Gerald Ford never sought to be President of the United States. Only an unusual confluence of circumstances--the resignation of Spiro Agnew from the Vice Presidency in disgrace, followed by Richard Nixon's resignation in greater disgrace following Watergate--brought Ford from leadership in Congress to the White House.His presidency was overshadowed by his decision to close the books on Watergate by pardoning Richard Nixon, the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam and its fall to the Communists, and the inflation and energy crises that produced the greatest recession since the Great Depression.
He barely beat back a challenge from Ronald Reagan within his own party in 1976, yet came within an inch of defeating Jimmy Carter regardless.
Perhaps no one could have survived such an inauspicious and difficult period politically.
But it is to Gerald Ford's credit that he was able to restore respect and order to the office in the face of all those troubles.
Source: Washington Post
No comments:
Post a Comment