Comments on: The Nation Remembers Gerald R. Ford

38th President Assumed Office After Watergate Scandal And Nixon's Resignation

[bellal-2009]

President Ford did the right thing in pardoning Nixon. THe country was a mess and we needed healing and President Ford started that healing. He's the one who took the bullet so we could get back on track. He was a good man and a good president.

[neferkare-2009]

I am here to write a poem and story about his legacy


Days pass as i watch the years go by. Days become long and lone. Everyone goes different places and ways. Do know that everyone is different and has plans for all. I come to see today that the President died after years of life. The leaves on the tree fall to the ground as i walk to the future in which i live. Find the days to be long and time to be long. All the things we do are here for all to see. I come today to pay my respect to the 38th president of the United States. His legacy is told in the minds of the people in. In poems, stories, news, and everything. He was a good person for what he believed and done. In hard times he took control and did good. People disagreed and agreed with his actions, but now we all have to come together and agree and take that now he is gone but alive in the hearts of people and the minds of people. So lets morn and rejoice in respect of the former president.

[jn122736]

As I commented earlier under another article, I did not vote for President Ford in 1976 because of this pardon%u2026. Nixon himself stated, %u201C no one is above the law%u201D.
This is especially true of the president of the United States and Fords pardoning of Nixon, condoning his actions, in fact said that he was.

The single, most important thing, that everyone seems to either be unaware of, forgotten about or have chosen to ignore, is there was no sitting vice president at this time and Ford was actually chosen by Nixon to be vise president just before resigning.

Nixon%u2019s selection of Ford to be vice president IMMEDIATELY BEFORE he resigned was, to me and most Americans, the result of an obvious deal to secure the pardon, Mr. Ford%u2019s motivation notwithstanding.

[Jill Kleinowski]

When I first read the headline of Gerald Fords death, I thought to myself... awww how sad. It wasn't until I read the article that I began to remember things from when he was in office.

Yes, I was angered that he pardoned Nixon. But when I think about it now, I feel that it was the best decision. Back when it happened, it would have tore this country apart. And being in the spotlight of the world's watchers, taking a U.S. President to court would have been extremely embarrassing and could have crushed our economy. He must have realized this, so it aided in his decision.

Yes, I watched SNL and Chevy Chase, and laughed at the jokes he made. But it was as a joke. And throughout history, even to this day, every leader has been made fun of while in leadership.

Ford was a very good man who tried to do what he felt was the best thing to do at that harsh time in our history. While his stay as president lasted for a very short time, he held that office with pride. And I thank him for doing so.

To Betty and their children: May you find solice in knowing that he was there for you and loved you. Our thoughts are with all of you at this time.

J. Kleinowski

[randalds]

RandalDS,

You were very lucky to have met him. I was a young boy when he was president, but old enough to realize that he was a great president and great leader. He did what he had to do for the best interest of America.

Posted by Hwk_i67 at 09:34 AM : Dec 27, 2006

When I met him i was a young teenager and he was the congressman who talked business with my grandfather from time to time, but I was in the Air Force when he became president and I was pleased and surprised. It was certainly not something he was the type to seek out. Yes he did pardon Nixon and at the time I was as angry about that as anyone, but with good 20-20 hindsight it really was the right thing to do at the time. Still the thing I remember most about him was that he was just a really nice guy. Nothing phony or fake about him or Betty at all.

[fleshmonger6]

I guess the cult of personality is alive and well. Doesn't any one who thinks of themselves as a good American understand that this man played a role in the deception and repression of truth in two of the biggest events in 20th century American politics. As good Americans, it is not our job to blindly support those in government but to support things like freedom and equality. Two things that I don't think this man thought any of us should possess as proven by his actions in playing a role in the Warren commission's report on the Assasination of JFK and pardoning a man who was proven by his actions to be anything but a good American. I love freedom and I love equality and I will support any person so dedicated and I will resist those, regardless of their position, who through their actions suppress freedom and equality and so should you...

[jumkey]

Ford wasn't a fool. Nor was he a "good" man. A good man wouldn't have pardoned Nixon.

I used to believe the "heal the nation" line that we were fed about Nixon but in reality our corrupt national political establishment just wanted the scandal to go away so they could continue with business as usual.

In hindsight I think this was just the first step on the road to the mess we are in now, with a President who believes himself above the law and with a Congress that seems willing to let him break the law. And Bush's "man of complete integrity" line is contempt exemplified, coming from a man with no integrity or character and who has been the worst President in our nation's history.

Sorry, but when history called upon Ford to be a stand-up guy he failed, and we're still paying the price. That's his legacy and it's a failed one.

[samrensho]

He inherited an impossible situation and handled it as well as anyone could have at the time. He provided a much needed pause for America to heal both from Tricky *** and getting our butts kicked in Vietnam. Rest in Peace.

[antoniof123]

He did not do anything he was a nice guy but that was all. It is sad when someone dies but he became the last casulity of the crook NIXON. The sad part is he sent a clear message to the future Presidents it is okay to break the law your Vice President will give you a pardon. Wrong thing to do.

[stick130]

HHHSS. Thank's to the Liberal Media we got Dubya not once but twice. Doesn't look like the Media can get anything right?