The Evening News from Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan • Page 12

12 THE EVENING NEWS. SAULTSTE. MARIE. THURSDAY. DEC.

20.1973 Ford leading contender for GOP presidential nomination By Ron Cordray Booth News Service (Special to The Evening News) WASHINGTON (BNS) Vice President Gerald Ford has, in a brief two months, emerged as the leading conk nder for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. This is quite an accomplishment for a man who. on Oct. 10. was considered by many as an also-ran for President Nixon's appointment to the nation's second highest office.

The vice president has not encouraged those who would have him run in 1976 On the contrary, he has repeatedly said he can foresee no circumstances which would prompt him to seek elective office again. But just as the former House Republican leader from Grand Rapids was the Jogical choice for vice president, he may also be the GOP's logical nominee for President ceme late summer 1976. show Ford as the top choice for 1976 among Republicans and independents. Whether he'll remain in that lofty spot for the next three years depends a great deal on President Nixon. The White House has done nothing to date that would detract from Ford's popularity.

Early indications are that the vice president will be the administration's number two man in fact as well as in theory 1 And unlike his presessor Spiro T. Agnew. the new vice president will be neither a lightning bolt nor rod for the administration. No one is questioning the sincerity of Ford when he says he has no intention of running for office in 1976. But few are eliminating him as a candidate at this point.

As GOP National Chairman George Bush pointed out. any vice president has to be considered a serious contender. Rep. Charles E. Chamberlain, R- East Lansing, summed up the belief of many congressmen when he said, "I would certainly think at the end of Nixon's term, if things have gone well, 'Jerry Ford would be the logical nominee of the Republican Party." Expressing diappointment that Ford was not the party's vice presidential nominee in 1968, Chamberlain said "It would have saved some problems he conciliates rather than divides." Ford had planned to retire from pciictis after one more term.

But it might be a far more difficult decision to turn down the nation's highest office. In 1976. Ford will be 63, which is too old for a presidential hopeful but not too old. He is younger than Govs. Nelson Rockefeller (65) and Ronald Reagan (62) who are considered viable candidates for the nomination.

And in terms of physical fitness, he appears far younger than his present age of 60. If Ford decides to run, nothing he has done in the past is likely to harm his chances of getting the GOP nomination. As minority leader, he was a tireless campaigner for Republicans around the nation. He is expected to play a similar role during next year's congressional campaigns. Furthermore, he has not badgered those Republican congressmen who were against a program dear to the White House.

Ford's history as minority leader has been one 9f building respect and friendships, this would pay off in votes if Ford should seek the nomination in 1976. While not necessarily grooming Ford for the presidency, Nixon Is making it clear that his president will be a participant in top-level decision making whether it be on the domestic or foreign front. Ford could well enter 1976 as the most experienced potential presidential candidate in the nation's history, at least since the early days of the United States. The critical period for Ford and the Republican Parry will come in late 1975 and early 1976 when the pollsters begin bombarding the public with opinion polls showing the "preferred" candidates of both parties. If Ford at that time runs ahead of aO other GOP potentials when paired against the leading Democrat, he will be hard pressed to turn down the nomination.

Around the North Country HANCOCK Miss America 1974, Rebecca Ann King, returned to her "second hometown" this week for the first time since winning her crown. Miss King is spending her Christmas vacation with relatives in the area and will be making a number of public appearances during her stay, including taking part in Mich- gan Tech's Winter Carnival. Business notebook Ida Ball of 3607 Shallows Beach Ave. has been awarded a certificate as a "certified ceramic teacher" by Duncan Ceramic Products, manufacturer of ceramic hobby products. The certificate designates Mrs.

Ball as a qualified teacher of ceramic color and decorating techniques. It is awarded after successful completion of a prescribed course of instruction and a practical and written examination. PERROY'S PRE-CHRISTMAS CLEARANCE SALE COATS Sizes 38 to 46 HOURS: OPEN 10 P.M. I FORMAL RENTAL ALTERATIONS For MEN 4 WOMEN 2l7AshmunSt Dial 2-3522 Here's a new wide-track performer that's custom designed for family snowmobiling. The 1974 Polaris Custom II features a new 18" track, exclusive Torque-Balanced drive system, Polaris Star engines, underseat storage, chrome shocks, and comfortable variable compresssion foam seat The 74 Poiaris Custom II is available in three models: 250, 400.

