Carter was a backlash againt Nixon - NOT Ford. (Ford was an Eagle Scout)
You've got that right. Back in my youth when I was battling NYCity liberals, we'd call Rudy Giuliani, a Rockefeller Republican. You know what, Rudy is very fond of Rockefeller Republicans, like Jacob Javits, John Lindsey and of course, Nelsen Rockefeller himself.
Rockefeller Republicans = liberal Republicans
"Mr. Rockefeller represented 'a tradition in the Republican Party' I've worked hard to re-kindle - the Rockefeller, Javits, Lefkowitz tradition."
~~~Rudy Giuliani, New York Times July 9, 1992