EagleCherokee63
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2006
- Messages
- 2,078
- Reaction score
- 0
Last night I found it out how sad!
Former President Ford died
- Thread starter Peachy Lady
- Start date
President Ford!
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Gerald Ford, the 38th President, Dies at 93
Gerald Ford, the 38th President, Dies at 93 | Gerald Ford : People.com
Gerald R. Ford, who at 93 was America's oldest living President, has died.
In a statement released by his wife Betty, no cause, place or time of death was named. Ford had been in and out of the hospital the past several months, and was most recently treated for pneumonia.
"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Betty Ford said in the statement, issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage, Calif. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
President Bush called the former leader a "great American" in a statement issued by the White House, and offered sympathy, along with First Lady Laura Bush, to Ford's wife and surviving family.
"During his time in office, the American people came to know President Ford as a man of complete integrity who led our country with common sense and kind instincts," President Bush said in his statement.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan also issued a statement of sympathy, saying she felt that Ford's early support of stem cell research "has been important in getting the U.S. Congress to debate the potential lifesaving cures and treatments that may result."
Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Ford's chief of staff, said in a statement, "He was a dear friend and mentor to me until this very day. I feel a great sense of loss at his passing."
The Ford family will announce memorial arrangements, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday.
Among Ford's chief distinctions is that he was never elected to the highest office in the land. When President Richard M. Nixon shocked the world in 1974 with his resignation as his administration was collapsing under the pressure of the Watergate scandal, Ford – who had replaced Spiro T. Agnew as Nixon's Vice President – took office.
"He assumed the presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division," President Bush said. "With his quiet integrity, common sense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency."
As one of his first acts in office Ford pardoned Nixon, which effectively brought an end to the investigation of Nixon and his advisors' involvement in the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington's Watergate Hotel complex.
When he ran for election in 1976 against Democrat Jimmy Carter, Ford failed to win – in part because of his party's continued taint of Watergate.
Born in Omaha, Neb., on July 14, 1913, to Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, Ford's given name had been Leslie Lynch King, Jr. – though his parents separated only two weeks after his birth. Two years later his mother remarried, to Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman, and the family was comprised of Gerry, who was called Junior, as well as three younger half-brothers.
A strong athlete, Ford played football at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he graduated in 1935 with a major in economics and political science. Despite receiving two offers to play pro for either the Detroit Lions or the Green Bay Packers, Ford chose instead to work as boxing coach and assistant football coach at Yale in order to attend its law school. He graduated in 1941 – one year after he had been introduced to politics by campaigning for Republican candidate Wendell Willkie, who put up a noble fight against incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Joining the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II, Ford was nearly killed by a vicious typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. Eventually he was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946.
He returned to Michigan, where he became a partner in a Grand Rapids law firm and successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1948 election. More important, during the campaign he met and married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Bloomer Warren, a department store fashion consultant, and eventually they had four children: Michael Gerald, John Gardner, Steven Meigs, and Susan Elizabeth.
Ford was re-elected 12 times, serving in the House from 1949 to 1973.
When Spiro Agnew resigned late in 1973 after pleading no contest to a charge of income tax evasion, President Nixon appointed his old ally, Ford, to the position. He was sworn in on Dec. 6, 1973. Nine months later, on Aug. 9, 1974, Ford gave his first address to the country as President, stating "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."
Still, besides Watergate, the nation was also facing the war in Vietnam and financial inflation. During his time in office, Ford also built the reputation of something of a bumbler, by tripping at official events – a trait lampooned by Chevy Chase on Saturday Night Live.
After leaving the White House, the Fords remained in the public eye. In 1982, Betty, having bravely battled breast cancer and owned up to a drinking problem, opened the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage, where patients dealing with substance problems are treated.
Ford, meanwhile, published two books: a 1979 memoir, A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, and 1987's Humor and the Presidency.
Gerald Ford, the 38th President, Dies at 93 | Gerald Ford : People.com
Gerald R. Ford, who at 93 was America's oldest living President, has died.
In a statement released by his wife Betty, no cause, place or time of death was named. Ford had been in and out of the hospital the past several months, and was most recently treated for pneumonia.
"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Betty Ford said in the statement, issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage, Calif. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
President Bush called the former leader a "great American" in a statement issued by the White House, and offered sympathy, along with First Lady Laura Bush, to Ford's wife and surviving family.
"During his time in office, the American people came to know President Ford as a man of complete integrity who led our country with common sense and kind instincts," President Bush said in his statement.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan also issued a statement of sympathy, saying she felt that Ford's early support of stem cell research "has been important in getting the U.S. Congress to debate the potential lifesaving cures and treatments that may result."
Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Ford's chief of staff, said in a statement, "He was a dear friend and mentor to me until this very day. I feel a great sense of loss at his passing."
The Ford family will announce memorial arrangements, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday.
Among Ford's chief distinctions is that he was never elected to the highest office in the land. When President Richard M. Nixon shocked the world in 1974 with his resignation as his administration was collapsing under the pressure of the Watergate scandal, Ford – who had replaced Spiro T. Agnew as Nixon's Vice President – took office.
"He assumed the presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division," President Bush said. "With his quiet integrity, common sense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency."
As one of his first acts in office Ford pardoned Nixon, which effectively brought an end to the investigation of Nixon and his advisors' involvement in the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington's Watergate Hotel complex.
When he ran for election in 1976 against Democrat Jimmy Carter, Ford failed to win – in part because of his party's continued taint of Watergate.
Born in Omaha, Neb., on July 14, 1913, to Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, Ford's given name had been Leslie Lynch King, Jr. – though his parents separated only two weeks after his birth. Two years later his mother remarried, to Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman, and the family was comprised of Gerry, who was called Junior, as well as three younger half-brothers.
A strong athlete, Ford played football at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he graduated in 1935 with a major in economics and political science. Despite receiving two offers to play pro for either the Detroit Lions or the Green Bay Packers, Ford chose instead to work as boxing coach and assistant football coach at Yale in order to attend its law school. He graduated in 1941 – one year after he had been introduced to politics by campaigning for Republican candidate Wendell Willkie, who put up a noble fight against incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Joining the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II, Ford was nearly killed by a vicious typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. Eventually he was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946.
He returned to Michigan, where he became a partner in a Grand Rapids law firm and successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1948 election. More important, during the campaign he met and married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Bloomer Warren, a department store fashion consultant, and eventually they had four children: Michael Gerald, John Gardner, Steven Meigs, and Susan Elizabeth.
Ford was re-elected 12 times, serving in the House from 1949 to 1973.
When Spiro Agnew resigned late in 1973 after pleading no contest to a charge of income tax evasion, President Nixon appointed his old ally, Ford, to the position. He was sworn in on Dec. 6, 1973. Nine months later, on Aug. 9, 1974, Ford gave his first address to the country as President, stating "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."
Still, besides Watergate, the nation was also facing the war in Vietnam and financial inflation. During his time in office, Ford also built the reputation of something of a bumbler, by tripping at official events – a trait lampooned by Chevy Chase on Saturday Night Live.
