Why this media circle jerk over Gerald Ford's grave?

[TechBear_Seattle]

Apologies for the graphic image, but I'm not sure what else to call it.

Really, what was so great about the Ford administration? He was the only President in American history who was never elected to either of the two highest offices. He was President for only 28 months, the third shortest term and the only one that did not end with the President dying in office. His only lasting legacies were the "corrupt bargain" of pardoning his immediate predecessor, an economic recovery program that was all public relations and no substance, and the 1976 swine flu "epidemic."

Seriously, why all the hubbub over his death? Is this just the latest media complicity in distracting the American public from Bush's abject failures and war crimes?

[BOSSHOG]

1. I think it would be more correct

to refer to him as the "first" president never elected instead of the "only."

What I have noticed relative to the media coverage is the "big" reporters are trapsing out the videos of their old interviews with Ford. More tooting their own horn then his.

The real test of circle jerking will come when 43 dies. My won't that be fun?

[tavalon]

3. It'll be a sploogefest for sure n/t

[tavalon]

2. What?

Would you rather they focused on something like the Iraq War? I mean, really, isn't it rather impertinent of you to want the press to report on something pertinent?

(Please, God, tell me I don't need the sarcasm smiley)

[meegbear]

4. Ummmm ... he was like, the president and stuff?

:shrug:

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. He was a mediocre president, at best

And the media is hailing him as a great visionary, an insightful administrator, a truly heroic figure in the pages of American history.

I don't get it. :shrug:

[meegbear]

22. But a president is a president ...

give him his due.

[coalition_unwilling]

42. While I find much to criticize in Ford's tenure, he took office

following the greatest constitutional crisis in this country's history since the Civil War. That alone makes him noteworthy of historical comment.

I do think, however, that the MSM is not documenting accurately how divisive the pardon decision was. Many historians blame Ford's defeat in 1976 on that decision and there is actually a fairly strong case to be made that a pre-resignation quid pro quo of pardon for resignation happened. One of Ford's chief aides has reported that Ford met with Alexander Haig (Nixon's chief of staff) one week before Nixon's resignation. Haig told Ford at the time that Nixon had become clinically "insane" and had to be removed from office and that the only way to do it was via a pardon.

It's this discussion that is completely missing from MSM coverage.

[BlueCaliDem]

Yup. And the media's job is to ensure that anyone who'd been president...

...is above ANY reproach no matter what an ass-wipe he'd been while in office!

Ford, for example, pardoning Nixon without so much as a written confession of guilt opened the door to 32 years of rightwingers rewriting history, which ultimately allowed opportunists like Rumsfeld and Cheney to continue polluting our government without accountability {for more details click: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/10-antidotes-to-gerald-fo_b_37258.html } --and look where they got us!).

You know...Like a god or somethin'.

It's like the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools: Brainwashing the masses to ultimately keep us under their thumb.

Keep putting corrupt leaders up on pedestals as if they're gods, and the American people will gobble up the gobbly-goop, and be distracted from "the truth".

Just another way to send a subtle message that we "little" people should bow down to our leaders because they're...what? Immortal? Perfect? Pure?

Aw hell!

It's all about our perception of our "leaders"...Forget about the nasty facts they spend millions of dollars, and our air-time to obfuscate! They're GODS, and we little people need to bow our heads to them when they pass on to the bigger White House in the sky---even when they become gods by way of the Supreme Court of the United States, and NOT by We the People...

Worship that?!? I really don't think so. I ain't so humbled...

[BlueCaliDem]

43. Yup. And the media's job is to ensure that anyone who'd been president...

...is above ANY reproach no matter what an ass-wipe he'd been while in office!

Ford, for example, pardoning Nixon without so much as a written confession of guilt opened the door to 32 years of rightwingers rewriting history, which ultimately allowed opportunists like Rumsfeld and Cheney to continue polluting our government without accountability {for more details click: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/10-antidotes-to-gerald-fo_b_37258.html } --and look where they got us!).

You know...Like a god or somethin'.

It's like the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools: Brainwashing the masses to ultimately keep us under their thumb.

Keep putting corrupt leaders up on pedestals as if they're gods, and the American people will gobble up the gobbly-goop, and be distracted from "the truth".

Just another way to send a subtle message that we "little" people should bow down to our leaders because they're...what? Immortal? Perfect? Pure?

Aw hell!

It's all about our perception of our "leaders"...Forget about the nasty facts they spend millions of dollars, and our air-time to obfuscate! They're GODS, and we little people need to bow our heads to them when they pass on to the bigger White House in the sky---even when they become gods by way of the Supreme Court of the United States, and NOT by We the People...

Worship that?!? I really don't think so. I ain't so humbled...

[BlueCaliDem]

45. Yup. And the media's job is to ensure that anyone who'd been president...

...is above ANY reproach no matter what an ass-wipe he'd been while in office!

