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I don’t think President Nixon had any other real good choices for Vice President and even a strong number two. Other than maybe George H.W. Bush, Nelson Rockefeller, perhaps Bob Dole, maybe Hugh Scott the Senate Minority Leader. Because President Nixon needed someone who his own party could support in Congress so he wouldn’t be in any real trouble there. But he also needed someone the Democratic Leadership in the House and Senate would support as well. Because Congressional Democrats had solid majorities in both the House and Senate. President Nixon needed someone who his own party would back, but also someone who the Democratic Leadership would back as well so he had enough votes to pass the House and Senate. Both chambers of Congress vote to fill any vacancy in the Vice Presidency. Not just the U.S. Senate.