and 530. E. J. MERTAUGH Hessel, Mich. Phone the Dependable One! WASHERS More people in this area depend on Maytag than on any other make! MAYING Phone 632-2621 538AshmunSt Sandwiches Hamburgers Pizza Watch the football games and relax at THE MERCHANTS COCKTAIL BAR Open 7 A Week 8 a.m.

to 2 a.m.-—Mon.-Sot. 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.—Sunday 103 W. Spruce, Soo, Mich. GET READY FOR WINTER NOW! SEE OUR SPECIAL ON: Aluminum Combination Storms fir Screens Weather Stripping insulation "Your Friendly HWI Store" LOCK CITY HOME CENTER 499 W.

Spruce, Soo Phone 632-9946 The Harmon Football Forecast THE TOP 40 MAJOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS 3-Ohio State Dame State Cal 10-Nebraska State Tech Carolina State (Ohio) State A State State State Carolina Carolina FIESTA BOWU TANGERINE BOWL: PEACH BOWL: ASTRO- BLUEBONNET BOWL: GATOR BOWL- SUN BOWL: SUGAR BOWL- COTTON BOWL: ORANGE BOWL: ROSE BOWL: Friday, December 21 Arizona State 38 Saturday, December 22 Florida 21 Friday, December 28 Maryland 20 Saturday, December 29 Houston 28 Texas Tech 27 Missouri 24 Monday, December 31 Alabama 14 Tuesday, January 1 Texas 21 Penn State 28 Ohio State 17- HIGHLIGHTS Pittsburgh Miami (Ohio) 1i Georgia 15 Tulane 22 Tennessee 20 Auburn 14 Notre Dame Nebraska Tl LS.U Cal 14 Our national champions, the Oklahoma Sooners, have the highest final power quotient of any champion in the 17 years we've been rating college football teams. Their rating of 127.9 is a full seven points higher than runner-up Alabama. And vre can't remember when the top ten teams have remained so constant throughout a Oklahoma has been since early in October, and eight of the other nine teams haw been in the group from the beginning. Each year we feel ws should put in our reminder note about the ratings of the top 40 teams. Keep in mind that a team's rating is based on the AVERAGE of its performance against ALL opposition throughout the entire season.

Also, a team's won and lost record no bearing its national calibre of competition is a major factor in determining a team's rating. The crystal ball percentage has had some rather unusual ups and downs this fait, but it finally settled a little above last year's level. 2,197 games were included in.all our forecasts this year. We picked the winners in 1,628... missed in 520 (there were 49 ties) and finished with a final average of .758.

The rather unbelievable power of the Big Eight Conference is extremely obvious the ratings of the conferences. Leading the second place Southeast Conference by 3.5 points, the Big 8 has moved further out in front each fall. The Southwest Conference eased by the Pacific Eight Conference this year and moved into third place. The biggest laser in the ratings was the Missouri Valtey Conference which dropped from 9th in 1972 to 13th place this year. Conference ratings are based on each league's power quotient average determined from the ratings of all teams in every Of the more than 65 football conferences, here are the twenty strongest in the nation.

Eight Conference 104.93 Conference 95.46 Conference 92.41 Eight Conference 92.20 Ten Conference 91.42 Coast Conference 83.49 Athletic Conference 77.00 Conference 76.87 Coast Athletic Conference 67.04 Conference 66.48 League Conference Valley Conference Sky Conference Athletic Conference Central Conference Valley Conference South Conference Star Conference Conference 65.85 64.61 63.44 60.72 60.48 59.79 58.54 58.47 55.70 54.63 mm TWRRSBs CLEARANCE! Save from to $2,500 on Mobile Homes, Travelers and Motor Homes. RIVERSIDE MOBILE HOME SALES Riverside Drive Near 3 Mile Rd. PRICES! NEW DEMONSTUATOtS Oldsmobiles Chryslers Furys Satellites SIMS MOTOR CO. See Us For SNOWMOBILE LOANS! CENTRAL SAVINGS BANK SAULT STL MARIE, MICHIGAN DeTOUR, Michigan A FULL SERVICE BANK END4F-YEAR SPECIALS ON GILSON Snowblowcrs 26" and 28" Cut 8 Horwpower Save $25.00 Several uttd, guaranteed oho stock at BIG SAVINGS. Economy Furniture Appl.

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