Campaign Trail Results: Game #534465
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 1976
- Player Candidate: Gerald Ford
- Running Mate: John Connally
- Difficulty Level: Normal
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Jimmy Carter | 495 | 43,502,790 | 53.46 |
| ---- Gerald Ford | 43 | 36,078,942 | 44.33 |
| ---- Other Candidates | 0 | 958,638 | 1.18 |
| ---- Eugene McCarthy | 0 | 841,583 | 1.03 |
Visits:
- Arizona:1
- California:1
- Florida:1
- Hawaii:1
- Idaho:1
- Michigan:1
- Montana:1
- New Jersey:1
- Oklahoma:1
- Texas:1
- Vermont:1
- West 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?Honesty and integrity is one thing, but voters want to hear about solutions. I've led our economy back from a steep recession while passing a tax cut for the American people.
- 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.
- Betty Ford is out there making some pretty bold statements about sexuality, marijuana, and other topics. Conservatives want to know if you can have a quiet chat with her to tone it down a bit.My wife's public approval rating is something like 75%. I wish I had her touch with the media.
- You have vetoed a significant number of bills in your two years as President. What was your reasoning?This is an issue that has been blown way out of proportion. In many of these cases, I've proposed my own alternative to a given bill, and Congress has acted on it.
- 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"? The American people deserve to hear the truth. I support this strategy.
- 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?I will hold a press conference and remind people that we really don't know anything about this guy. What other hidden, perverse notions does he have?
- General George Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has made some comments that Israel has become a "burden" to the national defense effort. Do you agree with this?I disagree strongly and believe that General Brown should be removed from this position for such comments. Israel is one of our most valued allies.
- 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.We have to consider each case individually. New York was a one time thing, and they also had to make significant reforms before this loan was approved.
- What is your position on a pardon of Vietnam War draft evaders?Of course this war was controversial, but I oppose any pardon for people who evaded their military service. This would not send the right message in a future crisis.
- 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 oppose this Amendment, as many labor unions do, because it would jeopardize protections for female workers in areas such as working hours or tasks.
- 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 will uphold the law as President, but I think it should be left to each state to decide. I would support an Amendment on this issue.
- Do you have a position on the gun control issue?I'd like to see more widespread licensing and registration of handguns and rifles, but it has been repeatedly defeated in the past.
- Do you think that the Panama Canal should be turned back over to Panama?This is an issue I would have to consider more closely over the next couple of years. Let's see how the current negotiations go.
- 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?I am a strong supporter of labor unions and I would support this type of measure.
- 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.
- The United States started selling large amounts of grain to the Soviet Union, in 1973. What is your opinion on this policy?This policy helps support an unsustainable Soviet system. I believe that we should never bail out communism from its failures if we're serious about winning the Cold War.
- 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?I would absolutely support a law like this as President. It is past time that our nation had health coverage for all.
- 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.