PRESIDENT GERALD FORD JERRY FOR CONGRESSMAN POT PAD HOLDER MICHIGAN CAMPAIGN


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Gerald FordFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGerald FordFord in August 197438thPresident of the United StatesIn office
August 9, 1974– January 20, 1977Vice PresidentNone(Aug–Dec 1974)
Nelson Rockefeller(1974–77)Preceded byRichard NixonSucceeded byJimmy Carter40thVice President of the United StatesIn office
December 6, 1973– August 9, 1974PresidentRichard NixonPreceded bySpiro AgnewSucceeded byNelson RockefellerHouse Minority LeaderIn office
January 3, 1965– December 6, 1973WhipLeslie ArendsPreceded byCharles HalleckSucceeded byJohn RhodesChairman of the House Republican ConferenceIn office
January 3, 1963– January 3, 1965Preceded byCharles HoevenSucceeded byMelvin LairdMember of theU.S. House of office
January 3, 1949– December 6, 1973Preceded byBartel JonkmanSucceeded byRichard Vander VeenPersonal detailsBornLeslie Lynch King Jr.
July 14, 1913
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.DiedDecember 26, 2006(aged93)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.[1]Resting placeGerald R. Ford Museum
Grand Rapids, MichiganPolitical partyRepublicanSpouse(s)Betty Bloomer(m. 1948–2006, his death)ChildrenMichael Gerald,John Gardner,Steven Meigs,Susan ElizabethAlma materUniversity of Michigan(B.A.)
Yale Law Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory MedalSignatureMilitary serviceAllegianceUnited States of AmericaService/branchUnited States NavyYears of service1942–1946RankLieutenant commanderBattles/warsWorld War II

Gerald Rudolph\"Jerry\"Ford Jr.(bornLeslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was the38thPresident of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and, prior to this, was the40thVice President of the United Statesserving from 1973 to 1974 under PresidentRichard Nixon. He was the first person appointed to the Vice Presidency under the terms of the25th Amendment, afterSpiro Agnewresigned. When he became president uponRichard Nixon\'sresignation on August 9, 1974, he became the first and to date only person to have served as both Vice President and President of the United States without being elected by theElectoral College. Before ascending to the Vice Presidency, Ford served nearly 25 years as theRepresentativefromMichigan\'s 5th congressional district, eight of them as theRepublicanMinority Leader.

As President, Ford signed theHelsinki Accords, marking a move towarddétentein theCold War. With theconquest of South Vietnamby North Vietnam nine months into his presidency, U.S. involvement inVietnamessentiallyended. Domestically, Ford presided over the worst economy in the four decades since theGreat Depression, with growing inflation and arecessionduring his tenure.[2]One of his more controversial acts was to grant apresidential pardonto President Richard Nixon for his role in theWatergate scandal. During Ford\'s incumbency, foreign policy was characterized in procedural terms by the increased role Congress began to play, and by the corresponding curb on the powers of the President.[3]In 1976, Ford defeatedRonald Reaganfor the Republican nomination, but he narrowly lost thepresidential electiontoDemocraticchallengerJimmy Carter.

Following his years as the president, Ford remained active in the Republican Party. After experiencing health problems, hedied in his homeon December 26, 2006. Fordlived longer than any other U.S. president, 93 years and 165 days, while his895-day presidencyremains the shortest of all presidents who did not die in office.

Early life

Gerald Ford was born Leslie Lynch King Jr., on July 14, 1913, at3202 Woolworth AvenueinOmaha, Nebraska, where his parents lived with his paternal grandparents. His mother wasDorothy Ayer Gardner, and his father wasLeslie Lynch King Sr., a wool trader and a son of prominent bankerCharles Henry Kingand Martha Alicia King (née Porter). Dorothy separated from King just sixteen days after her son\'s birth. She took her son with her to theOak Park, Illinoishome of her sister Tannisse and brother-in-law, Clarence Haskins James. From there, she moved to the home of her parents, Levi Addison Gardner and Adele Augusta Ayer inGrand Rapids, Michigan. Dorothy and King divorced in December 1913; she gained full custody of her son. Ford\'s paternal grandfather Charles Henry King paid child support until shortly before his death in 1930.[4]

Leslie Lynch King Jr. (later known as Gerald R. Ford) in 1916

Ford later said his biological father had a history of hitting his mother.[5]James M. Cannon, a member of the Ford administration, wrote in a Ford biography that the Kings\' separation and divorce were sparked when, a few days after Ford\'s birth, Leslie King took a butcher knife and threatened to kill his wife, his infant son, and Ford\'s nursemaid. Ford later told confidantes that his father had first hit his mother on their honeymoon for smiling at another man.[6]

After two and a half years with her parents, on February 1, 1916, Dorothy marriedGerald Rudolff Ford, a salesman in a family-owned paint and varnish company. They then called her sonGerald Rudolff Ford Jr.The future president was never formallyadopted, however, and he did not legally change his name until December 3, 1935; he also used a more conventional spelling of his middle name.[7]He was raised inGrand Rapidswith his three half brothers from his mother\'s second marriage:Thomas Gardner Ford(1918–1995), Richard Addison Ford (born 1924), and James Francis Ford (1927–2001).

Ford also had three half-siblings from his father\'s second marriage: Marjorie King (1921–1993), Leslie Henry King (1923–1976), and Patricia Jane King (born 1925). They never saw one another as children and he did not know them at all. Ford was not aware of his biological father until he was 17, when his parents told him about the circumstances of his birth. That year his biological father, Leslie King, whom Ford described as a \"carefree, well-to-do man who didn\'t really give a damn about the hopes and dreams of his firstborn son\", approached Ford while he was waiting tables in a Grand Rapids restaurant. The two \"maintained a sporadic contact\" until Leslie King Sr.\'s death.[5][8]

Ford maintained his distance emotionally, saying, \"My stepfather was a magnificent person and my mother equally wonderful. So I couldn\'t have written a better prescription for a superb family upbringing.\"[9]

Scouting and athleticsEagle Scout Gerald Ford (circled in red) in 1929;Michigan GovernorFred W. Greenat far left, holding hatFord as a center on the University of Michiganfootballteam, 1933

Ford was involved in theBoy Scouts of America, and earned that program\'s highest rank,Eagle Scout.[10]In later years, Ford received theDistinguished Eagle Scout Awardin May 1970 andSilver Buffalo Awardfrom the Boy Scouts of America. He is the only Eagle Scout to have ascended to the U.S. presidency.[10]Scoutingwas so important to Ford that his family asked that Scouts participate in his funeral. About 400 Eagle Scouts were part of the funeral procession, where they formed an honor guard as the casket went by in front of the museum. A few selected Scouts served as ushers inside the National Cathedral.[11]

Ford attended Grand Rapids South High School and was a star athlete andcaptainof hisfootballteam.[12]In 1930, he was selected to the All-City team of theGrand Rapids City League. He also attracted the attention of college recruiters.[9]

Attending theUniversity of Michiganas an undergraduate, Ford playedcenter,linebackerandlong snapperfor the school\'s football team[13]and helped theWolverinesto undefeated seasons andnational titlesin1932and1933. The team suffered a steep decline in his1934senior year, however, winning only one game. Ford was the team\'s star nonetheless, and after a game during which Michigan held heavily favoredMinnesota(the eventual national champion) to a scoreless tie in the first half, assistant coachBennie Oosterbaanlater said, \"When I walked into the dressing room at half time, I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of them. Ford and [Cedric] Sweet played their hearts out. They were everywhere on defense.\" Ford later recalled, \"During 25 years in the rough-and-tumble world of politics, I often thought of the experiences before, during, and after that game in 1934. Remembering them has helped me many times to face a tough situation, take action, and make every effort possible despite adverse odds.\" His teammates later voted Ford their most valuable player, with one assistant coach noting, \"They felt Jerry was one guy who would stay and fight in a losing cause.\"[14]

