[@dougmoore498]

and everyone at once said after Reagan spoke.. "my God, we've nominated the wrong Man"!!!

[@MrDuds1984]

Damm straight biggest mistake the Republicans ever made

[@williamwingo4740]

@@MrDuds1984 Certainly one of the biggest. The republican leadership (and Ford, if he thought about it at all) overestimated the value of the "incumbency" and underestimated the negative effects of the pardon. Also Ford was easily manipulated and the behind-the-scenes forces figured they could continue to control him. I wrote the republican national committee and told them that if they nominated Ford, not only could I not vote for him, but I could not remain a republican. They did it anyway, and they (and I) found out that I was not kidding. I wrote Reagan in that year, and was actually surprised that there wasn't a huge Reagan write-in groundswell. By 1980, I had become a libertarian and it was too late. Perhaps I should be grateful to them for that, but let's not get carried away....

[@MrDuds1984]

@@williamwingo4740 Reagan was for the right time in the 80’s but I truly believe his Presidency would have been strong from 77-85

[@ilmsff7]

Today's conventions are a tightly controlled, three hour prime time infomercial. Sad. And boring.

[@carlcleary3179]

Buddy cianci

[@bradleysmithers5233]

1:24:07

[@moro4076]

It is amazing to watch Reagan's greatest speech and the reaction of the delegates who realized the mistake they just nominated a bald-headed stumblebum

[@1962sab]

Gerald R. Ford was 33 points behind Carter and waged an extraordinary comeback and nearly beat Carter. Yet Ford continues to gets a bum rap from arm chair analysts such as yourself.

[@robertkresko6338]

No guarantee that Reagan would have won in 1976. The political climate warmed to his message by 1980. His impromptu speech in 1976 helped him embark on that road to the future.

[@morticindavis9410]

Mo Ro I think Ford’s missteps in picking Dole and not Connelly I may have spelled his name wrong. But the former governor would have help Ford secure Texas and a few more states. A very bad mistake for Ford. History is funny if Ford wins we never get Carter or Reagan as Presidents.

[@therealtornadosam]

Reagan would have had a better chance to be sure. No baggage of pardoning Nixon, charismatic, a fresh new face for the party to promote. Who knows, he very well could have won, as Carter only barely pulled off the states he needed.

[@williamwingo4740]

The behind-the-scenes-manipulators got Ford nominated because he was highly manipulatable and they hoped to continue directing him for their own purposes. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for the country, they (and Ford himself, if he thought about it at all) overestimated the advantages of "incumbency" and underestimated the negative impact of the Nixon pardon. Ironically, Ted Kennedy and his handlers had the same problem with Chappaquiddick. Revisionism has brightened Ford's image in the last few years; but that was not the prevailing sentiment in 1976. He was still a clueless klutz, and totally unfit to be president.

[@moro4076]

This was really the last great political convention......I think of how different things could have been if Reagan would beaten Ford and gone on to hopefully beat Carter in November.....however things were then just as they are now with the liberal media so in the tank for the Demo-Nazis....It was only after he retired and after he died, did we realize really how much of a jerk that Cronkite really was....he gave the "appearance of objectivity", but it is certain looking back now how incredibly biased and anti-conservative and Republican....his legacy is forever tarnished

[@1962sab]

There was no way Reagan would have beaten Carter. I recall polls showing Carter beating Reagan decisively. Reagan was perceived as being too conservative at the time. It took four long years of Jimmy Carter's malaise for the country to warm up to Reagan.

[@kedaariyer4887]

1962sab Great Point. Also @Mo Ro, you know Jimmy Carter is still alive, right?

[@MrDuds1984]

Biggest mistake the Republicans ever did was here in 76