Ford, for example, pardoning Nixon without so much as a written confession of guilt opened the door to 32 years of rightwingers rewriting history, which ultimately allowed opportunists like Rumsfeld and Cheney to continue polluting our government without accountability {for more details click: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/10-antidotes-to-gerald-fo_b_37258.html } --and look where they got us!).

You know...Like a god or somethin'.

It's like the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools: Brainwashing the masses to ultimately keep us under their thumb.

Keep putting corrupt leaders up on pedestals as if they're gods, and the American people will gobble up the gobbly-goop, and be distracted from "the truth".

Just another way to send a subtle message that we "little" people should bow down to our leaders because they're...what? Immortal? Perfect? Pure?

Aw hell!

It's all about our perception of our "leaders"...Forget about the nasty facts they spend millions of dollars, and our air-time to obfuscate! They're GODS, and we little people need to bow our heads to them when they pass on to the bigger White House in the sky---even when they become gods by way of the Supreme Court of the United States, and NOT by We the People...

Worship that?!? I really don't think so. I ain't so humbled...

[Hokie]

5. Diversion during a slow news cycle

Gerald Ford's death gives them a story to go with during a traditionally slow news period during the Christmas - New Years holiday period when Washington is shut down. I wouldn't make much of it. Ford will go down in history as a very minor president remembered mainly as the unelected one who pardoned Richard Nixon.

[cali]

6. For one thing, we're are a ceremonial people.

And also people use a death like this to reflect on a certain era; to pontificate and bathe in mawkishness. TV, in particular, is well suited to this.

Beyond that, let me point out that although Ford didn't do much of note, he seved as a tonic for the nation's frazzled nerves. I was a teenager at the time, but even I got that much.

[Benhurst]

8. Just typical U.S. media hype of an overrated man who occupied an

overrated office in what is daily proving itself to have been an overrated country.

[Renew Deal]

13. You should probably remove that avatar.

Since it's so overrated.

[Benhurst]

28. Even third-rate countries have their patriots.

:patriot:

[Arugula Latte]

30. Well put, Benhurst.

Sad, but well put.

[mtnsnake]

9. The media is being fair

If you had it your way, I suppose there would be no respect at all paid toward Gerald Ford, even though he just happened to be a president of this country once.

The media is being totally fair towards Ford. They're not making him out to be some kind of great president or anything. They're just highlighting some of his better qualities. They've also talked about his pardon of Nixon. The week of mourning he's going to get is something that any past president gets.

[TechBear_Seattle]

14. But 24/7, to the exclusion of all else?

I can't flip past CNN, CNN-Headline, Faux or MSNBC without seeing several "retrospectives" about Ford. It is the "Climbers lost on Mt. Hood" and "Madonna adopts a child" and "Pretty blonde girl murdered: Day 219" all over again.

[onenote]

16. you must get a different set of channels

As I've been surfing around, I've seen stories about Edwards announcement that he's running for President, about the Colorado snowstorm among other stories. Lots about Ford? Sure. But "24/7 to the exclusion of all else"? Exagerrate much?

[TechBear_Seattle]

18. That's what it seems like to me

But then, I watch very little broadcast and cable news anymore; most of what I see is when I'm flipping channels to something I do watch. For the last few days, every time I go through the block of channels with the "news" networks, there seems to always be one or two Ford stories, at least.

:shrug:

[Warpy]

10. It diverts them from having to report on Iraq

or for giving James Brown the credit he deserves for his work during and after the civil rights struggle.

Dead presidents are safe. You can say whatever you want, as long as it's pious, and fill endless hours of air time.

Count yourself lucky. It could be Britney's new tattoo 24/7.

[KKKarl is an idiot]

21. It is strange that when Regan passed

we had Ray Charles pass around the same time. This time it is Gerald Ford & James Brown. No conspiracy theory here just a very strange happening.

[mainegreen]

11. Nice visual. nt

[Renew Deal]

12. Congratulations! Someone had to find a conspiracy.

:yourock: :tinfoilhat:

He was an american president. This happens to be America. It's not that complicated.

[onenote]

15. lets see: one of only four living past presidents?

There are roughly 300 million Americans. Ford was one of four that served as president. Was he a great president? No. But neither was Jimmy Carter and when Jimmy passes on, there will be similar platitudes from the media (and freepers will go on and on pointing out all of his faults...sound familiar?). By the way, while Ford was indeed a somewhat "accidental" president, he served in the office for around 2 and a half years...nearly as long as JFK was in office.

[sutz12]

35. I doubt that.....Repugs wouldn't allow it...

I'm sure there will be plenty of Carter bashing from the "left wing media" when Jimmy passes.

Carter is the ex-president with the most impressive post term accomplishments, IMO. Republicans just seem to retire after they 'serve.' Dems seem to go on and keep working to make the world a better place. I wonder why that is.

