this US president was called the congressman’s congressman welcome to
congressman’s congressman welcome to
congressman’s congressman welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a
watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a
watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the life and accomplishments of
look at the life and accomplishments of
look at the life and accomplishments of Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford I have not campaigned either for the
I have not campaigned either for the
I have not campaigned either for the presidency or the vice presidency
presidency or the vice presidency
presidency or the vice presidency I have not subscribed to any partisan
I have not subscribed to any partisan
I have not subscribed to any partisan platform I am indebted to no man and
platform I am indebted to no man and
platform I am indebted to no man and only to one woman Leslie Lynch King jr.
only to one woman Leslie Lynch King jr.
only to one woman Leslie Lynch King jr. was born July 14 1913 in Omaha Nebraska
was born July 14 1913 in Omaha Nebraska
was born July 14 1913 in Omaha Nebraska shortly after his birth his parents
shortly after his birth his parents
shortly after his birth his parents divorced and eventually he took his
divorced and eventually he took his
divorced and eventually he took his stepfathers name to become Gerald
stepfathers name to become Gerald
stepfathers name to become Gerald Rudolph Ford jr. the young Ford excelled
Rudolph Ford jr. the young Ford excelled
Rudolph Ford jr. the young Ford excelled in sports and Boy Scouts his skills
in sports and Boy Scouts his skills
in sports and Boy Scouts his skills allowed him to play varsity football at
allowed him to play varsity football at
allowed him to play varsity football at the University of Michigan while
the University of Michigan while
the University of Michigan while studying economics and political science
studying economics and political science
studying economics and political science with aspirations to attend Yale Law
with aspirations to attend Yale Law
with aspirations to attend Yale Law School the all-star athlete and
School the all-star athlete and
School the all-star athlete and undergraduate student paid his college
undergraduate student paid his college
undergraduate student paid his college costs by washing dishes and waiting
costs by washing dishes and waiting
costs by washing dishes and waiting tables
tables
tables this humble and determined approach to
this humble and determined approach to
this humble and determined approach to achieving his goals characterized Ford
achieving his goals characterized Ford
achieving his goals characterized Ford throughout his career after graduating
throughout his career after graduating
throughout his career after graduating in 1935 Ford entered law school there he
in 1935 Ford entered law school there he
in 1935 Ford entered law school there he took interest in politics and signed a
took interest in politics and signed a
took interest in politics and signed a petition to prevent US involvement in
petition to prevent US involvement in
petition to prevent US involvement in the Second World War he was a proud
the Second World War he was a proud
the Second World War he was a proud nationalist and supported isolationist
nationalist and supported isolationist
nationalist and supported isolationist policies he felt would ensure the
policies he felt would ensure the
policies he felt would ensure the security and safety of Americans things
security and safety of Americans things
security and safety of Americans things changed after the Japanese attacked
changed after the Japanese attacked
changed after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 Ford left his law
Pearl Harbor in 1941 Ford left his law
Pearl Harbor in 1941 Ford left his law practice in Grand Rapids to enlist in
practice in Grand Rapids to enlist in
practice in Grand Rapids to enlist in the Navy where he participated in air
the Navy where he participated in air
the Navy where he participated in air strikes throughout the Asian Pacific
strikes throughout the Asian Pacific
strikes throughout the Asian Pacific after almost dying in a vicious typhoon
after almost dying in a vicious typhoon
after almost dying in a vicious typhoon in 1944 he resigned with honors two
in 1944 he resigned with honors two
in 1944 he resigned with honors two years later but this involvement in the
years later but this involvement in the
years later but this involvement in the war later led him to favor
war later led him to favor
war later led him to favor internationalist policies the late 40s
internationalist policies the late 40s
internationalist policies the late 40s saw the former pilot enter politics
saw the former pilot enter politics
saw the former pilot enter politics right before his successful election to
right before his successful election to
right before his successful election to Congress in 1948 he married former