During Ford\'s senior year a controversy developed when theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jacketsrefused to play a scheduled game if a black player namedWillis Wardtook the field. Even after protests from students, players and alumni, university officials opted to keep Ward out of the game. Ford was Ward\'s best friend on the team and theyroomedtogether while on road trips. Ford reportedly threatened to quit the team in response to the university’s decision, but eventually agreed to play against Georgia Tech when Ward personally asked him to play.[15]

During the same season, in a game against theUniversity of Chicago, Ford \"became the only future U.S. president to tackle a futureHeisman Trophywinner when he brought down running backJay Berwanger, who would win the first Heisman the following year\".[16]In 1934, Ford was selected for the Eastern Team on the Shriner\'s East West Crippled Children game at San Francisco (a benefit for crippled children), played on January 1, 1935. As part of the 1935 Collegiate All-Star football team, Ford played against theChicago Bearsin theChicago College All-Star GameatSoldier Field.[17]In honor of his athletic accomplishments and his later political career, the University of Michigan retired Ford\'s No. 48jerseyin 1994. With the blessing of the Ford family, it was placed back into circulation in 2012 as part of theMichigan Football Legendsprogram and issued to sophomore linebacker Desmond Morgan before a home game againstIllinoison October 13.[18]

Ford remained interested in football and his school throughout life, occasionally attending games. Ford also visited with players and coaches during practices, at one point asking to join the players in the huddle.[19]Ford often had the Naval band play the University of Michigan fight song,The Victors, before state events instead ofHail to the Chief.[20]He also selected the song to be played during his funeral procession at the U.S. Capitol.[21]On his death in December 2006, theUniversity of Michigan Marching Bandplayed the fight song for him one final time, for his last ride from theGerald R. Ford Airportin Grand Rapids, Michigan.[22]

Ford was also an avid golfer. In 1977, he shot ahole in oneduring a Pro-am held in conjunction with theDanny Thomas Memphis ClassicatColonial Country ClubinMemphis, Tennessee. He received the 1985Old Tom Morris Awardfrom theGolf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA\'s highest honor.[23]

Education

At Michigan, Ford became a member of theDelta Kappa Epsilonfraternity (Omicron chapter) and washed dishes at his fraternity house to earn money for college expenses. Following his graduation in 1935 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, he turned down contract offers from theDetroit LionsandGreen Bay Packersof theNational Football Leagueto take a coaching position at Yale and apply to its law school.[24]Ford continued to contribute to football and boxing, accepting an assistant coaching job for both at Yale in September 1935.[25]

Ford hoped to attend Yale\'s law school beginning in 1935 while serving as boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach. Yale officials at first denied his admission to the law school, because of his full-time coaching responsibilities. He spent the summer of 1937 as a student at theUniversity of Michigan Law School[26]and was eventually admitted in spring 1938 toYale Law School.[27]Ford earned his LL.B. degree in 1941 (later amended toJuris Doctor), graduating in the top 25 percent of his class. His introduction to politics came in the summer of 1940 when he worked inWendell Willkie\'s presidential campaign. While attending Yale Law School, he joined a group of students led byR. Douglas Stuart Jr., and signed a petition to enforce the 1939Neutrality Act. The petition was circulated nationally and was the inspiration for theAmerica First Committee, a group determined to keep the U.S. out ofWorld War II.[28]

Ford graduated from law school in 1941, and was admitted to the Michiganbarshortly thereafter. In May 1941, he opened a Grand Rapids law practice with a friend,Philip W. Buchen,[25]who would later serve as Ford\'s White House counsel. But overseas developments caused a change in plans, and Ford responded to theattack on Pearl Harborby enlisting in the Navy.[29]

Naval service in World War IIThe Gunnery officers of theUSSMonterey. Ford is second from the right, in the front row.

Ford received a commission asensignin theU.S. Naval Reserveon April 13, 1942. On April 20, he reported for active duty to the V-5 instructor school atAnnapolis, Maryland. After one month of training, he went to Navy Preflight School inChapel Hill, North Carolina, where he was one of 83 instructors and taught elementary navigation skills, ordnance, gunnery, first aid and military drill. In addition, he coached in all nine sports that were offered, but mostly in swimming, boxing and football. During the one year he was at the Preflight School, he was promoted toLieutenant Junior Gradeon June 2, 1942, and to Lieutenant in March 1943.

Navy pilots in forward elevator well playing basketball. Jumper at left is Gerald R. Ford, mid-1944

Applying for sea duty, Ford was sent in May 1943 to the pre-commissioning detachment for the new aircraft carrierUSSMonterey(CVL-26), at New York Shipbuilding Corporation,Camden, New Jersey. From the ship\'s commissioning on June 17, 1943, until the end of December 1944, Ford served as the assistant navigator, Athletic Officer, and antiaircraft battery officer on board theMonterey. While he was on board, the carrier participated in many actions in thePacific Theaterwith theThirdandFifth Fleetsin late 1943 and 1944. In 1943, the carrier helped secureMakin Islandin the Gilberts, and participated in carrier strikes againstKavieng, New Ireland in 1943. During the spring of 1944, theMontereysupported landings atKwajaleinandEniwetokand participated in carrier strikes in theMarianas,Western Carolines, and northernNew Guinea, as well as in theBattle of the Philippine Sea.[30]After overhaul, from September to November 1944, aircraft from theMontereylaunched strikes againstWake Island, participated in strikes in the Philippines andRyukyus, and supported the landings atLeyteandMindoro.[30]

Ford inNavyuniform, 1945

Although the ship was not damaged byJapaneseforces, theMontereywas one of several ships damaged by thetyphoonthat hitAdmiralWilliam Halsey\'sThird Fleet onDecember 18–19, 1944. The Third Fleet lost threedestroyersand over 800 men during the typhoon. TheMontereywas damaged by a fire, which was started by several of the ship\'s aircraft tearing loose from their cables and colliding on the hangar deck. During the storm, Ford narrowly avoided becoming a casualty himself. As he was going to his battle station on the bridge of the ship in the early morning of December 18, the ship rolled twenty-five degrees, which caused Ford to lose his footing and slide toward the edge of the deck. The two-inch steel ridge around the edge of the carrier slowed him enough so he could roll, and he twisted into the catwalk below the deck. As he later stated, \"I was lucky; I could have easily gone overboard.\"

Ford, serving as General Quarters Officer of the Deck, was ordered to go below to assess the raging fire. He did so safely, and reported his findings back to the ship’s commanding officer, Captain Stuart Ingersoll. The ship’s crew was able to contain the fire, and the ship got underway again.[31]

After the fire, theMontereywas declared unfit for service, and the crippled carrier reachedUlithion December 21 before continuing across the Pacific toBremerton, Washingtonwhere it underwent repairs. On December 24, 1944, at Ulithi, Ford was detached from the ship and sent to the Navy Pre-Flight School atSaint Mary\'s College of California, where he was assigned to the Athletic Department until April 1945. One of his duties was to coach football. From the end of April 1945 to January 1946, he was on the staff of the Naval Reserve Training Command,Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinoisas the Staff Physical and Military Training Officer. On October 3, 1945, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. In January 1946, he was sent to the Separation Center,Great Lakesto be processed out. He was released from active duty under honorable conditions on February 23, 1946. On June 28, 1946, theSecretary of the Navyaccepted Ford\'s resignation from the Naval Reserve.

For his naval service, Gerald Ford earned theAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalwith nine engagement stars for operations in theGilbert Islands,Bismarck Archipelago, Marshall Islands, Asiatic and Pacific carrier raids,Hollandia, Marianas, Western Carolines, Western New Guinea, and the Leyte Operation. He also received thePhilippine Liberation Medalwith two bronze stars for Leyte and Mindoro, as well as theAmerican CampaignandWorld War II Victory Medals.[29]

Ford was a member of several civic organizations, including theJunior Chamber of Commerce(Jaycees),American Legion,AMVETS,Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,Sons of the Revolution,[32]andVeterans of Foreign Wars.

