With the funeral of former first lady Betty Ford taking place today, I thought I would take a look back at the presidency of her husband, Gerald Ford. Gerald Ford has the distinction of being the only Vice-President and President in U.S. history not to be elected by the people. Congressman Ford was selected by President Richard Nixon to replace Vice-President Spiro Agnew who resigned after being charged with bribery in October of 1973. Just ten months later, Ford would unexpectedly attain the nation's highest office as a result of Richard Nixon's resignation due to the Watergate scandal. While president, Ford faced staggering inflation at home, and the perils of the Vietnam War abroad. President Ford survived two assassination attempts in 1975. The two attempts on the president's life would occur within three weeks of each other. Lynette Fromme and Sara Jane Moore served extensive prison time for trying to kill the president. One of the first decisions made by President Ford was no doubt one of his most controversial, and the one he will most likely be remembered for. On September 8, 1974, President Ford granted a full, free, and absolute pardon to former President Richard Nixon. The pardon of Nixon essentially guaranteed that Nixon would never face criminal charges for his involvement in Watergate. Gerald Ford went on to narrowly win the Republican nomination in 1976, only to lose in the general election to former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter. Many believe that Ford's controversial pardon of Richard Nixon led to his defeat in 1976. Gerald Ford continued to be actively involved in politics following his presidency. Gerald Ford died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California on December 26, 2006 at the age of 93. President Gerald Ford is buried on the grounds of his presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Ford's pardon, in my opinion, probably cost him the election. Looking back, what choice did he have with all the other things he was facing? It seems to be a common trait in his life though. He did what had to be done knowing it wouldn't be the best thing for him in the long run. I couldn't imagine what would have happened if he hadn't.
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