Gerald R. “Jerry” Ford, Jr., the 38th President of the United States, was born on this day in 1913.
Ford served as Vice President from 1973 to 1974 following the resignation of Spiro Agnew, and became President on August 9, 1974 following the resignation of Richard Nixon. Ford pardoned Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal.
Ford narrowly won the Republican nomiation for President in 1976, beating Ronald Reagan. He lost the general election to Jimmy Carter in November 1976.
Gerald Ford was the first President I voted for. While his Presidency was not remarkable and while he presided over the worst economy since the Great Depression, he was an admirable man who answered the call when our country was going through a dark time.
Ford died on December 26, 2006. He was 93.
The political lesson of Watergate is this: Never again must America allow an arrogant, elite guard of political adolescents to by-pass the regular party organization and dictate the terms of a national election.
~ Gerald R. Ford