In 1992 the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation awarded Ford its Lone Sailor Award for his naval service and his subsequent government service.

Gerald R. Ford was initiated intoFreemasonryon September 30, 1949.[33]He later said in 1975, \"When I took my obligation as a master mason—incidentally, with my three younger brothers—I recalled the value my own father attached to that order. But I had no idea that I would ever be added to the company of the Father of our Country and 12 other members of the order who also served as Presidents of the United States.\"[34]

Marriage and childrenThe Fords on their wedding day, October 15, 1948

On October 15, 1948, at GraceEpiscopal Churchin Grand Rapids, Ford marriedElizabeth Bloomer Warren(1918–2011), a department store fashion consultant. Warren had been aJohn Robert Powersfashion model and a dancer in the auxiliary troupe of theMartha GrahamDance Company. She had previously been married to and divorced from William G. Warren.

At the time of his engagement, Ford was campaigning for what would be his first of thirteen terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. The wedding was delayed until shortly before the elections because, asThe New York Timesreported in a 1974 profile of Betty Ford, \"Jerry was running for Congress and wasn\'t sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer.\"[35]

The couple had four children:

    Michael Gerald, born in 1950
  • John Gardner, known as Jack, born in 1952
  • Steven Meigs, born in 1956
  • Susan Elizabeth, born in 1957
House of RepresentativesA billboard for Ford\'s 1948 Congressional Campaign

After returning to Grand Rapids, Ford became active in local Republican politics, and supporters urged him to take onBartel J. Jonkman, the incumbent Republican congressman. Military service had changed his view of the world. \"I came back a convertedinternationalist\", Ford wrote, \"and of course our congressman at that time was an avowed, dedicatedisolationist. And I thought he ought to be replaced. Nobody thought I could win. I ended up winning two to one.\"[9]During his first campaign in1948, Ford visited voters at their doorsteps and as they left the factories where they worked.[36]Ford also visited local farms where, in one instance, a wager resulted in Ford spending two weeks milking cows following his election victory.[37]Ford was known to his colleagues in the House as a \"Congressman\'s Congressman\".[38]

Ford was a member of the House of Representatives for 25 years, holding the Grand Rapidscongressional districtseat from 1949 to 1973. It was a tenure largely notable for its modesty. As an editorial inThe New York Timesdescribed him, Ford \"saw himself as a negotiator and a reconciler, and the record shows it: he did not write a single piece of major legislation in his entire career.\"[39]Appointed to theHouse Appropriations Committeetwo years after being elected, he was a prominent member of theDefense Appropriations Subcommittee. Ford described his philosophy as \"a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a conservative in fiscal policy.\"[40]

In the early 1950s, Ford declined offers to run for either the Senate or the Michigan governorship. Rather, his ambition was to becomeSpeaker of the House.[41]

Warren CommissionTheWarren Commissionpresents its report to President JohnsonFurther information:Warren CommissionandAssassination of John F. Kennedy

In November 1963, PresidentLyndon B. Johnsonappointed Ford to theWarren Commission, a special task force set up to investigate theassassinationof PresidentJohn F. Kennedy. Ford was assigned to prepare a biography ofLee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin.[42]The Commission\'s work continues to be debated in the public arena.

In the preface to his book,A Presidential Legacy and The Warren Commission, Ford said theCIAdestroyed or kept from investigators critical secrets connected to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He said the commission\'s probe put \"certain classified and potentially damaging operations in danger of being exposed\". The CIA\'s reaction, he added, \"was to hide or destroy some information, which can easily be misinterpreted as collusion in JFK\'s assassination\".[43]

According to a 1963FBImemo released in 2008, Ford secretly provided the FBI with information about two of his fellow commission members, both of whom were unsure with regards to the FBI\'s conclusions about the assassination.[44]The FBI position was that President Kennedy was shot by a single gunman firing from the Texas Book Depository. Another 1963 memo released in 1978 stated that Representative Ford volunteered to advise the FBI regarding the content of the commission\'s deliberations if his involvement with the bureau was kept confidential, a condition which the bureau approved.[45]Ford was an outspoken proponent of the single-assassin theory.[46]According to the same reports, Ford had strong ties to the FBI andJ. Edgar Hoover.[46]

House Minority LeaderFord meets with President Richard Nixon asHouse Minority Leader.Congressman Gerald Ford, MSFC directorWernher von Braun, CongressmanGeorge H. Mahon, and NASA AdministratorJames E. Webbvisit theMarshall Space Flight Centerfor a briefing on the Saturn program, 1964.

In 1964, Democratic President Lyndon Johnson led a landslide victory for his party, securing another term as president and taking 36 seats from Republicans in the House of Representatives. Following the election, members of the Republican caucus looked to select a new Minority Leader. Three members approached Ford to see if he would be willing to serve; after consulting with his family, he agreed. After a closely contested election, Ford was chosen to replaceCharles HalleckofIndianaas Minority Leader.[47]

The Republicans had 140 seats in the House compared with the 295 seats held by the Democrats. Consequently, the Johnson Administration proposed and passed a series of programs that was called by Johnson the \"Great Society.\" During the first session of theEighty-ninth Congressalone, the Johnson Administration submitted 87 bills to Congress, and Johnson signed 84, or 96%, arguably the most successful legislative agenda in Congressional history.[48]

Criticism over the Johnson Administration\'s handling of theVietnam Warbegan to grow in 1966, with Ford and Congressional Republicans expressing concern that the United States was not doing what was necessary to win the war. Public sentiment also began to move against Johnson, and the1966 midterm electionssaw a 47-seat swing in favor of the Republicans. This was not enough to give Republicans a majority in the House, but the victory gave Ford the opportunity to prevent the passage of further Great Society programs.[47]

Ford\'s private criticism of the Vietnam War became public following a speech from the floor of the House, in which he questioned whether the White House had a clear plan to bring the war to a successful conclusion.[47]The speech angered President Johnson, who accused Ford of playing \"too much football without a helmet\".[47][49]

As Minority Leader in the House, Ford appeared in a popular series of televised press conferences with famedIllinoisSenatorEverett Dirksen, in which they proposed Republican alternatives to Johnson\'s policies. Many in the press jokingly called this \"The Ev and Jerry Show.\"[50]Johnson said at the time, \"Jerry Ford is so dumb he can\'t fart and chew gum at the same time.\"[51]The press, used to sanitizing LBJ\'s salty language, reported this as \"Gerald Ford can\'t walk and chew gum at the same time.\"[52]

Ford\'s role shifted under President Nixon to being an advocate for the White House agenda. Congress passed several of Nixon\'s proposals, including theNational Environmental Policy Actand theTax Reform Act of 1969. Another high-profile victory for the Republican minority was the State and Local Fiscal Assistance act. Passed in 1972, the act established aRevenue Sharingprogram for state and local governments.[53]Ford\'s leadership was instrumental in shepherding revenue sharing through Congress, and resulted in a bipartisan coalition that supported the bill with 223 votes in favor (compared with 185 against).[47][54]

During the 8 years (1965–1973) he served as Minority Leader, Ford won many friends in the House because of his fair leadership and inoffensive personality.[47]An office building in the U.S. Capitol Complex, House Annex 2, was renamed for Gerald Ford as theFord House Office Building.

