Campaign Trail Results: Game #1088350
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 1976
- Player Candidate: Gerald Ford
- Running Mate: John Connally
- Difficulty Level: Hard
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
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View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Jimmy Carter | 370 | 41,328,542 | 50.65 |
| ---- Gerald Ford | 168 | 38,572,680 | 47.27 |
| ---- Other Candidates | 0 | 913,870 | 1.12 |
| ---- Eugene McCarthy | 0 | 777,954 | 0.95 |
Visits:
- California:3
- Ohio:3
- Illinois:2
- Texas:2
- Pennsylvania:1
- Virginia:1
Answers:
- You have selected John Connally as your running mate. Can you speak a little more about that?John Connally has served his home state of Texas well, and he is the best man for the job.
- What will your overall campaign strategy be this year?I'm an approachable, open guy with an open Administration. Let's emphasize my mainstream values and positions, and avoid extremist rhetoric or attacks on Jimmy Carter.
- A lot of voters are concerned about honesty and integrity in our government. What can you say about yourself in this aspect, particularly in light of your pardon of Richard Nixon?I will let the cameras into the White House so the people can see for themselves. I'm a normal, approachable, friendly President. I didn't spend my whole life trying to run for the office.
- Your Secretary of Agriculture, Earl Butz, will be quoted in next week's Rolling Stone as making some very crude and racist jokes. Some have suggested you fire him before the article is released. What are your thoughts?I agree. We can't have this kind of thing on the Ford Administration. He should leave immediately.
- There is talk of a Presidential Debate for the first time since 1960. Is this something that you're interested in doing?I think this is a good idea, and we need something to shake this campaign up.
- You have vetoed a significant number of bills in your two years as President. What was your reasoning?The Democrats, with their huge majorities, have passed bill after bill outside of the American mainstream. I've been left with little choice.
- Some of your operatives want to attack Carter for the way he has equivocated on abortion, gun control, busing, labor issues, and so on. Will you approve a series of ads labeling him as a "flip-flopper"? Maybe some limited spots, asking if we really know who Jimmy Carter is. Or attacking him on one of these issues. But let's not go overboard.
- Your campaign has just received a big break in the form of a controversial interview that Carter did with Playboy, where he confessed to "committing adultery in his heart" and used some coarse language. Any thoughts?This is great. We need any good news we can get at this point.
- What is your position on the federal government making loans to states or cities in need of financial help? An obvious recent example is the $2.3 billion bailout of New York city.I couldn't really comment until I saw what the specifics of the case would be.
- What is your position on a pardon of Vietnam War draft evaders?I would need to think about this issue a little more before reaching a final decision.
- Do you support the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which states "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."?I support the passage of this Amendment, and think it is a good thing for America.
- What is your opinion on the court-ordered busing of students within school districts, in a way designed to achieve racial balance in our schools?I can see both sides of this. It is a hugely disruptive practice, yet we need to fight for integration somehow.
- Do you believe that the United States can afford a reduction in defense spending?I don't support cuts, to be sure, but neither do we need increases. We have made great strides in reducing tension with the Soviet Union.
- What is your opinion on abortion, and specifically the recent Roe v. Wade decision?I'm personally opposed to abortion, but I respect this decision and will not try to overturn it.
- Do you think that the tax cuts in early 1975 were the right economic policy for this country?This was a good policy. Our economy has rebounded considerably since early 1975, and millions of new jobs have been created.
- Do you have a position on the gun control issue?Gun control is ineffective in reducing crime rates. I think a better option would be to examine our sentencing guidelines, and make sure that we put criminals in jail.
- Do you think that the Panama Canal should be turned back over to Panama?Absolutely not. The United States built this canal and it is a central part of world commerce. Who knows what might happen if we put Panama in charge.
- What is your position on right-to-work laws? Would you support a national bill to repeal Taft-Hartley and do away with right-to-work?This isn't an issue that I have strong feelings about, one way or the other. I think it is the kind of thing that each state can figure out for themselves.
- Should there be a ban on nuclear weapons testing?This is an issue I'd have to consider carefully, but perhaps if we got the Soviet Union on board I'd be open to it.
- In 1972, George McGovern proposed replacing the income tax exemption with a $1,000 guaranteed minimum income, for every American citizen. Are you interested in this type of proposal?This kind of idea is way off the mark. We need to focus on reducing the size of government and lowering taxes.
- Could we have done more to save South Vietnam in 1975, such as air strikes or a limited engagement?We were trying to provide more aid to South Vietnam, but Congress would not approve additional expenditures. The results of that policy are clear.
- Do you support the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act?I'm all for some programs to provide jobs, but this Act has too many mandates and goals that are inconsistent with each other. We can't have a balanced budget, full employment, and low inflation at the same time.
- Would you support a law for universal health care in this country?Absolutely not. Not only would this ruin the federal budget, but it would also eliminate competition and lead to substandard health care for the vast majority of Americans.
- What are your feelings in the Gregg v. Georgia case, recently decided, that allows capital punishment in the U.S.?This is a positive step forward for our criminal justice system. Certain crimes, like murder, demand such punishment if true justice is to prevail.
- Where will you focus your efforts on the last day before the election?The Midwest is critical. We'll hit as many states as we can between Iowa and Ohio.