Gerald Ford

[Paranoid Pessimist]

I liked President Jerry. The morning he took office the media boys were depicting him as a "homespun" character, toasing his own muffin, saying things like "I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln" -- good line; wonder who wrote it for him. Wonderful time, the Ford years. Remember the WIN button -- Whip Inflation Now, or the Swine Flu crisis. I don't remember if any instances of swine flu ever showed up, but the president was on the case.

A couple times he was photographed by news cameras falling down, then it became a comic caricature with Chevy Chase.

Sometimes comments would leak out, such as Lyndon Johnson saying that Ford had played too much football without a helmet.

Still, he seemed like a good sport. He played the part of President pretty well, all things considered. I think the Nixon pardon had been agreed upon before he ever assumed office. Ford seemed a bit blitzed from the negative reaction to the pardon, but he let it blow over.

I never met anyone who really hated Gerald Ford -- even among left wing extremists (I knew a few back then).

Of course, it was a long time ago and I may be forgetting the bad stuff, but as president go, I think Jerry Ford was OK.

[MichiganVote]

1. He and his wife have been pro-choice all the way---that's good

[FourScore]

2. I was pretty young,

but that's all pretty much how I remember it too. He seemed to be the calm after the storm of the Nixon years.

[FourScore]

3. Oh yeah!

And welcome to DU Paranoid Pessimist! :hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

4. *cough* East Timor *cough* *genocide*

aiding and abetting *cough* *cough*

jus sayin'....

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. Well...

as far as that goes, there's FDR propping up Somoza...("He may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch"); Jimmy Carter issuing the "Carter Doctrine" (The USA will use military force to ensure access to Middle Eastern oil, because it's our by divine right is more or less what it comes down to)...no US President since, I suppose, the 1880's or so has clean hands when it comes to foreign policy.

[bicentennial_baby]

7. Oh, I agree 100%

I just hate to see any prez looked upon as some benevolent leader after they die, when we all know there was some dirty, dirty biz going down :)

and hey you :hi: :pals:

[MonkeyFunk]

6. He was also on the Advisory Committee

of the Republican Unity Coalition, an organization devoted to changing the Republican Party's stance on gay rights.