Vice Presidency, 1973–74Gerald and Betty Ford with the President and First LadyPat Nixonafter President Nixon nominated Ford to be Vice President, October 13, 1973

On October 10, 1973, Vice President Agnew resigned and then pleadedno contestto criminal charges of tax evasion and money laundering, part of a negotiated resolution to a scheme in which he accepted $29,500 in bribes while governor of Maryland. According toThe New York Times, \"Nixon sought advice from senior Congressional leaders about a replacement. The advice was unanimous. \'We gave Nixon no choice but Ford,\'House SpeakerCarl Albertrecalled later\".[39]

Ford was nominated to take Agnew\'s position on October 12, the first time the vice-presidential vacancy provision of the25th Amendmenthad been implemented. TheUnited States Senatevoted 92 to 3 to confirm Ford on November 27. Only three Senators, all Democrats, voted against Ford\'s confirmation:Gaylord NelsonofWisconsin,Thomas EagletonofMissouriandWilliam HathawayofMaine. On December 6, the House confirmed Ford by a vote of 387 to 35. One hour after the confirmation vote in the House, Ford took the oath of office as Vice President of the United States. Ford\'s brief tenure as Vice-President was little noted by the media as reporters were preoccupied by the continuing revelations about theWatergate scandal—a political scandal resulting from the discovery of a series of crimes committed during the1972 presidential electionand allegations of cover-ups by the White House.

Following Ford\'s appointment, the Watergate investigation continued untilChief of StaffAlexander Haigcontacted Ford on Thursday, August 1, 1974, and told him that \"smoking gun\" evidence had been found. The evidence left little doubt that President Nixon had been a part of the Watergate cover-up. At the time, Ford and his wife, Betty, were living in suburban Virginia, waiting for their expected move into the newly designatedvice president\'s residencein Washington, D.C. However, \"Al Haig [asked] to come over and see me,\" Ford later related, \"to tell me that there would be a new tape released on a Monday, and he said the evidence in there was devastating and there would probably be either an impeachment or a resignation. And he said, \'I\'m just warning you that you\'ve got to be prepared, that things might change dramatically and you could become President.\' And I said, \'Betty, I don\'t think we\'re ever going to live in the vice president\'s house.\'\"[9]

Presidency, 1974–77Swearing-inGerald Ford is sworn in as the 38th President of the United States byChief JusticeWarren Burgerin the White HouseEast Room, while Betty Ford looks on

When Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, Ford assumed the presidency, making him the only person to assume the presidency without having been previously voted into either the presidential or vice presidential office. Immediately after taking the oath of office in theEast Roomof the White House, he spoke to the assembled audience in a speech broadcast live to the nation.[55]Ford noted the peculiarity of his position: \"I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your president by your ballots, and so I ask you to confirm me as your president with your prayers.\"[56]He went on to state:

Ford and hisgolden retriever,Liberty, in theOval Office, 1974

I have not sought this enormous responsibility, but I will not shirk it. Those who nominated and confirmed me as Vice President were my friends and are my friends. They were of both parties, elected by all the people and acting under the Constitution in their name. It is only fitting then that I should pledge to them and to you that I will be the President of all the people.[57]

He also stated:

My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here, the people rule. But there is a higher Power, by whatever name we honor Him, who ordains not only righteousness but love, not only justice, but mercy. ... let us restore the golden rule to our political process, and let brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and hate.[58]

Message to Congress nominating Nelson A. Rockefeller to be Vice President (August 20, 1974)

A portion of the speech would later be memorialized with a plaque at the entrance tohis presidential museum.

On August 20, Ford nominated former New York GovernorNelson Rockefellerto fill the vice presidency he had vacated.[59]Rockefeller\'s top competitor had beenGeorge H. W. Bush. Rockefeller underwent extended hearings before Congress, which caused embarrassment when it was revealed he made large gifts to senior aides, such asHenry Kissinger. Although conservative Republicans were not pleased that Rockefeller was picked, most of them voted for his confirmation, and his nomination passed both the House and Senate. Some, includingBarry Goldwater, voted against him.[60]

Pardon of NixonPresident Ford appears at aHouse Judiciary Subcommitteehearing regarding his pardon of Richard NixonWikisourcehas original text related to this article:The Nixon Pardon

On September 8, 1974, Ford issuedProclamation 4311, which gave Nixon a full and unconditionalpardonfor any crimes he might have committed against the United States while President.[61][62][63]In a televised broadcast to the nation, Ford explained that he felt the pardon was in the best interests of the country, and that the Nixon family\'s situation \"is a tragedy in which we all have played a part. It could go on and on and on, or someone must write the end to it. I have concluded that only I can do that, and if I can, I must.\"[64]

The Nixon pardon was highly controversial. Critics derided the move and claimed a \"corrupt bargain\" had been struck between the men.[9]They claimed Ford\'s pardon was granted in exchange for Nixon\'s resignation that elevated Ford to the Presidency. Ford\'s first press secretary and close friendJerald Franklin terHorstresigned his post in protest after President Nixon\'s full pardon. According toBob Woodward, Nixon Chief of Staff Alexander Haig proposed a pardon deal to Ford. He later decided to pardon Nixon for other reasons, primarily the friendship he and Nixon shared.[65]Regardless, historians believe the controversy was one of the major reasons Ford lost theelection in 1976, an observation with which Ford agreed.[65]In an editorial at the time,The New York Timesstated that the Nixon pardon was \"a profoundly unwise, divisive and unjust act\" that in a stroke had destroyed the new president\'s \"credibility as a man of judgment, candor and competence\".[39]On October 17, 1974, Ford testified before Congress on the pardon. He was the first sitting President to testify before Congress sinceAbraham Lincoln.[66]

After Ford left the White House in 1977, the former President privately justified his pardon of Nixon by carrying in his wallet a portion of the text ofBurdick v. United States, a 1915U.S. Supreme Courtdecision which stated that a pardon indicated a presumption of guilt, and that acceptance of a pardon was tantamount to a confession of that guilt.[67]In 2001, theJohn F. Kennedy Library Foundationawarded the John F. KennedyProfile in Courage Awardto Ford for his pardon of Nixon.[68]In presenting the award to Ford, SenatorTed Kennedysaid that he had initially been opposed to the pardon of Nixon, but later stated that history had proved Ford to have made the correct decision.[69]

Pardon given by President Ford under Proclamation 4313Presidential Proclamation 4313

On September 16, shortly after he announced the Nixon pardon, Ford introduced a conditionalamnestyprogram for Vietnam Wardraft dodgerswho had fled to countries such asCanadaas well as for military deserters. The conditions of the amnesty required that those involved reaffirm their allegiance to the United States and serve two years working in a public service job.[70]Full pardon for the draft dodgers, however, did not come about until the Carter Administration.[71]The program for the Return of Vietnam Era Draft Evaders and Military Deserters[72]established a Clemency Board to review the records and make recommendations for receiving a Presidential Pardon and a change inMilitary dischargestatus.

Administration and cabinet

Upon assuming office, Ford inherited Nixon\'scabinet. During Ford\'s brief administration, onlySecretary of StateKissinger andSecretary of the TreasuryWilliam E. Simonremained. Ford appointedWilliam ColemanasSecretary of Transportation, the second black man to serve in a presidential cabinet (afterRobert Clifton Weaver) and the first appointed in a Republican administration.[73]

The Ford CabinetOfficeNameTermPresidentGerald Ford1974–1977Vice Presidentnone*1974Nelson Rockefeller1974–1977Secretary of StateHenry Kissinger1974–1977Secretary of TreasuryWilliam E. Simon1974–1977Secretary of DefenseJames R. Schlesinger1974–1975Donald Rumsfeld1975–1977Attorney GeneralWilliam B. Saxbe1974–1975Edward H. Levi1975–1977Secretary of the InteriorRogers Morton1974–1975Stanley K. Hathaway1975Thomas S. Kleppe1975–1977Secretary of AgricultureEarl Butz1974–1976John Albert Knebel1976–1977Secretary of CommerceFrederick B. Dent1974–1975Rogers Morton1975Elliot Richardson1975–1977Secretary of LaborPeter J. Brennan1974–1975John Thomas Dunlop1975–1976William Usery Jr.1976–1977Secretary of Health,
Education, and WelfareCaspar Weinberger1974–1975F. David Mathews1975–1977Secretary of Housing and
Urban DevelopmentJames Thomas Lynn1974–1975Carla Anderson Hills1975–1977Secretary of TransportationClaude Brinegar1974–1975William Thaddeus Coleman Jr.1975–1977
    A vacancy by ascension briefly occurred for the position ofVice Presidentfrom August 9, 1974 to December 19, 1974 afterRichard Nixon\'s resignation from office.