After leaving the White House, the Fords remained in the public eye. In 1982, Betty, having bravely battled breast cancer and owned up to a drinking problem, opened the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage, where patients dealing with substance problems are treated.
Ford, meanwhile, published two books: a 1979 memoir, A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, and 1987's Humor and the Presidency.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
I-Report: Americans remember Gerald Ford
I-Report: Americans remember Gerald Ford - CNN.com
(CNN) -- Former President Gerald Ford, who took office after the resignation of Richard Nixon, died Tuesday at the age of 93.
He replaced Nixon who resigned in 1974 during a scandal surrounding the burglary of Democratic party offices at the Watergate Hotel.
Ford "died peacefully" at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, a statement from his office said (Full story).
Since then, CNN.com has received hundreds of e-mails from readers sharing their memories and personal experiences with the nation's 38th president.
Here is a selection of their stories, some of which have been edited for length and clarity.
Ron Rizio of Waldwick, New Jersey
I will always remember that the morning after he was sworn in, a photographer caught him cooking his own breakfast in the White House kitchen! From that moment on, the Imperial Presidency that had dragged us down and gotten us into such trouble was symbolically broken... In retrospect, he did what he had to do without fanfare.
Bill Hansult of Grover Beach, California
In 1993, I had the honor of a private reception with President Reagan in the office he maintained in Century City, CA. During this meeting President Reagan brought me over to a picture he seemed especially proud of. It was the picture of all 5 of the living Presidents at the opening of President Reagan's Library in Simi Valley. After President Reagan explained to me that up until the time of that picture, no other picture was taken of all 5 of the living presidents, he pointed to President Ford. President Reagan then said to me "do you see that guy there" and I said "yes, Mr. President" and then President Reagan said to me, "he didn't know it at the time, but when he was playing football for the University of Michigan, I was announcing those games." I was amazed of the odds of that happening. May both those former presidents rest in peace.
Paul Burch, Jr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan
I remember campaigning for him as senior in high school when he was the incumbent Representative in 1970... [On election night] I had parked my car in the department store parking ramp earlier and did not realize that they had closed the gates at 10pm. I was rather dismayed that I wouldn't be able to get my mother's car back home so she could work the next day. I came back in the building and was explaining this to one of his advisors and within 2 or 3 minutes, Mr. Ford came over to me, shook my hand, and said one of his aides would drive me home and explain the situation to my mom. He thanked me for a job well done, [asked me] what I was going to do with my life and [we] discussed politics for about five minutes. I was awed by the honesty, integrity, sincerity and his real caring for his constituents. Here he was, in the throws of winning and talking to news people and he had the time to talk to me about a locked up car. I will never forget that moment in my life.
Liz Nealon of New York, New York
It was the fall of 1973. I was in college, and was a resident assistant in my dormitory. One of my new freshmen was Maria Shriver... Spiro Agnew had just resigned the Vice Presidency in disgrace, and President Nixon was about to name the new Vice President. We all gathered in the TV Lounge, and watched as the President began a lengthy description of the strong qualifications of the as-yet-unnamed individual. All of us were listening, curious but baffled. We had no idea whom he was describing. Maria Shriver listened to a couple of sentences and announced with certainty: "It's Gerald Ford." She continues to put that deep background knowledge to use, having remained in the family business to this day!
Cheryl McCormick of Humble, Texas
I met then Congressman Ford back in 1970 in Dallas during the time I was working as a staff member on the re-election campaign for Congressman James M. Collins (R). A fund-raising dinner was held for Congressman Collins and then Congressman George H.W. Bush at the Great Hall of the Apparel Mart in Dallas. Congressman Gerald Ford was the guest speaker and it was there that I was introduced to him... Ford was very gracious, talkative and an extremely ebullient personality. I found him most charming, as did all who listened intently to his speech that night. Later that year, I again met Congressman Ford at a Republican Leadership Conference in Austin, Texas and was very surprised that he remembered my name and greeted me warmly.
Bernadette Gizelbach of Blackwood, New Jersey
My father was a military man and had two tours of Southeast Asia. I had written to Nixon to please spare him another tour. Of course, it didn't help. But then Ford came into office, the war ended, and I felt like he was a breath of fresh air. I also loved how he was clumsy (I am too). His falls were classic and brought a smile to an already grateful nation.
Yvette Schmidt of Charles Town, West Virginia
I remember meeting President Ford when he came to visit my college, Albion College, in Michigan. He started the Gerald Ford Institute there. I stood in lines that lined the sidewalks and roads, just to shake his hand and get a picture. He was a very gracious man who did much to heal the nation.
Robbie Tillman of Salina, Kansas
In 1973 I met then Vice President Ford when he stopped at Little Rock Air Force Base, where my father was serving. Dad asked me if I was interested in meeting the Vice President. I thought he was pulling my leg, but I went along anyway. When the plane pulled up to the hanger, I was instantly awestruck! The Vice President came toward us and greeted my father and I with handshakes. I turned 18 in time for the 1976 elections and of course I voted for Gerald Ford. What an impression that meeting made on me!
Daniel Stepnick of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
In the late eighties, I was a mechanic for United Airlines at O'Hare Airport in Chicago. After signing the Maintenance Release for a DC10, I took the log book to the cockpit, and upon leaving the aircraft, I was walking down the Jet way. Three men were walking to board the aircraft, as there were no passengers onboard yet. One of the men, stopped, said "good morning, how are you," and shook my hand. Getting back to our ready room, I kept thinking I know him from some place, and then realized it was President Ford. I fly the American Flag, 24 hours a day. It will fly at half staff to be sure for this Great Person.
Christine Smith of Grand Haven, Michigan
Gerry Ford was a frequent visitor to my 7th Grade Civics Class as my teacher, Frank Meyer, was a very good friend. Frank went to Washington with Mr. Ford and became his assistant as he rose in government. I remember so very well how we all learned about our government from Mr. Ford, our representative, and what a "common" man he was, in the very best sense of the word. We in West Michigan, mourn the passing of this great, great man.
Ted Aguirre of Portland, Oregon
I was outside the St. Francis Hotel when Sarah Jane Moore attempted to assassinate Mr. Ford on September 22, 1975. I recall his car speeding off down Post Street. There was shock, and disbelief in the assembled crowd. Oliver Sipple, the man who grabbed Sarah Jane Moore, became a friend of mine over the years. Perhaps now, Mr. Ford can thank him in person for saving his life. I respected Mr. Ford and Mrs. Ford a great deal. He was the right man, at the right time.
Mike Carolus of Lewistown, Pennsylvania
I had the very rare opportunity to meet President Ford in 1974 in New Orleans. I was only three years old, and I was chosen to represent a hospital at the dedication of their surgical wing, and President Ford was there. And after I met him, for the next several years, I referred to him as "Uncle Ford."
Donald Jansen of Houston, Texas
I chaired President Ford's 1976 primary campaign in Houston. I remember when he attended a pre-primary rally in Houston with 5,000 in a high school auditorium and many thousands more outside. The President, while running late and while I "stretched" the program for the 5,000 inside, plunged into the crowds outside shaking the hands of many surprised attendees. Ford did this despite two assassination attempts during his presidency and the warnings of his Secret Service. He was always a man of the people. We are most fortunate that he was there when the nation needed him.
