President Nixon last night nominated House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford Jr. (R-Mich.) to become vice president, and urged the country to "turn away from the obsessions of the past and turn to the new challenges that we face."

Ford's close association with Congress makes his confirmation a near certainty. The nomination will be formally submitted to the House and Senate this morning.

Ford, who has served as a congressman from Michigan for 25 years, promised that if he is confirmed he will "do my utmost to the best of my ability to serve my country well and to perform these duties that will be my assignment... with as much accomplishment as possible."

"I hope I have some assets that might be helpful," Ford said, adding that he would do all he could "to make America a united America."

Ford said it was "with pride I have supported our country's policies at home and abroad aimed at seeking peace worldwide."

Nixon stressed repeatedly during his televised address that the "man or other individual" needed for the vice presidency must be able to provide "strong and effective leadership."

In addition, he said he considered three specific requirements in choosing a vice president: that he be qualified to become president: that he "shares the views of the president on the critical issues of foreign policy and national defense; and, that he be able to work with members of both parties in Congress."

Nixon, looking confident and jovial, made no mention of the scandal which brought the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew on Wednesday, or the other scandals which have beset his administration.

Instead, he talked of the need for "a new beginning for America, a new beginning in which we all dedicate ourselves to meeting the challenges that we face."

Nixon kept his audience of cabinet members, congressment and other officials in suspense for about ten minutes before stating that his choice had served for 25 years in Congress. At that, the assembled crowd broke into applause, and those nearby Ford began shaking hands with him.

Republicans and Democrats applauded Nixon's choice, and predicted Ford would win easy confirmation from both the House and Senate, the Associated Press reported last night.

Speculation ran rampant in Washington yesterday over who the nominee would be. Presidential press secretary Ronald L. Ziegler said that only a small number of White House aides knew of Nixon's choice, and that Ford himself was notified at about 7:30 p.m.

Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott (R-Pa.) had denied earlier in the day that Ford was the choice. Asked by a reporter, Scott told him to watch his head, and then shook his head no.

Other speculation had focused on John B. Connally of Texas, whose friends reported that he had been offered the nomination. Sources in the Texas congressional delegation later denied those reports to the Associated Press.

Agnew was not present at the White House announcement, and aides said they assumed he had watched the address on television in his Bethesda, Md., home.