[MikeNearMcChord]

17. So the American Sheeple won't notice that the "Surge" is on.

[architect359]

25. The Public KNOWS about the potential surge

It's been reported non stop before Ford's death. Also the fact that Bush is thumbing his nose at the Iraq report that recommends otherwise. It was all over the msm. After the week of mourning is done for both men, Iraq and all its issues will come back to the fore again.

[Lerkfish]

19. he was a mediocre REPUBLICAN president, which means to them he was a

god.

It'll be interesting to see how badly they ignore Carter when he passes (which I hope is not for a very long time).
I guarantee you the republican owned press will barely note it.

[architect359]

27. I think that you're wrong about that.

He will get all the honors afford to someone that holds the President's office. Oh there'll be teeth gnashing and insults thrown at him too - from the freepers. No matter the msm's political inclinations, nothings sells better than the passing of a famous person.

[Lerkfish]

32. we'll see, won't we?

[architect359]

41. Yup. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

20. LOL! So his death is part of a conspiracy to ignore Iraq?

:rofl:

Thank you for pushing this to the silliest extreme imaginable.

[TechBear_Seattle]

24. His death? No. The seemingly ceaseless coverage of that death? Yes

Crimeny, I thought that would have been obvious from my post. :eyes:

[Buzz Clik]

29. Whew! Lucky Ford died when he did, eh?

So you were serious? Jesu Cristo.

But you've really nailed it -- usually when a President dies, the media put it on page 17 of the Food Section.

:eyes:

[mitchtv]

48. I live next to Rancho Mirage

the local news is hysterical All Ford, all day, all week. Thank god he had the good graces to die at the end of Dec , instead of Oct

[razorman]

23. Regardless of party, he was a President of the United States.

After all, some day, when President Clinton passes away, there will certainly be people who will wonder why so much attention is paid to his funeral, too. The man is gone. Let's say goodbye with respect and move on.

[Hav]

26. .

True. It's a sign of respect to pay tribute to a former President. One concentrates on the good things or the things that had lasting effect instead of trying to emphasize the bad things.
Doesn't matter whether he was a D or a R and it doesn't matter if he was the best President ever.
Normally, people don't dance on graves or talk bad about people who just recently died. They want to deal with death in a respectful manner even if they didn't always agree with that person.

But of course, it's also news, it's good for the ratings and it obviously is of interest for enough people.

[hijinx87]

31. you don't have to respect the man, but you should respect the office.

the tone of many of the posts in this thread is deeply disappointing.

[Lerkfish]

33. actually, the "office" is held by our employee, not our king.

let's get that straight.

The president is OUR servant, not the other way around, he serves at our behest. We left England because we didn't want a monarchy.

Sorry, but I reject the mindless "respect the office" mantra. Its a baby step from that to silencing dissent.

[hijinx87]

40. actually, HOW on earth . . .

did we get from "there should be respect for the office of the president" to
servants/employees/monarchies/silencing dissent/(and my personal favorite)
"mindlessness"?

if you insist on seeing everything in life as a struggle between superiors and
subordinates, the only thing you will accomplish is your own eternal anger and
frustration.

oh, uh . . . wait . . . well, never mind.

[Lerkfish]

49. what-ever.

I stand foursquare behind what I said, and deem it an accurate and fair response to your post. I am not out of line one whit.

[beaconess]

50. You are SO right

At least in tone and attitude, it's getting more and more difficult telling the animals from the farmers.

[Alcibiades]

34. Nostalgia

After-what, six years-of George W. Bush, Ford looks statesmanlike in retrospect. I strongly disagreed with the Nixon pardon, but didn't feel the need to hate him as a human being, as was the case with Nixon, Reagan and this Bush.

It is also interesting how many in the current administration are Ford retreads.

I remember back when all there was was 4 channels. No, they didn't cover something 24/7, but something like this was huge.

[Gloria]

36. Didn't he invent WIN buttons???

[mnhtnbb]

37. His pardon of Nixon sets precedent for not investigating and impeaching Bushie boy.

They want to convince everybody it's better not to go through the process of holding the criminal(s) responsible for their war crimes, trashing of the Constitution, etc. So they say, see, good ole Gerry Ford was a great guy for letting Nixon--and the country--off the hook of all that accountability mess.

[Conscious Confucius]

38. Because we respect the office

The presidency still holds importance to the people, as it should. Do we want to show complete irreverence towards EVERYTHING?

[Bridget Burke]

47. But where was that media respect when Clinton was president?

I don't say that Ford's death should be ignored. But the story is not a relevant as other things going on in the world.

[JeremyWestenn]

39. This reminds me of what my grandather said...

When he saw that Gerald Ford died he said, " Great, now we'll hear about that all week, "

<_^

[skigib]

44. This is what you do when a president dies.

Don't be a moron. People on the right will wine when Clinton dies, but this is what we do. Just ignor it, it will all be over soon.

[Infinite Hope]

46. Because they're trying to define and seek the meaning of his presidency. n/t