Gerald R. Ford 1913-2006
 

America's oldest ex-President died lateish today -- Fox just broke the news.

His place in school history exams remains secure -- the single U.S. President who was never elected.

Oh thank you for opening that particular can of worms. We just got the darn things back in after 2004, and now they're going to come spilling out again ...

Rest in peace, Mr. President.

the single U.S. President who was never elected.
and beaned a person at a golf tourny !!!

Richard Nixon so prolonged the Vietnam war long enough that the defeat occurred during Ford's presidency. Vietnam was therefore not lost on Nixon's watch. Ford was the fall guy. Does history repeat itself every 30 years?

Given what he was handed to work with, Gerry did okay. He didn't break anything (either on his person or in the country), and he inspired one of the classic SNL running gags.

When Dubya goes, do you think he'll be remembered as benign?

I recall Dana Carvey anticipated that Ford would die being eaten by wolves...but that he would also be delicious.

...alert secret service agents wrestled the wolves to the ground...

He did a hell of a job given the situation he was in. Much better than he who followed. Liver pills anyone? Rest in Peace Pres

Would you mind explaining this to those of us who are not US citizens? Our news last night was full of this quote, but I do not understand. Why do they say he was not elected? What is the difference between Ford and Johnson, or Truman (in 1945 - I realise he won a subsequent election), or any of the other deputies who succeeded a dead/deposed president?

The difference is that he was not elected to the vice presidency or the presidency. Ford was selected to replace the elected Vice President, Spiro Agnew, who resigned. He then replaced Richard Nixon. This makes him the only US President not elected to the White House.

After Bush's reign, we will need someone like Ford. He really did help a nation recover from Nixon.

Of course, at this point I'd take Nixon back over Bush. The man was an arrogant snake, but at least he was smart enough to lead.

BTW, after the next president assumes the post, I will be changing my sig line to:

My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.
Gerald R. Ford

Thanks Rich. It was so long ago, I had forgotten the details.

Did you forget the Mayaguez and Marines who were abandoned in a totally foolish attack on Kohl Tang Island? Those three Marines and a Navy Medic are reported to have surrendered to the Khmer Rouge a week later - having been completely left without even considering rescue by the Ford administration.

Jerry Ford was a good man who was totally overwhelmed by his job. He could not understand nor properly address massive inflation created by the Nixon administration's uncontrolled spending on everything - especially Vietnam (the dollar would depreciate by a factor of 5). His famous solution was WIN buttons. He had no agenda. Even the military, still used to lying as in Vietnam, would make fools of him (and the next president).

America was a defeated nation under Ford. American products - especially American cars - manufactured in that time were crap. America was selling off its overseas industries just to pay for its massive debts. Even used American construction equipment was being shipped in massive numbers overseas because construction in America stopped and we needed to sell anything possible to pay our debts. Interest rates needed to climb to 20% levels - and the Ford administration just could not be aggressive enough to consider what was necessary.

But Ford provided fun. The press would have a running pool on who could guess how long Jerry Ford could walk without tripping over his feet. Ford had a bad habit of tripping himself.

Ford does not go down in history as a candidate for worst president ever. This because his heart was into working for America - which is not the case with Nixon or George Jr. Many who were so opposed to his Nixon pardon and pardoning of conscientious objectors in Canada have, in hindsight, acknowledged both were necessary. America was that badly mauled by Nam and Nixon.

One final point. Ford did not want this published before his death. Ford was adamantly opposed to George Jr's "Mission Accomplished" fiasco at the same time and for some of the same reasons posted here (in 2002). But then all former US presidents have stated that in various degrees. Ford simply was more opposed to "Mission Accomplished" but did not want his opinions published until now.

And your perspective on Carter? I never said that he was a great President or that he didn't make mistakes. BTW I think American cars are still crap - relatively speaking..

It's bad for Bush that Ford died now. The last thing Bush needs is yet another comparison with a real president.

Ford did better than several Presidents elected. For instance appointing nominees for the Surpreme Court.

The one thing he did was not do any major screw ups. When it came to being a leader (ie Mayaguez), Ford did extremely poorly. But in his two years, Ford did one thing we so desperately needed - stop all the hate that was so rampant by 'big dic' thinkers who even wildly and wackily supported Nixon as he repeated corrupted the democratic process.

To appreciate how bad thing became, when the Supreme Court voted 9-0 against President Nixon, they had to consider one serious possibility: that Nixon would order the Army to occupy the Supreme Court building. Yes, Washington back then became that wild - democracy was that much as risk. In that time, many lesser people in Washington stood up to save this democracy. It was that bad. And Ford did put an end to it.

It was no idle threat that Woodward and Bernstein should watch their backs. Things became so wacko that Chief of Staff Haig (or Sec of Defense - forgot which) told the military to ignore any orders from the black box without his personal approval. The sanity of Nixon was that much in question. Yes, we were that unstable. And we also went the closest to WWIII when Washington became that wacko due to Nixon. Ford put an end to all that.

But not all. :mad:

“Decency, intellectual honesty, and sound judgment are characteristics possessed by our finest lawyers. Gerald Ford was such a lawyer,” Stevens said, in a statement released by the Supreme Court. “He was a wise president who had the courage to make unpopular decisions that would serve the country’s best interests in the long run. Time has proved that his decision to pardon Richard Nixon was such a decision. We mourn his passing but remember his All-American career with admiration, affection and total respect.” – Jess Bravin

On a less serious note, Gerald Ford was a pretty good Center for the University of Michigan football team - he started as a senior for the 1934 edition of the Wolverines. Too bad he didn't make it to see Michigan play in their bowl game this year.