Congress in 1948 he married former
Congress in 1948 he married former dancer and model
dancer and model
dancer and model Elizabeth bloomer Warren with whom he
Elizabeth bloomer Warren with whom he
Elizabeth bloomer Warren with whom he eventually had four children as a
eventually had four children as a
eventually had four children as a Republican politician Ford’s uprightness
Republican politician Ford’s uprightness
Republican politician Ford’s uprightness hard work and reputation for dealing
hard work and reputation for dealing
hard work and reputation for dealing well with both parties got
well with both parties got
well with both parties got reelected 12 times and earned him the
reelected 12 times and earned him the
reelected 12 times and earned him the admiration of his fellow congressman
admiration of his fellow congressman
admiration of his fellow congressman while in Congress he helped secure funds
while in Congress he helped secure funds
while in Congress he helped secure funds to renovate the White House in addition
to renovate the White House in addition
to renovate the White House in addition to serving on the Warren Commission to
to serving on the Warren Commission to
to serving on the Warren Commission to explore the circumstances of president
explore the circumstances of president
explore the circumstances of president john f kennedy’s assassination and the
john f kennedy’s assassination and the
john f kennedy’s assassination and the commission found no evidence of a
commission found no evidence of a
commission found no evidence of a conspiracy foreign or domestic fort
conspiracy foreign or domestic fort
conspiracy foreign or domestic fort finally had the opportunity to enter
finally had the opportunity to enter
finally had the opportunity to enter federal politics in 1964 when Democrat
federal politics in 1964 when Democrat
federal politics in 1964 when Democrat Lyndon Johnson won the presidency and
Lyndon Johnson won the presidency and
Lyndon Johnson won the presidency and left the Republicans in need of a house
left the Republicans in need of a house
left the Republicans in need of a house Minority Leader Ford was the first
Minority Leader Ford was the first
Minority Leader Ford was the first choice for the job
choice for the job
choice for the job and once sworn in he limited the reach
and once sworn in he limited the reach
and once sworn in he limited the reach of Johnson’s Great Society programs and
of Johnson’s Great Society programs and
of Johnson’s Great Society programs and laid out a clear plan for American
laid out a clear plan for American
laid out a clear plan for American success in the Vietnam War opportunity
success in the Vietnam War opportunity
success in the Vietnam War opportunity knocked again in 1973 when vice
knocked again in 1973 when vice
knocked again in 1973 when vice president Spiro Agnew stepped down amid
president Spiro Agnew stepped down amid
president Spiro Agnew stepped down amid the Watergate scandal and Ford became
the Watergate scandal and Ford became
the Watergate scandal and Ford became his replacement one year later
his replacement one year later
his replacement one year later incriminating evidence against President
incriminating evidence against President
incriminating evidence against President Richard Nixon surfaced and he too
Richard Nixon surfaced and he too
Richard Nixon surfaced and he too resigned I shall resign the presidency
resigned I shall resign the presidency
resigned I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow Vice
effective at noon tomorrow Vice
effective at noon tomorrow Vice President Ford will be sworn in as
President Ford will be sworn in as
President Ford will be sworn in as president at that hour in this office
president at that hour in this office
president at that hour in this office without being voted in Ford became the
without being voted in Ford became the
without being voted in Ford became the 38th President of the United States on
38th President of the United States on
38th President of the United States on August 9th 1974 as we bind up the
August 9th 1974 as we bind up the
August 9th 1974 as we bind up the internal wounds of Watergate more
internal wounds of Watergate more
internal wounds of Watergate more painful and more poisonous than those of
painful and more poisonous than those of
painful and more poisonous than those of Foreign Wars let us restore the golden
Foreign Wars let us restore the golden
Foreign Wars let us restore the golden rule to our political process and let
rule to our political process and let
rule to our political process and let brotherly love purge our hearts of
brotherly love purge our hearts of
brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and of hate the Nixon
suspicion and of hate the Nixon
suspicion and of hate the Nixon administration left him with numerous
administration left him with numerous
administration left him with numerous problems a depressed economy the fallout