Other cabinet-level posts:

    White House Chief of Staff
      Alexander Haig(1974)
    • Donald Rumsfeld(1974–1975)
    • Dick Cheney(1975–1977)
  • Director of the Office of Management and Budget
      Roy Ash(1974–1975)
    • James T. Lynn(1975–1977)
  • United States Trade Representative
      William D. Eberle(1974–1975)
    • Frederick B. Dent(1975–1977)
  • Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
      Russell E. Train(1974–1977)
  • United States Ambassador to the United Nations
      John A. Scali(1974–1975)
    • Daniel Patrick Moynihan(1975–1976)
    • William style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit;\">Other important posts:

        United States National Security Advisor
          Henry Kissinger(1974–1975)
        • Brent style=\"margin-bottom: 0.1em;\">Director of Central Intelligence
            William E. Colby(1974–1976)
          • George H. W. Bush(1976–1977)
        • Press Secretary
            Jerald terHorst(1974)
          • Ronald H. style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit;\">Ford selected George H.W. Bush asChief of the US Liaison Officeto the People\'s Republic of China in 1974, and thenDirectorof theCentral Intelligence Agencyin late 1975.[74]

            Ford\'s transition chairman and first Chief of Staff was former congressman and ambassadorDonald Rumsfeld. In 1975, Rumsfeld was named by Ford as the youngest-everSecretary of Defense. Ford chose a youngWyomingpolitician,Richard Cheney, to replace Rumsfeld as his new Chief of Staff and latercampaign managerfor Ford\'s1976 presidential campaign.[75]Ford\'s dramatic reorganization of his Cabinet in the fall of 1975 has been referred to by political commentators as the \"Halloween Massacre\".

            Midterm electionsFord in the Oval Office, 1974Main articles:United States House elections, 1974andUnited States Senate elections, 1974

            The 1974 Congressional midterm elections took place fewer than three months after Ford assumed office and in the wake of the Watergate scandal. The Democratic Party turned voter dissatisfaction into large gains in theHouse elections, taking 49 seats from the Republican Party, and increasing their majority to 291 of the 435 seats. This was one more than the number needed (290) for a two-thirds majority, necessary to override a Presidential veto (or to propose a constitutional amendment). Perhaps due in part to this fact, the94th Congressoverrode the highest percentage of vetoes sinceAndrew Johnsonwas President of the United States (1865–1869).[76]Even Ford\'s old, reliably Republican seat was taken by DemocratRichard Vander Veen, defeating RepublicanRobert VanderLaan. In theSenate elections, the Democratic majority became 61 in the 100-seat body.[77]

            Domestic policyPresident Ford meets with hisCabinetin 1975

            Theeconomywas a great concern during the Ford administration. One of the first acts the new president took to deal with the economy was to create the Economic Policy Board byExecutive Orderon September 30, 1974.[78]In response to rising inflation, Ford went before the American public in October 1974 and asked them to \"WhipInflationNow\". As part of this program, he urged people to wear \"WIN\" buttons.[79]At the time, inflation was believed to be the primary threat to the economy, more so than growing unemployment. They felt as though controlling inflation would work to fix unemployment.[78]To rein in inflation, it was necessary to control the public\'s spending. To try to mesh service and sacrifice, \"WIN\" called for Americans to reduce their spending and consumption.[80]On October 4, 1974, Ford gave a speech in front of a joint session of Congress and as a part of this speech kicked off the \"WIN\" campaign. Over the next nine days 101,240 Americans mailed in \"WIN\" pledges.[78]In hindsight, this was viewed as simply apublic relationsgimmick without offering any means of solving the underlying problems.[81]The main point of that speech was to introduce to Congress a one-year, five-percent income tax increase on corporations and wealthy individuals. This plan would also take $4.4billion out of the budget, bringing federal spending below $300billion.[82]At the time, inflation was over twelve percent.[83]

            Ford was confronted with a potentialswine flupandemic. In the early 1970s, aninfluenzastrainH1N1shifted from a form of flu that affected primarily pigs and crossed over to humans. On February 5, 1976, anarmyrecruit atFort Dixmysteriously died and four fellow soldiers were hospitalized;health officialsannounced that \"swine flu\" was the cause. Soon after, public health officials in the Ford administration urged that every person in the United States bevaccinated.[84]Although the vaccination program was plagued by delays and public relations problems, some 25% of the population was vaccinated by the time the program was canceled in December of that year. The vaccine was blamed for twenty-five deaths; more people died from the shots than from the swine flu.[85]

            Cheney, Rumsfeld and President Ford in the Oval Office, 1975

            Ford was an outspoken supporter of theEqual Rights Amendment, issuing Presidential Proclamation no. 4383 in 1975:

            In this Land of the Free, it is right, and by nature it ought to be, that all men and all women are equal before the law.

            Now, therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States of America, to remind all Americans that it is fitting and just to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment adopted by the Congress of the United States of America, in order to secure legal equality for all women and men, do hereby designate and proclaim August 26, 1975, as Women\'s Equality Day.[86]

            As president, Ford\'s position on abortion was that he supported \"a federal constitutional amendment that would permit each one of the 50 States to make the choice\".[87]This had also been his position as House Minority Leader in response to the 1973 Supreme Court case ofRoe v. Wade, which he opposed.[88]Ford came under criticism for a60 Minutesinterview his wife Betty gave in 1975, in which she stated thatRoe v. Wadewas a \"great, great decision\".[89]During his later life, Ford would identify aspro-choice.[90]

            Budget

            The federal budget ran adeficitevery year Ford was President.[91]Despite his reservations about how the program ultimately would be funded in an era of tightpublic budgeting, Ford signed theEducation for All Handicapped Children Actof 1975, which establishedspecial educationthroughout the United States. Ford expressed \"strong support for full educational opportunities for our handicapped children\" according to the official White House press release for the bill signing.[92]

            The economic focus began to change as the country sank into the worstrecessionsince theGreat Depressionfour decades earlier.[93]The focus of the Ford administration turned to stopping the rise in unemployment, which reached nine percent in May 1975.[94]In January 1975, Ford proposed a 1-year tax reduction of $16billion to stimulate economic growth, along with spending cuts to avoid inflation.[82]Ford was criticized greatly for quickly switching from advocating a tax increase to a tax reduction. In Congress, the proposed amount of the tax reduction increased to $22.8billion in tax cuts and lacked spending cuts.[78]In March 1975, Congress passed, and Ford signed into law, theseincome taxrebates as part of theTax Reduction Act of 1975. This resulted in a federal deficit of around $53billion for the 1975 fiscal year and $73.7billion for 1976.[95]

            When New York City faced bankruptcy in 1975,MayorAbraham Beamewas unsuccessful in obtaining Ford\'s support for a federal bailout. The incident prompted the New YorkDaily News\' famous headline \"Ford to City: Drop Dead\", referring to a speech in which \"Ford declared flatly ... that he would veto any bill calling for \'a federal bail-out of New York City\'\".[96][97]The following month, November 1975, Ford changed his stance and asked Congress to approve federal loans to New York City.[98]

            Foreign policyFord meets with Soviet leaderLeonid Brezhnevduring theVladivostok Summit, November 1974, to sign a jointcommuniquéon theSALTtreatyFord makes remarks at a Reciprocal Dinner in Beijing on December 4, 1975.

