Gerald Ford served as president during the lowest period of the American Century. One can't blame him for the circumstances that made it so. He didn't start the Vietnam War. Along with Richard Nixon, he presided over its conclusion. His 1976 running mate famously referred to it, and the U.S.'s other wars during the American Century, as "Democrat wars." He had nothing to do with Watergate. He had a lot to do with putting it behind us. He seemed as far from the sixties counterculture as one could get. Yet, during his presidency America suffered from the hangover that the counterculture caused. Ford suffered from it personally, as two sixties people in the seventies tried to kill him. Though he lamely vowed to Whip Inflation Now, the flatlining economy whipped him. Ultimately, at least as president, Ford's name will be attached to such trivia as "the only un-elected president" and "the longest living president." Though a relatively insignificant president, Ford's career in congress was anything but that. He served in the House for nearly a quarter century. For eight of those years, Ford served as House minority leader. From that post, he led opposition, what little there was, to much of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society (Johnson frequently joked that Ford had played too much football without a helmet at Michigan). After enduring a surfeit of "great" men in the office of the president, the American people received Gerald Ford as president when they needed a good man. Gerald Ford, president, vice president, House minority leader, Warren Commission member, All-American football player, World War II veteran, rest in peace.
Made Chevy Chase a household name.
Ford was not ready for prime time. He never went through the vetting that constitutes a presidential selection process and it showed. I seem to recall him claiming at a debate with Carter that Poland was not under Soviet control. Man, he lost that election right there.
A good man, though. resquiat in pace.
http://www.break.com/index/dana_carvey_snl_gerald_ford_is_dead.html