John Jarman of Tifton, Georgia
After WWII, my father was working a couple of jobs in Grand Rapids, trying to support his mother and sister. He was also in the U.S. Naval Reserve, but most of the time found it paid more to drive his taxi than make his reserve meetings. Dad got a notice that if he did not go to the next meeting his name would be submitted to the draft board. He showed up on time and ended up on the USS Coral Sea for a 6 week shakedown cruise. He ended up riding out a hurricane in the gulf and getting a draft notice for the army on the next mail call. After returning to Grand Rapids, Dad went straight to the freshman congressman's office and asked Mr. Ford for help in getting out of the Navy and into the Army. One phone call later and Dad was on his way to Army Boot camp. Dad was always grateful to Mr. Ford for getting out of those ships!
Read more e-mails: Remembering Gerald Ford
I-Report: Americans remember Gerald Ford - CNN.com
(CNN) -- Former President Gerald Ford, who took office after the resignation of Richard Nixon, died Tuesday at the age of 93.
He replaced Nixon who resigned in 1974 during a scandal surrounding the burglary of Democratic party offices at the Watergate Hotel.
Ford "died peacefully" at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, a statement from his office said (Full story).
Since then, CNN.com has received hundreds of e-mails from readers sharing their memories and personal experiences with the nation's 38th president.
Here is a selection of their stories, some of which have been edited for length and clarity.
Ron Rizio of Waldwick, New Jersey
I will always remember that the morning after he was sworn in, a photographer caught him cooking his own breakfast in the White House kitchen! From that moment on, the Imperial Presidency that had dragged us down and gotten us into such trouble was symbolically broken... In retrospect, he did what he had to do without fanfare.
Bill Hansult of Grover Beach, California
In 1993, I had the honor of a private reception with President Reagan in the office he maintained in Century City, CA. During this meeting President Reagan brought me over to a picture he seemed especially proud of. It was the picture of all 5 of the living Presidents at the opening of President Reagan's Library in Simi Valley. After President Reagan explained to me that up until the time of that picture, no other picture was taken of all 5 of the living presidents, he pointed to President Ford. President Reagan then said to me "do you see that guy there" and I said "yes, Mr. President" and then President Reagan said to me, "he didn't know it at the time, but when he was playing football for the University of Michigan, I was announcing those games." I was amazed of the odds of that happening. May both those former presidents rest in peace.
Paul Burch, Jr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan
I remember campaigning for him as senior in high school when he was the incumbent Representative in 1970... [On election night] I had parked my car in the department store parking ramp earlier and did not realize that they had closed the gates at 10pm. I was rather dismayed that I wouldn't be able to get my mother's car back home so she could work the next day. I came back in the building and was explaining this to one of his advisors and within 2 or 3 minutes, Mr. Ford came over to me, shook my hand, and said one of his aides would drive me home and explain the situation to my mom. He thanked me for a job well done, [asked me] what I was going to do with my life and [we] discussed politics for about five minutes. I was awed by the honesty, integrity, sincerity and his real caring for his constituents. Here he was, in the throws of winning and talking to news people and he had the time to talk to me about a locked up car. I will never forget that moment in my life.
Liz Nealon of New York, New York
It was the fall of 1973. I was in college, and was a resident assistant in my dormitory. One of my new freshmen was Maria Shriver... Spiro Agnew had just resigned the Vice Presidency in disgrace, and President Nixon was about to name the new Vice President. We all gathered in the TV Lounge, and watched as the President began a lengthy description of the strong qualifications of the as-yet-unnamed individual. All of us were listening, curious but baffled. We had no idea whom he was describing. Maria Shriver listened to a couple of sentences and announced with certainty: "It's Gerald Ford." She continues to put that deep background knowledge to use, having remained in the family business to this day!
Cheryl McCormick of Humble, Texas
I met then Congressman Ford back in 1970 in Dallas during the time I was working as a staff member on the re-election campaign for Congressman James M. Collins (R). A fund-raising dinner was held for Congressman Collins and then Congressman George H.W. Bush at the Great Hall of the Apparel Mart in Dallas. Congressman Gerald Ford was the guest speaker and it was there that I was introduced to him... Ford was very gracious, talkative and an extremely ebullient personality. I found him most charming, as did all who listened intently to his speech that night. Later that year, I again met Congressman Ford at a Republican Leadership Conference in Austin, Texas and was very surprised that he remembered my name and greeted me warmly.
Bernadette Gizelbach of Blackwood, New Jersey
My father was a military man and had two tours of Southeast Asia. I had written to Nixon to please spare him another tour. Of course, it didn't help. But then Ford came into office, the war ended, and I felt like he was a breath of fresh air. I also loved how he was clumsy (I am too). His falls were classic and brought a smile to an already grateful nation.
Yvette Schmidt of Charles Town, West Virginia
I remember meeting President Ford when he came to visit my college, Albion College, in Michigan. He started the Gerald Ford Institute there. I stood in lines that lined the sidewalks and roads, just to shake his hand and get a picture. He was a very gracious man who did much to heal the nation.
Robbie Tillman of Salina, Kansas
In 1973 I met then Vice President Ford when he stopped at Little Rock Air Force Base, where my father was serving. Dad asked me if I was interested in meeting the Vice President. I thought he was pulling my leg, but I went along anyway. When the plane pulled up to the hanger, I was instantly awestruck! The Vice President came toward us and greeted my father and I with handshakes. I turned 18 in time for the 1976 elections and of course I voted for Gerald Ford. What an impression that meeting made on me!
Daniel Stepnick of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
In the late eighties, I was a mechanic for United Airlines at O'Hare Airport in Chicago. After signing the Maintenance Release for a DC10, I took the log book to the cockpit, and upon leaving the aircraft, I was walking down the Jet way. Three men were walking to board the aircraft, as there were no passengers onboard yet. One of the men, stopped, said "good morning, how are you," and shook my hand. Getting back to our ready room, I kept thinking I know him from some place, and then realized it was President Ford. I fly the American Flag, 24 hours a day. It will fly at half staff to be sure for this Great Person.
Christine Smith of Grand Haven, Michigan
Gerry Ford was a frequent visitor to my 7th Grade Civics Class as my teacher, Frank Meyer, was a very good friend. Frank went to Washington with Mr. Ford and became his assistant as he rose in government. I remember so very well how we all learned about our government from Mr. Ford, our representative, and what a "common" man he was, in the very best sense of the word. We in West Michigan, mourn the passing of this great, great man.
Ted Aguirre of Portland, Oregon
I was outside the St. Francis Hotel when Sarah Jane Moore attempted to assassinate Mr. Ford on September 22, 1975. I recall his car speeding off down Post Street. There was shock, and disbelief in the assembled crowd. Oliver Sipple, the man who grabbed Sarah Jane Moore, became a friend of mine over the years. Perhaps now, Mr. Ford can thank him in person for saving his life. I respected Mr. Ford and Mrs. Ford a great deal. He was the right man, at the right time.
