Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) John Connally announces his support for President Ford. New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson withdraws his support of Ronald Reagan due to Reagan's Vice President choice of Senator Richard Schweiker.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(DC) [FORD - says Connally has announcement of some interest.] [CONNALLY - notes his support of Ford. Subject of being Vice President not discussed. Reagan's announcement of Vice President does have something to do with his support for Ford.] Some Mississippi Reagan delegates furious over Schweiker choice. Mississippi Republican chairperson Clarke Reed to make announcement. Source says Mississippi delegation will support Ford.
REPORTER: Tom Jarriel

(DC) Reagan forces continue to say the Schweiker choice will help their campaign. Campaign manager John Sears says Mississippi is not decisive battleground and that Reagan campaign is still on defensive. Sears says Republican pols. will demand Ford announce his Vice President choice. He dismisses Connally move as action of man who'd like to be Ford's Vice President
REPORTER: Herbert Kaplow

(Studio) Report on Schweiker.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(DC) [SCHWEIKER - says he's talked to 1/3 of Pennsylvania delegates and sees trend from Ford delegates to uncommitted.]
REPORTER: No reporter given

(Studio) Pennsylvania and Mississippi delegations are legally uncommitted.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(Pennsylvania) Reagan met with Pennsylvania delegates July 15. [Delegate William BREWER - thinks Reagan felt desperation to do something different. He's run risk of losing votes.] [Delegate Virginia BLACK - hopes that other promises won't lead to same type of betrayal. Vice President choice won't affect her vote.] [Delegate Cal GRIFFITH III - says appting. Schweiker Vice President may prove to be winning stroke at conv.] Pennsylvania delegates unchanged so far.
REPORTER: Lem Tucker