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If not Spiro—who? Among the principal possibilities:
JOHN CONNALLY. That Nixon's house Democrat is a powerful figure in the Administration became plain during the Treasury Secretary's successful handling of the Lockheed loan guarantee (see BUSINESS); that he will be put on the Republican ticket next summer is far less clear. The idea is that Connally would carry Texas, sew up the South and perhaps provide an edge in such Border states as Tennessee, Kentucky and Maryland. His identification with conservative Southern Democratic philosophy could be enough to fend off another challenge from George Wallace. But Nixon would need help in the big-vote states —California, New York, Ohio and Illinois—to win reelection, and there Connally would be a drawback. Also, Republican professionals oppose dropping a fat party plum into a Democrat's lap. A man who knows both the vice presidency and Lyndon Johnson predicted that Connally might well be Nixon's running mate. Said Hubert Humphrey: "It would be a tough ticket."
GEORGE BUSH. As conservative as Agnew, but without his abrasiveness, Bush is an attractive dark horse. He could be counted on to hold the right-wing vote without antagonizing liberals. His current post as U.N. ambassador has taken him out of the public eye, but that could change overnight. Henry Cabot Lodge moved from the U.N. ambassadorship to the vice-presidential nomination, and the upcoming debate on the admission of Peking could prove a useful vehicle for Bush.
NELSON ROCKEFELLER. There has been so little love lost between Nixon and the New York Governor for so many years that Rockefeller at first glance seems an unlikely choice. But he has supported Nixon on revenue sharing and foreign policy, and in recent years has taken a turn to the right on domestic issues. If the White House pols decide on a New York-California strategy focusing on crime, welfare reform and urban problems, Rockefeller could be the choice. Whether or not Rockefeller would take the No. 2 spot has provided most of the suspense at Republican conventions for more than a decade. While he repeated last week that he does not consider himself "standby equipment," he could change his mind in 1972.
CHARLES PERCY. If Nixon decides to pitch his campaign to the center, Percy would be an attractive running mate with vote-getting strength among blacks, young voters and liberal Republicans. But White House aides insist that the President does not trust Percy. He is a member of the liberal Senate club that opposed the Administration on Supreme Court nominations and on appropriations for the SST and ABM. Despite Percy's appeal, Nixon is not likely to overlook such transgressions.
RONALD REAGAN. His presence at the '68 Republican Convention worried Nixon into adopting the Southern strategy; he still remains the darling of the party's right wing (see following story). A Nixon-Reagan ticket, however, would be too heavily weighted toward California and would not provide a moderating appeal. Nonetheless, if Agnew is dumped, Reagan could keep conservative voters in the Republican column. California observers believe Reagan would accept the nomination.