Posted by
the_mad_scotswoman on Wednesday, January 03, 2007 2:13:04 AM
I don’t know of a president who faced a tougher
situation than Gerald Ford did when he stepped into the presidency (except perhaps Andrew Johnson).
He had to deal with Watergate, the pull-out of Vietnam, the on-going
energy crisis and
détente with the Soviet Union.
I was only about 12 when Ford became president and not all that
politically aware. I do remember Ford not being very popular in
my house. My parents were not happy that
he pardoned Nixon. I was just relieved not to be hearing about
Watergate anymore. In
retrospect I know that Ford did a great thing for the country
when he pardoned
Nixon. Watergate was probably our lowest point since the Civil War.
Ford's Presidential pardon of his predecessor lifted the country's
burdern, helped us to move on and enabled us to come together to
celebrate our Bicentennial.
Ford
isn't a president I really thought much about in recent years, mainly
because he didn't seek the limelight. He spent the last 30 years largely under-appreciated, but it turns out history's been kind to him. It's good that he's being
remembered fondly this week for the noble service he gave to this
country.