Mike Carolus of Lewistown, Pennsylvania
I had the very rare opportunity to meet President Ford in 1974 in New Orleans. I was only three years old, and I was chosen to represent a hospital at the dedication of their surgical wing, and President Ford was there. And after I met him, for the next several years, I referred to him as "Uncle Ford."
Donald Jansen of Houston, Texas
I chaired President Ford's 1976 primary campaign in Houston. I remember when he attended a pre-primary rally in Houston with 5,000 in a high school auditorium and many thousands more outside. The President, while running late and while I "stretched" the program for the 5,000 inside, plunged into the crowds outside shaking the hands of many surprised attendees. Ford did this despite two assassination attempts during his presidency and the warnings of his Secret Service. He was always a man of the people. We are most fortunate that he was there when the nation needed him.
John Jarman of Tifton, Georgia
After WWII, my father was working a couple of jobs in Grand Rapids, trying to support his mother and sister. He was also in the U.S. Naval Reserve, but most of the time found it paid more to drive his taxi than make his reserve meetings. Dad got a notice that if he did not go to the next meeting his name would be submitted to the draft board. He showed up on time and ended up on the USS Coral Sea for a 6 week shakedown cruise. He ended up riding out a hurricane in the gulf and getting a draft notice for the army on the next mail call. After returning to Grand Rapids, Dad went straight to the freshman congressman's office and asked Mr. Ford for help in getting out of the Navy and into the Army. One phone call later and Dad was on his way to Army Boot camp. Dad was always grateful to Mr. Ford for getting out of those ships!
Read more e-mails: Remembering Gerald Ford
Roadrunner
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2003
- Messages
- 7,075
- Reaction score
- 2
The country has lost another great man...I was fortunate enough to have met him up close while he participated in a celebrity-professional golf event in Iowa.
R.I.P. Gerald Ford--
~RR
R.I.P. Gerald Ford--
~RR
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2005
- Messages
- 8,727
- Reaction score
- 9
Rest In Peace, Gerald Ford
I imagine, it was not that easy trying to clean up the Watergate Scandal but with a dignity like his, He did get lucky without being voted into the office. The country has lost a honorable, decent man who has lived his life to the fullest. May his family and loved ones find the comfort to grieve through this.
I imagine, it was not that easy trying to clean up the Watergate Scandal but with a dignity like his, He did get lucky without being voted into the office. The country has lost a honorable, decent man who has lived his life to the fullest. May his family and loved ones find the comfort to grieve through this.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Bush pay tribute to late former president Gerald Ford
Sky News: World News, Global News and International breaking News.
Sky News: World News, Global News and International breaking News.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Former President Gerald Ford hailed as selfless leader who led nation through strange chapter
Former President Gerald Ford hailed as selfless leader who led nation through strange chapter | the Daily Mail
President George W. Bush has hailed Gerald R. Ford for his administration's honour.
Former President Jimmy Carter, to whom Ford lost the presidential election 30 years ago, called him "a man of highest integrity," and former President Bill Clinton cited his strength and humility.
"With his quiet integrity, common sense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency," President George W. Bush said in a statement to the nation from his Texas ranch Wednesday.
"The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character and the honorable conduct of his administration."
In the uncertain days after the Watergate scandal, those qualities were what the nation was looking for.
"Jerry Ford was, simply put, one of the most decent and capable men I ever met," former President George H.W. Bush said.
Ford, who died Tuesday at 93, was remembered for getting and keeping the country on course in shaky times.
"An outstanding statesman, he wisely chose the path of healing during a deeply divisive time in our nation's history," Carter said.
"He frequently rose above politics by emphasizing the need for bipartisanship and seeking common ground on issues critical to our nation. I will always cherish the personal friendship we shared."
Though one of his most significant moves - pardoning President Richard M. Nixon for any crimes committed in office - was widely derided at the time, many have since come to see it as a gesture that healed the country as much as it hurt Ford's aspirations to be elected president in 1976.
Nixon's daughter Patricia Nixon Cox offered her "heartfelt sympathy" to the Ford family, saying: "History will honor Gerald Ford as a good man who became the respected leader of the Free World in unique times."
"My father had deep respect for Gerald Ford as an honorable and dedicated public servant," she said.
U.S. flags at federal facilities, as well as at foreign embassies and military bases, flew at half-mast on Wednesday and will stay there for 30 days.
From Europe, leaders praised Ford for his role as a statesman.
In London, the Union flag over Buckingham Palace, the residence of Queen Elizabeth II, would fly at half-staff all day Thursday.
A spokesman at the palace said that the Queen, who met Ford during a state visit to the United States in 1976 where she attended U.S. bicentennial celebrations with him, was saddened by the news of his death.
"The Queen is sending a private message of condolence to President Bush and Mrs. Ford," the palace said.
German President Horst Koehler offered his "deeply felt condolences" and described Ford as "a great American" who played an important role in advancing trans-Atlantic ties and as "one of the founding fathers of the world economic summits of the leading industrial nations."
Czech President Vaclav Klaus called Ford "an outstanding politician" whose work "was instrumental for freedom in my country and for the fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe."
At the United Nations, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Wednesday that Ford will be remembered for his support of the world body and the 1975 Helsinki process which reaffirmed the importance of human rights in world affairs.
The Helsinki Accord, which grew out of the process that brought together 35 European countries, the United States and Canada ,was seen as the first recognition that human rights were fundamental to the conduct of international relations.
"President Ford will be remembered for the leadership, calm resolve and broad experience he brought to the presidency during a particularly difficult period," Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Former President Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, said their prayers were with the Ford family.
"Gerald Ford brought Americans together during a difficult chapter in our history with strength, integrity, and humility," the Clintons said. "All Americans should be grateful for his life of service.
"To his great credit, he was the same hardworking, down-to-earth person the day he left the White House as he was when he first entered Congress almost 30 years earlier."
Former first lady Nancy Reagan, whose late husband mounted a challenge to Ford in the Republican presidential primaries in 1976, praised Ford for his service to the nation during and after his time in office.
"His accomplishments and devotion to our country are vast, and even long after he left the presidency he made it a point to speak out on issues important to us all," she said.
Although Ford had moved to California after leaving the White House, his ties to his native Michigan remained strong, and in his boyhood home of Grand Rapids a steady stream of people lit candles, draped flags and placed flowers Wednesday at a makeshift shrine outside the Gerald R. Ford Museum. The museum opened condolence books for visitors to sign in the vestibule.
"The country was in scandal and war and he used the opportunity to heal the country and become one of the most important people in history," Joseph B. Niewiek, 31, a used car lot owner from Grand Rapids, said as he lit a candle at the museum.
"President Ford made Michigan proud as he led our nation through one of the most challenging times in our history. Our prayers go out to his family," said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat.
The New York Stock Exchange honored Ford with two minutes of silence before the start of trading Wednesday morning.
"No man could have been better suited to the task of healing our nation and restoring faith in our government," California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
Vice President Dick Cheney served as Ford's chief of staff.
"In that troubled era, America needed strength, wisdom, and good judgment, and those qualities came to us in the person of Gerald R. Ford," Cheney said in a statement.
"When he left office, he had restored public trust in the presidency, and the nation once again looked to the future with confidence and faith."
