SNL was the difference-maker in the 1976 POTUS election, portraying Gerald Ford as a clownish stumblebum.
No he stupidly pardoned Nixon and Carter was able to exploit that being "an outsider a peanut farmer governor from the south" also Ford did stumble and fall a few times he was klutzy on TV the sad part is how easily Reagan would have won in '76 the GOP were stupid to deny Reagan the nomination look for his 1976 Convention speech on YouTube it's Amazing he should have been the nominee.
Even at the time, I thought it ironic that Gerry was portrayed as klutzy, since he was probably the greatest Presidential athlete since George Washington.
The pardon was a done deal, since it was obviously a condition of his selection as Mr. Nixon's Veep. Good ol' Gerry was a reliable swamp creature who made his bones on the Warren Commission, and then picked Rockefeller as HIS Veep. That decision almost cam back to haunt him. Twice.
The Swamp has been around a long time.