“I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln.” – President Gerald Ford, describing his political abilities
Jerry Ford (it’s Gerald with a “G”, but Jerry with a “J”) became president this week (Aug. 9) in 1974 after President Nixon resigned in the wake of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Ford is the only American to gain both the vice presidency and presidency without being elected. Rather, political scandals forced both of his predecessors to resign — first Vice President Spiro Agnew, who resigned after pleading “no contest” to charges he took bribes while governor of Maryland, and then Nixon, who resigned rather than face certain impeachment.
In both cases the nation viewed Ford as a welcome relief, not because he was a great leader or brilliant politician, but because he was considered super honest and a “regular Joe” who was unaffected by power and its trappings. Indeed, he was so well liked in Congress, where he had spent the bulk of his political career, that when Nixon first proposed former Treasury Secretary John Connally to replace Agnew as vice president, Nixon was told by senior members of Congress that only Ford would be confirmed by both branches of Congress.
Ford’s likeability was well deserved. As vice president, he traveled extensively — by default he became the scandal-plagued Nixon administration’s goodwill ambassador to the country — but rather than give a single speech, play a round of golf, and then head home, every trip would include an exhaustive schedule of multiple speeches, get-togethers and meetings. Why? Because Ford didn’t want it to look like he was billing the taxpayers for pleasure junkets. Also, whereas Agnew had reserved for his exclusive use the Air Force JetStar that flew senior White House staff from place to place, Vice President Ford ordered it returned to the VIP motor pool so others could use it.
And he hated ceremonial pomp. He preferred being called “Jerry” to “Mr. Vice President,” and, unlike Agnew or Nixon, he made himself accessible to reporters because he actually enjoyed talking with them.
Even as president he was a regular Joe. He often made his own breakfast, and if his dog Liberty needed walking in the middle of the night, it was usually President Ford who did the walking. Although a superb athlete, his occasional stumbles and errant golf shots were fodder for comedians. Yet rather than take offense, Ford joined in the fun, making jokes at his own expense.
Did I say he hated ceremonial pomp? At his maiden state dinner as president he became the first president, and no doubt the last, to dance — to “boogie” actually — to Jim Croce’s hit song about a gun-toting gambler and ladies man, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.”