Former President Gerald Ford hailed as selfless leader who led nation through strange chapter | the Daily Mail
President George W. Bush has hailed Gerald R. Ford for his administration's honour.
Former President Jimmy Carter, to whom Ford lost the presidential election 30 years ago, called him "a man of highest integrity," and former President Bill Clinton cited his strength and humility.
"With his quiet integrity, common sense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency," President George W. Bush said in a statement to the nation from his Texas ranch Wednesday.
"The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character and the honorable conduct of his administration."
In the uncertain days after the Watergate scandal, those qualities were what the nation was looking for.
"Jerry Ford was, simply put, one of the most decent and capable men I ever met," former President George H.W. Bush said.
Ford, who died Tuesday at 93, was remembered for getting and keeping the country on course in shaky times.
"An outstanding statesman, he wisely chose the path of healing during a deeply divisive time in our nation's history," Carter said.
"He frequently rose above politics by emphasizing the need for bipartisanship and seeking common ground on issues critical to our nation. I will always cherish the personal friendship we shared."
Though one of his most significant moves - pardoning President Richard M. Nixon for any crimes committed in office - was widely derided at the time, many have since come to see it as a gesture that healed the country as much as it hurt Ford's aspirations to be elected president in 1976.
Nixon's daughter Patricia Nixon Cox offered her "heartfelt sympathy" to the Ford family, saying: "History will honor Gerald Ford as a good man who became the respected leader of the Free World in unique times."
"My father had deep respect for Gerald Ford as an honorable and dedicated public servant," she said.
U.S. flags at federal facilities, as well as at foreign embassies and military bases, flew at half-mast on Wednesday and will stay there for 30 days.
From Europe, leaders praised Ford for his role as a statesman.
In London, the Union flag over Buckingham Palace, the residence of Queen Elizabeth II, would fly at half-staff all day Thursday.
A spokesman at the palace said that the Queen, who met Ford during a state visit to the United States in 1976 where she attended U.S. bicentennial celebrations with him, was saddened by the news of his death.
"The Queen is sending a private message of condolence to President Bush and Mrs. Ford," the palace said.
German President Horst Koehler offered his "deeply felt condolences" and described Ford as "a great American" who played an important role in advancing trans-Atlantic ties and as "one of the founding fathers of the world economic summits of the leading industrial nations."
Czech President Vaclav Klaus called Ford "an outstanding politician" whose work "was instrumental for freedom in my country and for the fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe."
At the United Nations, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Wednesday that Ford will be remembered for his support of the world body and the 1975 Helsinki process which reaffirmed the importance of human rights in world affairs.
The Helsinki Accord, which grew out of the process that brought together 35 European countries, the United States and Canada ,was seen as the first recognition that human rights were fundamental to the conduct of international relations.
"President Ford will be remembered for the leadership, calm resolve and broad experience he brought to the presidency during a particularly difficult period," Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Former President Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, said their prayers were with the Ford family.
"Gerald Ford brought Americans together during a difficult chapter in our history with strength, integrity, and humility," the Clintons said. "All Americans should be grateful for his life of service.
"To his great credit, he was the same hardworking, down-to-earth person the day he left the White House as he was when he first entered Congress almost 30 years earlier."
Former first lady Nancy Reagan, whose late husband mounted a challenge to Ford in the Republican presidential primaries in 1976, praised Ford for his service to the nation during and after his time in office.
"His accomplishments and devotion to our country are vast, and even long after he left the presidency he made it a point to speak out on issues important to us all," she said.
Although Ford had moved to California after leaving the White House, his ties to his native Michigan remained strong, and in his boyhood home of Grand Rapids a steady stream of people lit candles, draped flags and placed flowers Wednesday at a makeshift shrine outside the Gerald R. Ford Museum. The museum opened condolence books for visitors to sign in the vestibule.
"The country was in scandal and war and he used the opportunity to heal the country and become one of the most important people in history," Joseph B. Niewiek, 31, a used car lot owner from Grand Rapids, said as he lit a candle at the museum.
"President Ford made Michigan proud as he led our nation through one of the most challenging times in our history. Our prayers go out to his family," said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat.
The New York Stock Exchange honored Ford with two minutes of silence before the start of trading Wednesday morning.
"No man could have been better suited to the task of healing our nation and restoring faith in our government," California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
Vice President Dick Cheney served as Ford's chief of staff.
"In that troubled era, America needed strength, wisdom, and good judgment, and those qualities came to us in the person of Gerald R. Ford," Cheney said in a statement.
"When he left office, he had restored public trust in the presidency, and the nation once again looked to the future with confidence and faith."
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Former President Gerald Ford dies at 93
Former President Gerald Ford dies at 93 | the Daily Mail
Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon's scandal-shattered White House as the 38th president and the only one never elected to nationwide office, has died, his wife, Betty, said today. He was 93.
"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Mrs Ford said in a brief statement issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
Video...the life and times of Gerald Ford
• Windows Media Player
• Real Player
Gallery...Gerald Ford's life in pictures
Read more...
• Dates in the life of Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford, who became US president after Richard Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal, died today at the age of 93.
Ford, a Republican, became president in 1974 and served for two and a half years, during which he caused controversy by pardoning Nixon, withdrew the last US troops from Vietnam, and survived two assassination attempts.
Often mocked for his bumbling style and apparent clumsiness, he went on to lose the 1976 presidential election to Democrat Jimmy Carter.
He remains the only US politician to have reached the White House without having been elected either president or vice-president.
In a statement today, his widow Betty said: “My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, has passed away at 93 years of age.
“His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country.”
He died early this morning at his home in Rancho Mirage in California.
The statement did not give a cause of death.
President George W Bush paid tribute, saying: “President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country.
“With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency.”
Ford had largely slipped out of public life after a series of illnesses.
A former Republican congressman for 26 years, he was appointed vice president in 1973 after Spiro Agnew, who had held the job under Nixon, resigned to avoid prosecution on corruption charges.
On 9 August, 1974, Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment in the scandal over a politically motivated burglary of Democratic Party offices in Washington’s Watergate complex.
Ford took over as president, and took office vowing: “Our long national nightmare is over.”
However one month later, on 8 September, 1974, Ford stunned the nation by granting Nixon “a full, free and absolute pardon” for any crime his former boss may have committed in office.
He denied making any deal with Nixon, although the pardon probably cost him the 1976 presidential election, when he was beaten by Democrat Carter. Critics ridiculed Ford’s occasional clumsiness with barbs such as “he can’t walk and chew gum at the same time”.
In a notorious gaffe in a televised campaign debate against Carter in 1976, he asserted, in defence of his foreign policies, that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe”.
He fell just short in his fight to overcome a 30-point poll lead for Carter, and lost one of the closest elections in US history.
Gerald Rudolph Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on 14 July, 1913.
His name then was Leslie King but his parents were divorced soon after his birth and he later took the name of his stepfather, Gerald Ford Sr.
Ford played for the University of Michigan’s American football teams in 1932 and 1933 and turned down offers to play professionally with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Instead he went to Yale University, where he studied law and served as a boxing coach.
A navy officer in the Second World War, he married Betty Bloomer in 1948. Mrs Ford became a national figure in her own right, as an outspoken first lady and then as a crusader against drug and alcohol addiction.