problems a depressed economy the fallout
problems a depressed economy the fallout from Watergate an energy crisis and a
from Watergate an energy crisis and a
from Watergate an energy crisis and a war abroad that was spiraling out of
war abroad that was spiraling out of
war abroad that was spiraling out of control i fellow American we have a lot
control i fellow American we have a lot
control i fellow American we have a lot of work to do one of his first moves as
of work to do one of his first moves as
of work to do one of his first moves as president was to issue a controversial
president was to issue a controversial
president was to issue a controversial pardon to Nixon despite heavy
pardon to Nixon despite heavy
pardon to Nixon despite heavy condemnation from politicians and the
condemnation from politicians and the
condemnation from politicians and the public with Nelson Rockefeller as his VP
public with Nelson Rockefeller as his VP
public with Nelson Rockefeller as his VP Ford attacked domestic policy
Ford attacked domestic policy
Ford attacked domestic policy he managed inflation and unemployment by
he managed inflation and unemployment by
he managed inflation and unemployment by cutting taxes and spending
cutting taxes and spending
cutting taxes and spending and by deregulating certain industries
and by deregulating certain industries
and by deregulating certain industries he and his wife Betty were also vocal
he and his wife Betty were also vocal
he and his wife Betty were also vocal about subjects like women’s equality
about subjects like women’s equality
about subjects like women’s equality addiction and even cancer and this also
addiction and even cancer and this also
addiction and even cancer and this also colored his presidency abroad Ford
colored his presidency abroad Ford
colored his presidency abroad Ford helped end the Vietnam War though he was
helped end the Vietnam War though he was
helped end the Vietnam War though he was criticized for falling short in terms of
criticized for falling short in terms of
criticized for falling short in terms of aid in South Vietnam
aid in South Vietnam
aid in South Vietnam he was also condemned for backing the
he was also condemned for backing the
he was also condemned for backing the Helsinki Accords between Western nations
Helsinki Accords between Western nations
Helsinki Accords between Western nations and the Communists and for his policy
and the Communists and for his policy
and the Communists and for his policy regarding the Panama Canal and later the
regarding the Panama Canal and later the
regarding the Panama Canal and later the Indonesian occupation of East Timor this
Indonesian occupation of East Timor this
Indonesian occupation of East Timor this disapproval may have led to two
disapproval may have led to two
disapproval may have led to two assassination attempts within a
assassination attempts within a
assassination attempts within a three-week period in September 1975 even
three-week period in September 1975 even
three-week period in September 1975 even with his life threatened Ford ran for
with his life threatened Ford ran for
with his life threatened Ford ran for president the next year though he was
president the next year though he was
president the next year though he was ultimately defeated by Democrat Jimmy
ultimately defeated by Democrat Jimmy
ultimately defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter Ford was thanked for restoring
Carter Ford was thanked for restoring
Carter Ford was thanked for restoring honor to the White House I want to thank
honor to the White House I want to thank
honor to the White House I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to
my predecessor for all he has done to
my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land
Ford stayed active in business and
Ford stayed active in business and politics even expressing support for the
politics even expressing support for the
politics even expressing support for the equal rights of gays and lesbians in the
equal rights of gays and lesbians in the
equal rights of gays and lesbians in the new millennium unfortunately his health
new millennium unfortunately his health
new millennium unfortunately his health deteriorated and the 93 year old died on
deteriorated and the 93 year old died on
deteriorated and the 93 year old died on December 26th 2006 though many of his
December 26th 2006 though many of his
December 26th 2006 though many of his decisions were challenged Gerald Ford
decisions were challenged Gerald Ford
decisions were challenged Gerald Ford proved he was the right man for the job
proved he was the right man for the job
proved he was the right man for the job when he took office thanks to his
when he took office thanks to his
when he took office thanks to his personal integrity and honesty he is
personal integrity and honesty he is
personal integrity and honesty he is ensured a place in history
”
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