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The Republican establishment at every level was furious, contending that Reagan's challenge had made it much less likely that President Ford could be elected.

I always thought it wasn't Ford who lost that election (and it certainly wasn't Carter who won it). It was NIXON who lost that election. Or, more specifically, Watergate.

Anyone the Dems happened to nominate was sure to win. Of that, Carter was proof positive.

I remember those days.

Despite having everything going against him, Ford almost beat Carter, which showed that American politics was undergoing realignment. Of course, most of the lame stream media missed that story until 1980 when the realignment of the American body politic hit them between the eyes.

IMHO, Reagan (c)would have won in 1976. A key driving factor in the election was a candidate OUTSIDE the Washington power structure. Reagan fit the bill. Ford did not. However, as often is the case, the existing power structure fought tooth and nail to maintain the status quo.

As destiny would have it, Reagan triumphed -- and at the appointed time.

Correct. The Republican Party at the time still had the Rockefeller Repubs in control. Reagan Republicans knew they would have to put the nose to the gindstone to get Reagan as head of the Party. Then there is always " a man for the times" argument. which I think GW is also.

"Anyone the Dems happened to nominate was sure to win. Of that, Carter was proof positive."

Yet Ford very nearly pulled off the upset. Had Ford carried Ohio (which he lost by only 11,000 votes, 0.27% of the state's vote) and Wisconsin (which he lost by 35,000 votes, or 1.67% of the state's total), Ford would have received 277 Electoral Votes and the victory.

Had Reagan been the GOP candidate in 1976, I don't think Carter would have carried Mississippi (where he got 49.6%), Texas (where he got 51.1%), Louisiana (where he got 51.7%) or Florida (where he got 51.9%), and I think Reagan would have won rather comfortably.

Perhaps I am being self-centered, but I felt a turning point in the 1976 campaign (my first) could have happened when Ronald Reagan came to North Dakota to campaign for our 18 convention delegates.

I was honored to speak in his behalf to the county convention, the largest in the state which also was home to most of the state party leadership. The rank-and-file were behind Reagan by a 4-1 margin. Ford just did not excite anyone. Nevertheless, the RINO leadership's idea of compromise was to split the state delegation 9-9 and then have the audacity to tell the Reagan backers that under the rules of the convention, they could have awarded all 18 delegates to Ford.

Reagan clearly had the momentum in June when he made the trip to North Dakota. That decision by the party leadership clearly slowed his drive for the delegates needed to win.

Some of the young turks (myself included) actually left the party and cast their lots with the Democrats after that snub. Carter did not excite me, but our Democratic governor was a moral, decent man who had the leadership and vision which Ford sorely lacked.