Ford escaped two assassination attempts in a 17-day period in 1975, and served on the Warren Commission which investigated the 1963 assassinatn of John F Kennedy.
Ford declared the Vietnam War “finished as far as America is concerned” on 23 April, 1975, and the US-backed Saigon government fell one week later.
Congress had rejected Ford’s last-ditch efforts to boost military aid to Saigon.
Former President Gerald Ford dies at 93 | the Daily Mail
Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon's scandal-shattered White House as the 38th president and the only one never elected to nationwide office, has died, his wife, Betty, said today. He was 93.
"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Mrs Ford said in a brief statement issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
Video...the life and times of Gerald Ford
• Windows Media Player
• Real Player
Gallery...Gerald Ford's life in pictures
Read more...
• Dates in the life of Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford, who became US president after Richard Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal, died today at the age of 93.
Ford, a Republican, became president in 1974 and served for two and a half years, during which he caused controversy by pardoning Nixon, withdrew the last US troops from Vietnam, and survived two assassination attempts.
Often mocked for his bumbling style and apparent clumsiness, he went on to lose the 1976 presidential election to Democrat Jimmy Carter.
He remains the only US politician to have reached the White House without having been elected either president or vice-president.
In a statement today, his widow Betty said: “My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, has passed away at 93 years of age.
“His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country.”
He died early this morning at his home in Rancho Mirage in California.
The statement did not give a cause of death.
President George W Bush paid tribute, saying: “President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country.
“With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency.”
Ford had largely slipped out of public life after a series of illnesses.
A former Republican congressman for 26 years, he was appointed vice president in 1973 after Spiro Agnew, who had held the job under Nixon, resigned to avoid prosecution on corruption charges.
On 9 August, 1974, Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment in the scandal over a politically motivated burglary of Democratic Party offices in Washington’s Watergate complex.
Ford took over as president, and took office vowing: “Our long national nightmare is over.”
However one month later, on 8 September, 1974, Ford stunned the nation by granting Nixon “a full, free and absolute pardon” for any crime his former boss may have committed in office.
He denied making any deal with Nixon, although the pardon probably cost him the 1976 presidential election, when he was beaten by Democrat Carter. Critics ridiculed Ford’s occasional clumsiness with barbs such as “he can’t walk and chew gum at the same time”.
In a notorious gaffe in a televised campaign debate against Carter in 1976, he asserted, in defence of his foreign policies, that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe”.
He fell just short in his fight to overcome a 30-point poll lead for Carter, and lost one of the closest elections in US history.
Gerald Rudolph Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on 14 July, 1913.
His name then was Leslie King but his parents were divorced soon after his birth and he later took the name of his stepfather, Gerald Ford Sr.
Ford played for the University of Michigan’s American football teams in 1932 and 1933 and turned down offers to play professionally with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Instead he went to Yale University, where he studied law and served as a boxing coach.
A navy officer in the Second World War, he married Betty Bloomer in 1948. Mrs Ford became a national figure in her own right, as an outspoken first lady and then as a crusader against drug and alcohol addiction.
Ford escaped two assassination attempts in a 17-day period in 1975, and served on the Warren Commission which investigated the 1963 assassinatn of John F Kennedy.
Ford declared the Vietnam War “finished as far as America is concerned” on 23 April, 1975, and the US-backed Saigon government fell one week later.
Congress had rejected Ford’s last-ditch efforts to boost military aid to Saigon.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Nation's capital to pay honors to Ford
Nation's capital to pay honors to Ford - Yahoo! News
WASHINGTON - The hallmarks of a presidential funeral, a rare and solemn spectacle, began to fall into place Wednesday as the nation mourned the death of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president, and prepared to accord his memory the capital's highest honors.
Ford's body was expected to lie in state this weekend in the Capitol Rotunda, offering both dignitaries and the public a chance to pay final respects to the former Michigan congressman who rose to the White House in the collapse of Richard Nixon's presidency.
Ford died at his Rancho Mirage, Calif., home on Tuesday at age 93. Funeral arrangements were not complete but officials in Washington anticipated ceremonial events in the capital spread over about four days and capped by a service at the National Cathedral after the New Year.
A Republican leadership official said all events related to Ford's funeral in Washington would be finished by Jan. 4, opening day of the 110th Congress, meaning no delay was anticipated in the hand-over of congressional control to Democrats. The cathedral service was expected Tuesday.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because funeral plans had not been disclosed.
Tentative preparations made before Ford's death called for a small, private ceremony in California, an opportunity for the public to pay respects there, plus Washington events and a final public viewing at Ford's presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Mich., before his interment on the museum grounds.
He would be the 11th president to lie in state in the Rotunda.
One open question was how involved the funeral procession to the Capitol, often the most stirring of Washington's rituals of mourning, would be for a man whose modest ways and brief presidency set him apart from those honored with elaborate parades.
Tentative plans called for Ford's hearse to pause by the World War II memorial on the National Mall. Ford was a naval reservist in the war, serving aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.
Planners are guided by the wishes of the family and any instructions from the president himself on how elaborate the events will be, how much of it takes place in Washington and more.
Ex-presidents routinely are involved in their funeral planning with the Military District of Washington, which turned to the task quietly but with increasing urgency as Ford went through several bouts of ill health in recent years.
The nation has only witnessed two presidential state funerals in more than 30 years — those of Ronald Reagan in 2004 and Lyndon Johnson in 1973. Nixon's family, acting on his wishes, opted out of the Washington traditions when he died in 1994, his presidency shortened and forever tainted by the Watergate scandal.
What happens in Washington, particularly, unfolds according to guidelines that go back to the mid-1800s and have been shaped over time.
No longer are government buildings draped in black, as they were in the time of Abraham Lincoln and before.
But if a chosen ceremony requires mourners to be seated, for example, seating arrangements are detailed with a precision dictated by tradition. The presidential party is followed by chiefs of state, arranged alphabetically by the English spelling of their countries.
Royalty representing chiefs of state come next, and then heads of governments followed by other officials.
Eight presidents have had funeral processions down Pennsylvania Avenue, including all four sitting presidents to die by assassination — Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and Kennedy.
Two presidents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Kennedy and William H. Taft. Reagan was buried on the hilltop grounds of his presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif., in a dramatic sunset ceremony capping a week of official public mourning.
Nation's capital to pay honors to Ford - Yahoo! News
WASHINGTON - The hallmarks of a presidential funeral, a rare and solemn spectacle, began to fall into place Wednesday as the nation mourned the death of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president, and prepared to accord his memory the capital's highest honors.
Ford's body was expected to lie in state this weekend in the Capitol Rotunda, offering both dignitaries and the public a chance to pay final respects to the former Michigan congressman who rose to the White House in the collapse of Richard Nixon's presidency.
Ford died at his Rancho Mirage, Calif., home on Tuesday at age 93. Funeral arrangements were not complete but officials in Washington anticipated ceremonial events in the capital spread over about four days and capped by a service at the National Cathedral after the New Year.
