GERALD R. FORD: EXAMPLE OF A MAN GROWING INTO THE OFFICE
Gerald Ford was one a crop of midwestern GOP congressmen who constantly fought progressive programs during the Nixon years. It was always either Gerald Ford or Melvin Laird carping about some evil thing the democrats were doing to the Dickster. Ford seemed, frankly, dull and unimaginative. The only time he ever smiled was when he was around Bob Michel. Irrespective of his political philosophy, he just never seemed very bright.
When he was appointed Vice President, he was immediately exposed to all the evil influences there. I don't know whether Haig tried to make a deal with Ford for Nixon's advance pardon or not, but Ford must have felt under enormous pressure whilst Tricky and his minions were still there. This seemed to have concentrated his mind wonderfully. He was a different guy.
Then he became president. Instantly, he became this rather independent outside-the-box thinker, on the pardon, on Vietnam, even on the tax brackets. On balance a pretty good president (even if I did think that Henry Kissinger was given way too much leash). Another example of man of decency and sound personal principles growing into the job.
Even while he was being something of a hack candidate for president, he continuing being a solid president.
Even when we think we know how the job will develop the person, we really don't. In Nixon's case that was probably a bad thing. In Ford's case it was a good thing and sort of made one feel good about the human condition.
Labels: NATIONAL POLITICS
posted by UMRBlog @ 01:32
5 comments
5 Comments:
My comments for what they are worth.
Gerald Ford was a man who I initially thought was part of the problem.
I thought that he made a deal with Nixon. Upon review, though a deal was probably made, I think that it was and he was, the best for the situation.
Nixon needed to go. The Repubs knew it but didn't want to hand the White House to Carl Albert (a Democrat) and they felt that they could control Ford.
I think President Ford even surprised himself. He made decisions that I sometimes disagreed with but he made them thinking that they were for the benefit of the Country.
I wish our current President could do that.
Gerald Ford was light years ahead of Mr. Bush.
He was a simple Man asked to do an impossible job. He admitted it and dealt with it. And we are all better for it.
As for the current White House occupant, if he would admit his faults...we could all begin the healing process. But unfortunately for us, this man and his associates...Cheney and Rumsfeld think they are perfect. And they have him convinced that he is too.
The good news is 2years from now he will no longer occupy the Office. And can never again. (Probably only the second time in my life that I have been in favor of Presidential Term Limits).
Sure, I think we all did. Bob Michel and Mel Laird and Ford were always supporting the administration and telling us we too impatient about Vietnam. It would have been difficult to view Ford any other way.
Upon what do you base your conclusion that a deal was made? For that to be the case, you have to believe A. Haig is a liar. Now, if you want to believe he's a lightweight who reached his level of incompetence, I'm with you. Still, I've never seen any evidence of dishonesty on his part about anything. Indeed, there are many things where his version is so repulsive, that he has to be telling the truth. Anybody who could lie about some of them, would take that opportunity to lie.
I think Nixon simply picked the guy he thought would go easy on him and, poker player that Nixon was, he guessed right.
Just think, if there would be no term limits, the public would have the opportunity to reject Bush and his Worldview, instead of just a surrogate.
Of course, there would always be the possiblity the Supreme Court would substitute itself for the electoral college,so maybe you're right.
TYFCB
I have been watching with great interest the coverage of President Ford. And many things have been said about him. One of the most surprising to me was the revelation that he and Nixon were very good friends.
That is what I base my assumption of a deal being made on. He was Nixon's close friend and he was Vice-President for only eight months.
I do think that President Ford thought about the pardon and I do think that he believed it was the best thing for the Country.
Knowing what I know about Nixon and the way he operated I am just very suspicious.
As to Al Haig being a liar....well I've never trusted the General and still to this day don't understand his quick promotion to Four Star...but that is a whole other topic.
Here is a fairly intelligent Man (General Haig) telling the nation after President Reagan was shot that he was Constitutionally next in line after the Vice-President.
As I recall, the General has a Master's Degree in International Relations. Now I know that sometime during all that study especially given his position in Government and all those years in the Military that someone told him that the Presidential Line of Succession was President, Vice-President, Speaker of the House, President Pro-Tem of the Senate...then Secretary of State and on down through the Cabinet.
His announcement to the Nation at that Press Conference was a monumental blunder.
I don't think he was a very good Secretary of State...Chief Of Staff...or Nato Commander.
In all those positions I think he was in over his head...just my opinion.
Back to Al Haig being capable of a lie. He was a high Government official in the Nixon Administration. They all were capable of a lie. I don't think the General was any different. And I think high Government Officials lie when they think it is prudent.
How about this for a "what if?"
What if there were no term limits and Reagan got Elected to a third term?
What if there were no term limits and Clinton got elected to a third term?
And what if the Secretary of State in Florida had been a Democrat in the 2000 Election?
Would there have been a Bush 43?
And would Jeb have been the next Bush to try for the White House?
I would argue that a third Reagan term would have made Clinton all the move invevitable. It was time for the pendulum to swing and Reagan would not have inspired Perot to run, contrary to GHWB41.
A Clinton term would have yielded a GOP Gov. as pres, but it might not have been W., Would have been an interesting time for Huckaby.
Another interesting aspect of a third Clinton term would have been the quality of staff. Everybody but Sydney Blumenthal wanted to go home.
TYFCB
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