PRESIDENT GERALD FORD DEAD AT 93

The nation awoke this morning to news of the passing of the 38th President of The United States Gerald R. Ford. At 93 President Ford was one month older than President Reagan at his passing making him the oldest living American President at the time of his death. President Ford had a long and distinguished career serving as a Congressman from his home state of Michigan serving for 25 years with his final years in Congress 1965 - 1973 serving as House Minority Leader. It was then that President Richard Nixon called on Congressman Ford to serve as Vice President upon the resignation of Spiro Agnew. He served as Vice President until August 9, 1974 when he became the 38th President upon the resignation from office of Richard Nixon. Ford was well respected in Congress and throughout his political career as a man of the highest honesty and integrity who said what he thought and was not one to sugar coat anything for political purposes. As President this reputation of integrity continued during some of the most tumultuous times that our country has ever known. Ford stepped into a hornets nest in the White House as the Presidency was reeling from the Watergate scandal and the first and only time that a sitting President has ever resigned from office. Ford's Presidential honeymoon ended quickly as he realized that the Watergate trouble must be ended for the good of the country and knowing the risk to his own political career exercised his authority as President and pardoned Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate cover-up. Ford was vilified for this action and was accused of cutting a deal with Nixon before he left office which Ford denied and an accusation which has never been proven. His love of country gave the realization that the turmoil that Watergate had caused combined with the ending of the Vietnam War on terms that were not favorable to The United States the adding of the prosecution and public trial of a former President would be more than the nation could handle. Setting politics aside Ford started the national healing that was desperately needed by pardoning Nixon. Ford's popularity plummeted from the mid 70's to the mid 30's in the aftermath of the pardon but history is finally showing that Ford's action to heal the nation though unpopular at the time were necessary and had a calming and very positive effect on the country as well as setting a path to recovery that was desperately needed. Ford faced daunting tasks as President besides the healing process from Watergate. There were the challenges of mastering inflation, reviving a depressed economy, solving chronic energy shortages, and trying to ensure world peace. The President acted to curb the trend toward Government intervention and spending as a means of solving the problems of American society and the economy. While initially it was thought that Ford was a less than average President as time has shown Ford's actions as President and his integrity in office combined with his steadfast leadership in extremely hard times were exactly what this nation needed and his status as an above average President has grown. Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in 1976 not so much because he was considered at the time as a failed President but rather in the wake of Watergate the country sought a change and Carter offered that for the moment. Ford thus became the only President to have served in office without having been elected either as President or Vice President. As a young voter, Ford was the first President that I had voted for and the first election in which I participated in which will always place President Ford in a special place in my political life. At his inauguration Jimmy Carter paid the ultimate tribute to Ford summing up his Presidency which had been misunderstood by a public that was reeling from turmoil. Carter stated, "For myself and for our Nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land." A grateful people and a thankful nation agrees. Thank you President Ford and may you now find rest and peace as you sit with the greatest among us who have served as our nations leaders.

Ken Taylor