A Republican leadership official said all events related to Ford's funeral in Washington would be finished by Jan. 4, opening day of the 110th Congress, meaning no delay was anticipated in the hand-over of congressional control to Democrats. The cathedral service was expected Tuesday.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because funeral plans had not been disclosed.
Tentative preparations made before Ford's death called for a small, private ceremony in California, an opportunity for the public to pay respects there, plus Washington events and a final public viewing at Ford's presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Mich., before his interment on the museum grounds.
He would be the 11th president to lie in state in the Rotunda.
One open question was how involved the funeral procession to the Capitol, often the most stirring of Washington's rituals of mourning, would be for a man whose modest ways and brief presidency set him apart from those honored with elaborate parades.
Tentative plans called for Ford's hearse to pause by the World War II memorial on the National Mall. Ford was a naval reservist in the war, serving aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.
Planners are guided by the wishes of the family and any instructions from the president himself on how elaborate the events will be, how much of it takes place in Washington and more.
Ex-presidents routinely are involved in their funeral planning with the Military District of Washington, which turned to the task quietly but with increasing urgency as Ford went through several bouts of ill health in recent years.
The nation has only witnessed two presidential state funerals in more than 30 years — those of Ronald Reagan in 2004 and Lyndon Johnson in 1973. Nixon's family, acting on his wishes, opted out of the Washington traditions when he died in 1994, his presidency shortened and forever tainted by the Watergate scandal.
What happens in Washington, particularly, unfolds according to guidelines that go back to the mid-1800s and have been shaped over time.
No longer are government buildings draped in black, as they were in the time of Abraham Lincoln and before.
But if a chosen ceremony requires mourners to be seated, for example, seating arrangements are detailed with a precision dictated by tradition. The presidential party is followed by chiefs of state, arranged alphabetically by the English spelling of their countries.
Royalty representing chiefs of state come next, and then heads of governments followed by other officials.
Eight presidents have had funeral processions down Pennsylvania Avenue, including all four sitting presidents to die by assassination — Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and Kennedy.
Two presidents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Kennedy and William H. Taft. Reagan was buried on the hilltop grounds of his presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif., in a dramatic sunset ceremony capping a week of official public mourning.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Gerald Ford Dead At Age 93
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Former first lady Betty Ford says President Gerald Ford has died.
He had battled recent health challenges. He had pneumonia in January and underwent two heart treatments, including an angioplasty in August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Mr. Ford took the oath of office as the 38th president of the United States in August of 1974. He succeeded the only president in history to resign. Richard Nixon had just left the White House in disgrace over crimes committed in the Watergate scandal.
Gerald Ford was president for only two and a half years, improving the economy and workng on peace abroad. He lost the '76 election to democrat Jimmy Carter.
In 1999, President Ford received the Medal of Freedom in recognition of his role in guiding the nation through the turbulent times of Watergate and the end of the Vietnam War. The Kennedy Foundation gave him the "Profiles in Courage" Award for placing the country's interest over his own political future in pardoning Richard Nixon. In recent years, he cut back on his lecturing and travel, but he did attend Ronald Reagan's funeral in 2004.
In front of his California home, President Ford made one of his last public appearances when George W. Bush came to pay a courtesy call this past April.
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Former first lady Betty Ford says President Gerald Ford has died.
He had battled recent health challenges. He had pneumonia in January and underwent two heart treatments, including an angioplasty in August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Mr. Ford took the oath of office as the 38th president of the United States in August of 1974. He succeeded the only president in history to resign. Richard Nixon had just left the White House in disgrace over crimes committed in the Watergate scandal.
Gerald Ford was president for only two and a half years, improving the economy and workng on peace abroad. He lost the '76 election to democrat Jimmy Carter.
In 1999, President Ford received the Medal of Freedom in recognition of his role in guiding the nation through the turbulent times of Watergate and the end of the Vietnam War. The Kennedy Foundation gave him the "Profiles in Courage" Award for placing the country's interest over his own political future in pardoning Richard Nixon. In recent years, he cut back on his lecturing and travel, but he did attend Ronald Reagan's funeral in 2004.
In front of his California home, President Ford made one of his last public appearances when George W. Bush came to pay a courtesy call this past April.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Officials Plan For Ford To Lie In State On Capitol Hill
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Officials are planning the funeral for former President Ford against a backdrop of historic farewells.
Capitol police officers say they've been told to prepare for Ford's body to come to the Capitol Rotunda Saturday, where the 38th president may lie in state until a service after New Year's at Washington National Cathedral.
Ford's family hasn't yet signed off on final plans, although they're expected to borrow from the traditional chances for the public to pay respects near Ford's California home, then at the Capitol, and finally at his presidential museum in Michigan.
Ronald Reagan was the 10th president to lay in state in the Capitol. Only eight presidents have had funeral processions down Pennsylvania Avenue.
A senior Republican says all the events should be concluded before the 110th Congress convenes Jan. 4.
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Officials are planning the funeral for former President Ford against a backdrop of historic farewells.
Capitol police officers say they've been told to prepare for Ford's body to come to the Capitol Rotunda Saturday, where the 38th president may lie in state until a service after New Year's at Washington National Cathedral.
Ford's family hasn't yet signed off on final plans, although they're expected to borrow from the traditional chances for the public to pay respects near Ford's California home, then at the Capitol, and finally at his presidential museum in Michigan.
Ronald Reagan was the 10th president to lay in state in the Capitol. Only eight presidents have had funeral processions down Pennsylvania Avenue.
A senior Republican says all the events should be concluded before the 110th Congress convenes Jan. 4.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Funeral Arrangements Pending For President Gerald Ford
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Tributes are already coming in for former President Gerald Ford, who has died at age 93.
Ford's presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he is expected to be laid to rest on the grounds, announced that its lobby would be open 24 hours a day starting Wednesday and until further notice, while the rest of the museum would be closed during this period.
Click the THVideo icon to watch a report from our sister station KSDK in St. Louis about Ford.
President Bush, former first lady Nancy Reagan and Ford's former chief of staff Alexander Haig have all expressed their condolences and praised the former leader.
A statement from first lady Betty Ford does not list a cause of death for the former president or where he died. But Ford had battled pneumonia in January and underwent two heart treatments in August. She says the late president was a "beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather."
He was the longest living president, followed by Ronald Reagan, who also died at 93.
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Tributes are already coming in for former President Gerald Ford, who has died at age 93.
Ford's presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he is expected to be laid to rest on the grounds, announced that its lobby would be open 24 hours a day starting Wednesday and until further notice, while the rest of the museum would be closed during this period.
Click the THVideo icon to watch a report from our sister station KSDK in St. Louis about Ford.
President Bush, former first lady Nancy Reagan and Ford's former chief of staff Alexander Haig have all expressed their condolences and praised the former leader.
A statement from first lady Betty Ford does not list a cause of death for the former president or where he died. But Ford had battled pneumonia in January and underwent two heart treatments in August. She says the late president was a "beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather."
He was the longest living president, followed by Ronald Reagan, who also died at 93.
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Gerald Ford's news infomation for story
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock
sara1981
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2004
- Messages
- 7,870
- Reaction score
- 71
Gerald Ford, the 38th President, Dies at 93
Gerald Ford, the 38th President, Dies at 93 | Gerald Ford : People.com
Gerald R. Ford, who at 93 was America's oldest living President, has died.