            Ford continued the détente policy with both theSoviet Unionand China, easing the tensions of the Cold War. Still in place from the Nixon Administration was the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT).[99]The thawing relationship brought about byNixon\'s visit to Chinawas reinforced by Ford\'s December 1975 visit to the communist country.[100]In 1975, the Administration entered into the Helsinki Accords[101]with the Soviet Union, creating the framework of theHelsinki Watch, an independent non-governmental organization created to monitor compliance that later evolved intoHuman Rights Watch.[102]

            Ford attended the inaugural meeting of theGroup of Seven (G7)industrialized nations (initially the G5) in 1975 and secured membership for Canada. Ford supported international solutions to issues. \"We live in an interdependent world and, therefore, must work together to resolve common economic problems,\" he said in a 1974 speech.[103]

            Middle EastCountries visited by Ford during his presidency

            In the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, two ongoing international disputes developed into crises. TheCyprus disputeturned into a crisis with theTurkish invasion of Cyprus, causing extreme strain within theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) alliance. In mid-August, thegovernmentwithdrew Greece from the NATO military structure; in mid-September 1974, the Senate and House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to halt military aid to Turkey. Ford, concerned with both the effect of this on Turkish-American relations and the deterioration of security on NATO\'s Eastern front, vetoed the bill. A second bill was passed by the house, and vetoed, although a compromise was accepted to continue aid until the end of the year.[3]As Ford expected, Turkish relations wereconsiderably disrupted until 1978.

            Ford withAnwar Sadatin Salzburg, 1975

            In the continuingArab-Israeli conflict, although the initialcease firehad been implemented to end active conflict in theYom Kippur War, Kissinger\'s continuingshuttle diplomacywas showing little progress. Ford considered it \"stalling\" and wrote, \"Their [Israeli] tactics frustrated the Egyptians and made me mad as hell.\"[104]During Kissinger\'s shuttle to Israel in early March 1975, a last minute reversal to consider further withdrawal, prompted a cable from Ford to Prime MinisterYitzhak Rabin, which included:

            I wish to express my profound disappointment over Israel\'s attitude in the course of the negotiations ... Failure of the negotiation will have a far reaching impact on the region and on our relations. I have given instructions for a reassessment of United States policy in the region, including our relations with Israel, with the aim of ensuring that overall American interests ... are protected. You will be notified of our decision.[105]

            On March 24, Ford received congressional leaders of both parties and informed them of the reassessment of the administration policies in the Middle East. \"Reassessment\", in practical terms, meant to cancel or suspend further aid to Israel. For six months between March and September 1975, the United States refused to conclude any new arms agreements with Israel. Rabin notes it was \"an innocent-sounding term that heralded one of the worst periods in American-Israeli relations\".[106]As could be expected, the announced reassessments upset the American Jewish community and Israel\'s well-wishers in Congress. On May 21, Ford \"experienced a real shock\", seventy-six senators wrote him a letter urging him to be \"responsive\" to Israel\'s request for $2.59billion in military and economic aid. Ford felt truly annoyed and thought the chance for peace was jeopardized. It was, since the September 1974 ban on arms to Turkey, the second major congressional intrusion upon the President\'s [foreign policy] prerogatives.[107]The following summer months were described by Ford as an American-Israeli \"war of nerves\" or \"test of wills\",[108]and after much bargaining, theSinai Interim Agreement(Sinai II), was formally signed on September 1 and aid resumed.

            VietnamFord and his daughter Susan watch as Henry Kissinger shakes hands withMao Zedong, December 2, 1975

            One of Ford\'s greatest challenges was dealing with the continued Vietnam War. American offensive operations against North Vietnam had ended with theParis Peace Accords, signed on January 27, 1973. The accords declared a cease fire across both North and South Vietnam, and required the release of Americanprisoners of war. The agreement guaranteed the territorial integrity of Vietnam and, like theGeneva Conferenceof 1954, called for national elections in the North and South. The Paris Peace Accords stipulated a sixty-day period for the total withdrawal of U.S. forces.[109]

            The accords had been negotiated byUnited States National Security AdvisorKissinger and North VietnamesepolitburomemberLe Duc Tho. South Vietnamese PresidentNguyen Van Thieuwas not involved in the final negotiations, and publicly criticized the proposed agreement. However, anti-war pressures within the United States forced Nixon and Kissinger to pressure Thieu to sign the agreement and enable the withdrawal of American forces. In multiple letters to the South Vietnamese president, Nixon had promised that the United States would defend his government, should the North Vietnamese violate the accords.[110]

            In December 1974, months after Ford took office, North Vietnamese forces invaded the province ofPhuoc Long. GeneralTrần Văn Tràsought to gauge any South Vietnamese or American response to the invasion, as well as to solve logistical issues before proceeding with the invasion.[111]

            As North Vietnamese forces advanced, Ford requested aid for South Vietnam in a $522million aid package. The funds had been promised by the Nixon administration, but Congress voted against the proposal by a wide margin.[99]SenatorJacob Javitsoffered \"...large sums for evacuation, but not one nickel for military aid\".[99]President Thieu resigned on April 21, 1975, publicly blaming the lack of support from the United States for the fall of his country.[112]Two days later, on April 23, Ford gave a speech atTulane University. In that speech, he announced that the Vietnam War was over \"...as far as America is concerned\".[110]The announcement was met with thunderous applause.[110]

            South Vietnamese refugees arrive on a U.S. Navy vessel during Operation Frequent Wind

            1,373 U.S. citizens and 5,595Vietnameseand third country nationals were evacuated from the South Vietnamese capital ofSaigonduringOperation Frequent Wind. Military andAir Americahelicopters took evacuees toU.S. Navyships off-shore during an approximately 24-hour period on April 29 to 30, 1975, immediately preceding thefall of Saigon. During the operation, so many South Vietnamese helicopters landed on the vessels taking the evacuees that some were pushed overboard to make room for more people. Other helicopters, having nowhere to land, were deliberately crash landed into the sea after dropping off their passengers, close to the ships, their pilots bailing out at the last moment to be picked up by rescue boats.[113]

            Many of the Vietnamese evacuees were allowed to enter the United States under theIndochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act. The 1975 Act appropriated $455million toward the costs of assisting the settlement of Indochinese refugees.[114]In all, 130,000 Vietnamese refugees came to the United States in 1975. Thousands more escaped in the years that followed.[115]

            Mayaguez and Panmunjom

            North Vietnam\'s victory over the South led to a considerable shift in the political winds in Asia, and Ford administration officials worried about a consequent loss of U.S. influence there. The administration proved it was willing to respond forcefully to challenges to its interests in the region on two occasions, once whenKhmer Rougeforces seized an American ship ininternational watersand again when American military officers were killed in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.[116]

            The first crisis was theMayaguez Incident. In May 1975, shortly after the fall of Saigon and the Khmer Rouge conquest ofCambodia, Cambodians seized the American merchant shipMayaguezin international waters.[117]Ford dispatchedMarinesto rescue the crew, but the Marines landed on the wrong island and met unexpectedly stiff resistance just as, unknown to the U.S., theMayaguezsailors were being released. In the operation, two military transport helicopters carrying the Marines for the assault operation were shot down, and 41 U.S. servicemen were killed and 50 wounded while approximately 60 Khmer Rouge soldiers were killed.[118]Despite the American losses, the operation was seen as a success in the United States and Ford enjoyed an 11-point boost in his approval ratings in the aftermath.[119]The Americans killed during the operation became the last to have their names inscribed on theVietnam Veterans Memorialwall in Washington, D.C.

