Ford, Reagan, and the 1976 RNC on this week’s Whistlestop podcast.

When Ford Beat Reagan in 1976, He Actually Won One for the Gipper

When Ford Beat Reagan in 1976, He Actually Won One for the Gipper

Bite-sized stories from presidential campaign history.
May 27 2015 12:24 PM

Ford, Reagan, and the 1976 RNC

Slate’s podcast about campaign history offers up the second part of its look at the rise of Ronald Reagan. 

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President Gerald Ford and first lady Betty Ford celebrate winning the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, in August 1976.

Photo by John T. Bledsoe/Library of Congress

Listen to Episode 10 of Whistlestop:

In this episode of Slate’s bite-sized podcast about presidential campaign history, chief political correspondent John Dickerson offers up the second part of his look at Ronald Reagan's rise to power in the conservative movement.

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As detailed in our first installment, Reagan boldly challenged President Gerald Ford for the 1976 Republican nomination.

Now, Dickerson describes the political maneuvering that took place at the Republican National Convention that summer. Ford secured the party's nomination, but Reagan ultimately won the hearts of Republicans for decades to come.

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John Dickerson is a co-anchor of CBS This Morning, co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest, host of the Whistlestop podcast, and author of Whistlestop and On Her Trail.