In a statement released by his wife Betty, no cause, place or time of death was named. Ford had been in and out of the hospital the past several months, and was most recently treated for pneumonia.
"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Betty Ford said in the statement, issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage, Calif. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
President Bush called the former leader a "great American" in a statement issued by the White House, and offered sympathy, along with First Lady Laura Bush, to Ford's wife and surviving family.
"During his time in office, the American people came to know President Ford as a man of complete integrity who led our country with common sense and kind instincts," President Bush said in his statement.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan also issued a statement of sympathy, saying she felt that Ford's early support of stem cell research "has been important in getting the U.S. Congress to debate the potential lifesaving cures and treatments that may result."
Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Ford's chief of staff, said in a statement, "He was a dear friend and mentor to me until this very day. I feel a great sense of loss at his passing."
The Ford family will announce memorial arrangements, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday.
Among Ford's chief distinctions is that he was never elected to the highest office in the land. When President Richard M. Nixon shocked the world in 1974 with his resignation as his administration was collapsing under the pressure of the Watergate scandal, Ford – who had replaced Spiro T. Agnew as Nixon's Vice President – took office.
"He assumed the presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division," President Bush said. "With his quiet integrity, common sense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency."
As one of his first acts in office Ford pardoned Nixon, which effectively brought an end to the investigation of Nixon and his advisors' involvement in the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington's Watergate Hotel complex.
When he ran for election in 1976 against Democrat Jimmy Carter, Ford failed to win – in part because of his party's continued taint of Watergate.
Born in Omaha, Neb., on July 14, 1913, to Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, Ford's given name had been Leslie Lynch King, Jr. – though his parents separated only two weeks after his birth. Two years later his mother remarried, to Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman, and the family was comprised of Gerry, who was called Junior, as well as three younger half-brothers.
A strong athlete, Ford played football at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he graduated in 1935 with a major in economics and political science. Despite receiving two offers to play pro for either the Detroit Lions or the Green Bay Packers, Ford chose instead to work as boxing coach and assistant football coach at Yale in order to attend its law school. He graduated in 1941 – one year after he had been introduced to politics by campaigning for Republican candidate Wendell Willkie, who put up a noble fight against incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Joining the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II, Ford was nearly killed by a vicious typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. Eventually he was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946.
He returned to Michigan, where he became a partner in a Grand Rapids law firm and successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1948 election. More important, during the campaign he met and married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Bloomer Warren, a department store fashion consultant, and eventually they had four children: Michael Gerald, John Gardner, Steven Meigs, and Susan Elizabeth.
Ford was re-elected 12 times, serving in the House from 1949 to 1973.
When Spiro Agnew resigned late in 1973 after pleading no contest to a charge of income tax evasion, President Nixon appointed his old ally, Ford, to the position. He was sworn in on Dec. 6, 1973. Nine months later, on Aug. 9, 1974, Ford gave his first address to the country as President, stating "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."
Still, besides Watergate, the nation was also facing the war in Vietnam and financial inflation. During his time in office, Ford also built the reputation of something of a bumbler, by tripping at official events – a trait lampooned by Chevy Chase on Saturday Night Live.
After leaving the White House, the Fords remained in the public eye. In 1982, Betty, having bravely battled breast cancer and owned up to a drinking problem, opened the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage, where patients dealing with substance problems are treated.
Ford, meanwhile, published two books: a 1979 memoir, A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, and 1987's Humor and the Presidency
Gerald Ford, the 38th President, Dies at 93 | Gerald Ford : People.com
Gerald R. Ford, who at 93 was America's oldest living President, has died.
In a statement released by his wife Betty, no cause, place or time of death was named. Ford had been in and out of the hospital the past several months, and was most recently treated for pneumonia.
"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Betty Ford said in the statement, issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage, Calif. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
President Bush called the former leader a "great American" in a statement issued by the White House, and offered sympathy, along with First Lady Laura Bush, to Ford's wife and surviving family.
"During his time in office, the American people came to know President Ford as a man of complete integrity who led our country with common sense and kind instincts," President Bush said in his statement.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan also issued a statement of sympathy, saying she felt that Ford's early support of stem cell research "has been important in getting the U.S. Congress to debate the potential lifesaving cures and treatments that may result."
Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Ford's chief of staff, said in a statement, "He was a dear friend and mentor to me until this very day. I feel a great sense of loss at his passing."
The Ford family will announce memorial arrangements, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday.
Among Ford's chief distinctions is that he was never elected to the highest office in the land. When President Richard M. Nixon shocked the world in 1974 with his resignation as his administration was collapsing under the pressure of the Watergate scandal, Ford – who had replaced Spiro T. Agnew as Nixon's Vice President – took office.
"He assumed the presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division," President Bush said. "With his quiet integrity, common sense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency."
As one of his first acts in office Ford pardoned Nixon, which effectively brought an end to the investigation of Nixon and his advisors' involvement in the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington's Watergate Hotel complex.
When he ran for election in 1976 against Democrat Jimmy Carter, Ford failed to win – in part because of his party's continued taint of Watergate.
Born in Omaha, Neb., on July 14, 1913, to Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, Ford's given name had been Leslie Lynch King, Jr. – though his parents separated only two weeks after his birth. Two years later his mother remarried, to Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman, and the family was comprised of Gerry, who was called Junior, as well as three younger half-brothers.
A strong athlete, Ford played football at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he graduated in 1935 with a major in economics and political science. Despite receiving two offers to play pro for either the Detroit Lions or the Green Bay Packers, Ford chose instead to work as boxing coach and assistant football coach at Yale in order to attend its law school. He graduated in 1941 – one year after he had been introduced to politics by campaigning for Republican candidate Wendell Willkie, who put up a noble fight against incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Joining the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II, Ford was nearly killed by a vicious typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. Eventually he was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946.
He returned to Michigan, where he became a partner in a Grand Rapids law firm and successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1948 election. More important, during the campaign he met and married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Bloomer Warren, a department store fashion consultant, and eventually they had four children: Michael Gerald, John Gardner, Steven Meigs, and Susan Elizabeth.
Ford was re-elected 12 times, serving in the House from 1949 to 1973.
When Spiro Agnew resigned late in 1973 after pleading no contest to a charge of income tax evasion, President Nixon appointed his old ally, Ford, to the position. He was sworn in on Dec. 6, 1973. Nine months later, on Aug. 9, 1974, Ford gave his first address to the country as President, stating "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."
Still, besides Watergate, the nation was also facing the war in Vietnam and financial inflation. During his time in office, Ford also built the reputation of something of a bumbler, by tripping at official events – a trait lampooned by Chevy Chase on Saturday Night Live.
After leaving the White House, the Fords remained in the public eye. In 1982, Betty, having bravely battled breast cancer and owned up to a drinking problem, opened the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage, where patients dealing with substance problems are treated.
Ford, meanwhile, published two books: a 1979 memoir, A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, and 1987's Humor and the Presidency
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 4,824
- Reaction score
- 2
Its too sad to see him go but he has a great long life. RIP President Ford!