            Some historians have argued that the Ford administration felt the need to respond forcefully to the incident because it was construed as a Soviet plot.[120]But recent work by Andrew Gawthorpe, based on an analysis of the administration\'s internal discussions, shows that Ford\'s national security team understood that the seizure of the vessel was a local, and perhaps even accidental, provocation by an immature Khmer government. Nevertheless, they felt the need to respond forcefully to discourage further provocations by other Communist countries in Asia.[121]

            The second crisis, known as theaxe murder incident, occurred atPanmunjom, a village which stands in the DMZ between the two Koreas. At the time, this was the only part of the DMZ where forces from the North and the South came into contact with each other. Encouraged by U.S. difficulties in Vietnam, North Korea had been waging a campaign of diplomatic pressure and minor military harassment to try and convince the U.S. to withdraw from South Korea.[122]Then, in August 1976, North Korean forces killed two U.S. officers and injured South Korean guards who were engaged in trimming a tree in Panmunjom\'sJoint Security Area. The attack coincided with a meeting of the Conference ofNon-Aligned NationsinColombo, Sri Lanka, at whichKim Jong-il, the son of North Korean leaderKim Il-sung, presented the incident as an example of American aggression, helping secure the passage of a motion calling for a U.S. withdrawal from the South.[123]

            At administration meetings, Kissinger voiced the concern that the North would see the U.S. as \"the paper tigers of Saigon\" if they did not respond, and Ford agreed with that assessment. After mulling various options the Ford administration decided that it was necessary to respond with a majorshow of force. A large number of ground forces went to cut down the tree, while at the same time the air force was deployed, which includedB-52 bomberflights over Panmunjom. The North Korean government backed down and allowed the tree-cutting to go ahead, and later issued an unprecedented official apology.[124]

            Indonesian invasion of East Timor

            East Timor\'s decolonization due to political instability in Portugal saw Indonesia posture to annex the new state in 1975. Just hours before the Indonesian invasion of East Timor on December 7, 1975, Ford and Kissinger had visited Indonesian President Suharto in Jakarta and guaranteed American compliance with the Indonesian operation. Suharto had been a key supporter of American influence in Indonesia and Southeast Asia and Ford did not desire to place pressure on the American-Indonesian relationship.[125]

            Under Ford, a policy of arms sales to the Suharto regime began in 1975, before the invasion. \"Roughly 90%\" of the Indonesian army\'s weapons at the time of East Timor\'s invasion were provided by the U.S. according to George H. Aldrich, a former State Department Deputy Legal Advisor\'s hearing at the 1977 House International Relations Committee hearing. Post-invasion, Ford\'s military aid averaged about $30 million annually throughoutEast Timor\'s occupation, and arms sales increased exponentially under President Carter. This policy continued until 1999.[126]

            Assassination attemptsReaction immediately after the second assassination attemptMain articles:Ford assassination attempt in SacramentoandSara Jane Moore

            Ford faced two assassination attempts during his presidency, occurring within three weeks of each other and in the same state; while inSacramento, California, on September 5, 1975,Lynette \"Squeaky\" Fromme, a follower ofCharles Manson, pointed aColt .45-caliber handgunat Ford.[127]As Fromme pulled the trigger,Larry Buendorf,[128]a Secret Service agent, grabbed the gun and Fromme was taken into custody. She was later convicted of attempted assassination of the President and was sentenced to life in prison; she was paroled on August 14, 2009.[129]

            In reaction to this attempt, the Secret Service began keeping Ford at a more secure distance from anonymous crowds, a strategy that may have saved his life seventeen days later; as he left theSt. Francis Hotelin downtown San Francisco,Sara Jane Moore, standing in a crowd of onlookers across the street, pointed her.38-caliber revolverat him.[130]Moore fired a single round but missed because the sights were off. Just before she fired a second round, retired MarineOliver Sipplegrabbed at the gun and deflected her shot; the bullet struck a wall about six inches above and to the right of Ford\'s head, then ricocheted and hit a taxi driver, who was slightly wounded. Moore was later sentenced to life in prison. She was paroled on December 31, 2007, having served 32 years.[131]

            Judicial appointmentsFurther information:Gerald Ford judicial appointment controversiesSupreme CourtMain article:Gerald Ford Supreme Court candidatesJohn Paul Stevenswas Ford\'s only Supreme Court appointment.

            In 1975, Ford appointedJohn Paul StevensasAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Statesto replace retiring JusticeWilliam O. Douglas. Stevens had been a judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, appointed by President Nixon.[132]During his tenure as House Republican leader, Ford had led efforts to have Douglas impeached.[133]After being confirmed, Stevens eventually disappointed some conservatives by siding with the Court\'s liberal wing regarding the outcome of many key issues.[134]Nevertheless, President Ford paid tribute to Stevens. \"He has served his nation well,\" Ford said of Stevens, \"with dignity, intellect and without partisan political concerns.\"[135]

            Other judicial appointmentsMain article:List of federal judges appointed by Gerald Ford

            In addition to the Stevens appointment, Ford appointed 11 judges to the United States Courts of Appeals, and 50 judges to theUnited States district courts.[136]

            1976 presidential electionMain article:United States presidential election, 1976GovernorRonald Reagancongratulates President Ford after the president successfully wins the 1976 Republican nomination, whileBob Dole,Nancy Reagan, andNelson Rockefellerlook on.

            Ford reluctantly agreed to run for office in 1976, but first he had to counter a challenge for the Republican party nomination. FormerGovernor of CaliforniaRonald Reagan and the party\'sconservativewing faulted Ford for failing to do more inSouth Vietnam, for signing the Helsinki Accords and for negotiating to cede thePanama Canal(negotiations for the canal continued under President Carter, who eventually signed theTorrijos-Carter Treaties). Reagan launched his campaign in autumn of 1975 and won numerousprimaries, includingNorth Carolina,Texas,Indiana, andCalifornia, before withdrawing from the race at theRepublican ConventioninKansas City,Missouri. The conservative insurgency had already convinced Ford to drop the moreliberalVice President Nelson Rockefeller in favor of U.S. SenatorBob DoleofKansas.[137]

            In addition to the pardon dispute and lingering anti-Republican sentiment, Ford had to counter a plethora of negative media imagery.Chevy Chaseoften didpratfallsonSaturday Night Live, imitating Ford, who had been seen stumbling on two occasions during his term. As Chase commented, \"He even mentioned in his own autobiography it had an effect over a period of time that affected the election to some degree.\"[138]

            President Ford\'s 1976 election campaign had the advantage that he was an incumbent president during several anniversary events held during the period leading up to theUnited States Bicentennial. The Washington, D.C.fireworksdisplay on theFourth of Julywas presided over by the President and televised nationally.[139]On July 7, 1976, the President and First Lady served as hosts at a White House state dinner forQueen Elizabeth IIandPrince Philipof the United Kingdom, which was televised on the Public Broadcasting Service network. The 200th anniversary of theBattles of Lexington and Concordin Massachusetts gave Ford the opportunity to deliver a speech to 110,000 in Concord acknowledging the need for a strong national defense tempered with a plea for \"reconciliation, not recrimination\" and \"reconstruction, not rancor\" between the United States and those who would pose \"threats to peace\".[140]Speaking in New Hampshire on the previous day, Ford condemned the growing trend toward big government bureaucracy and argued for a return to \"basic American virtues\".[141]

            Ford (at right) and Jimmy Carter in adebateon September 23, 1976.

            Democratic nominee and formerGeorgiagovernorJimmy Cartercampaigned as an outsider and reformer, gaining support from voters dismayed by theWatergate scandaland Nixon pardon. After the Democratic National Convention, he held a huge 33-point lead over Ford in the polls. However, as the campaign continued, the race tightened, and, by election day, the polls showed the race as too close to call. There were three main events in the fall campaign. Most importantly, Carter repeated a promise of a \"blanket pardon\" for Christian and other religious refugees, and also all Vietnam War draft dodgers (Ford had only issued a conditional amnesty) in response to a question on the subject posed by a reporter during the presidential debates, an act which froze Ford\'s poll numbers in Ohio, Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Mississippi. (Ford had needed to shift just 11,000 votes in Ohio plus one of the other three in order to win.) It was the first act signed by Carter, on January 20, 1977. Earlier,Playboymagazine had published a controversial interview with Carter; in the interview Carter admitted to having \"lusted in my heart\" for women other than his wife, which cut into his support among women and evangelical Christians. Also, on September 24, Ford performed well in what was the first televisedpresidential debatesince1960. Polls taken after the debate showed that most viewers felt that Ford was the winner. Carter was also hurt by Ford\'s charges that he lacked the necessary experience to be an effective national leader, and that Carter was vague on many issues.

            Ford campaigns at the Nassau County Veterans Coliseum in Hempstead, New York on October 31, 1976 during the final days of his failed election campaign.

            Televisedpresidential debateswere reintroduced for the first time since the 1960 election. As such, Ford became the first incumbent president to participate in one. Carter later attributed his victory in the election to the debates, saying they \"gave the viewers reason to think that Jimmy Carter had something to offer\". The turning point came in the second debate when Ford blundered by stating, \"There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford Administration.\" Ford also said that he did not \"believe that the Poles consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union\".[142]In an interview years later, Ford said he had intended to imply that the Soviets would never crush thespiritsof Eastern Europeans seeking independence. However, the phrasing was so awkward that questionerMax Frankelwas visibly incredulous at the response.[143]As a result of this blunder, and Carter\'s promise of a full presidential pardon for political refugees from the Vietnam era during the presidential debates, Ford\'s surge stalled and Carter was able to maintain a slight lead in the polls.

            In the end, Carter won the election, receiving 50.1% of the popular vote and 297electoral votescompared with 48.0% and 240 electoral votes for Ford. The election was close enough that had fewer than 25,000 votes shifted inOhioandWisconsin– both of which neighbored his home state – Ford would have won the electoral vote with 276 votes to 261 for Carter.[144]Though he lost, in the three months between the Republican National Convention and the election Ford managed to close what was once an alleged 33-point Carter lead to a 2-point margin. Despite his defeat, Ford carried 27 states versus 23 carried by Carter.

            Had Ford won the election, the provisions of the22nd Amendmentwould have disqualified him from running in1980, because he had served more than two years of Nixon\'s remaining term.

            Post-presidential years, 1977–2006
            Death and legacyFord\'s casketlies in stateat theUnited States Capitolas his widow, Betty, kneels in prayerMain article:Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford

            Ford died on December 26, 2006, at his home inRancho Mirage, California, of arterioscleroticcerebrovascular diseaseand diffusearteriosclerosis. His age at the time of his death was 93 years and 165 days, making Ford the longest-lived U.S. President.[177]On December 30, 2006, Ford became the 11th U.S. President tolie in state. The burial was preceded by a state funeral and memorial services held at theNational Cathedralin Washington, D.C., on January 2, 2007. After the service, Ford was interred at hisPresidential Museumin Grand Rapids, Michigan.[178]

            Ford died on the 34th anniversary of PresidentHarry Truman\'s death. He was the last surviving member of theWarren Commission.[179]His wife, Betty Ford, died on July 8, 2011.[180]Like her husband, she also died at age 93.

            The State of Michigan commissioned and submitted a statue of Ford to theNational Statuary Hall Collection, replacingZachariah Chandler. It was unveiled on May 3, 2011 in the Capitol Rotunda. On the proper right side is inscribed a quotation from a tribute by Thomas P. \"Tip\" O\'Neill, Speaker of the House at the end of Ford’s presidency: \"God has been good to America, especially during difficult times. At the time of the Civil War, he gave us Abraham Lincoln. And at the time of Watergate, he gave us Gerald Ford—the right man at the right time who was able to put our nation back together again.\" On the proper left side are words from Ford\'s swearing-in address: \"Our constitution works. Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.\"

            Longevity

            Ford was thelongest-lived U.S. President, his lifespan being 45 days longer than Ronald Reagan\'s. He was thethird-longest-lived Vice President, falling short only ofJohn Nance Garner, 98, andLevi P. Morton, 96. Ford also had the third-longest post-presidency (29 years and 11 months) afterJimmy Carter(34 years,5 months and counting) andHerbert Hoover(31 years and 7 months)

            On November 12, 2006, upon surpassing Ronald Reagan\'s lifespan, Ford released his last public statement:

            The length of one\'s days matters less than the love of one\'s family and friends. I thank God for the gift of every sunrise and, even more, for all the years He has blessed me with Betty and the children; with our extended family and the friends of a lifetime. That includes countless Americans who, in recent months, have remembered me in their prayers. Your kindness touches me deeply. May God bless you all and may God bless America.[181]

            Public imagePresident George W. Bush with Ford and his wife Betty on April 23, 2006; this is the last known public photo of Gerald Ford.

            Ford was the only person to hold the presidential office without being elected as either president or vice-president. The choice of Ford to fulfill Agnew\'s vacated role as vice president was based on his reputation for openness and honesty.[182]\"In all the years I sat in the House, I never knew Mr. Ford to make a dishonest statement nor a statement part-true and part-false. He never attempted to shade a statement, and I never heard him utter an unkind word,\" saidMartha Griffiths.[183]

            The trust the American people had in him was severely and rapidly tarnished by his pardon of Nixon.[183]Nonetheless, many grant in hindsight that he had respectably discharged with considerable dignity a great responsibility that he had not sought.[183]His subsequent loss to Carter in 1976 has come to be seen as an honorable sacrifice he made for the nation.[182]

            In spite of his athletic record and remarkable career accomplishments, Ford acquired a reputation as a clumsy, likable and simple-minded Everyman. An incident in 1975 when he tripped while exiting the presidential jet in Austria, was famously and repetitively parodied byChevy Chase, cementing Ford\'s image as a klutz.[183][184][185]Pieces of Ford\'s common Everyman image have also been attributed to Ford\'s inevitable comparison to Nixon, as well as his perceived Midwestern stodginess and self-deprecation.[182]Ridicule often extended to supposed intellectual limitations, withLyndon B. Johnsononce joking, \"He\'s a nice fellow but he spent too much time playing football without a helmet.\"[183]

            HonorsFord honored onU.S Postage, issue of 2007

            Ford was honored with a Golden Palm Star on thePalm Springs Walk of Starsin 1999.[163]And the following facilities were named after him:

              Gerald R. Ford Freeway(Nebraska)
            • Gerald R. Ford Freeway(Michigan)
            • Gerald Ford Memorial Highway,I-70inEagle County, Colorado
            • Gerald R. Ford International Airportin Grand Rapids, Michigan
            • Gerald R. Ford Libraryin Ann Arbor, Michigan
            • Gerald R. Ford Museumin Grand Rapids, Michigan
            • Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
            • Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado, in Ford Park, also named after him
            • Gerald R. Ford Institute of Public Policy, Albion College
            • USSGerald R. Ford(CVN-78)
            • Gerald R. Ford Elementary School, Indian Wells, California
            • Gerald Ford Boys and Girls Club, La Quinta, California
            • Gerald R. Ford Middle School, Grand Rapids, Michigan[186]
            • Gerald Ford Drive, Coachella Valley, California (Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert)
            • President Ford Field Service Council,Boy Scouts of AmericaThe council where he was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Serves 25 counties in Western and Northern Michigan with its headquarters located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[187]

            PRESIDENT GERALD FORD JERRY FOR CONGRESSMAN POT PAD HOLDER MICHIGAN CAMPAIGN :
            $29.64

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