Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (7/14/1913-12/26/2006; birth name, Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) RIP. He was the last of the moderate Republican presidents (although George Bush, Sr. is starting to look moderate these days), more Ike Eisenhower than G.W. Bush. Pardoning Richard Nixon cost him the 1976 election against Jimmy Carter.
About six years ago during a conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan and while staying at the interesting Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, I spent a few hours touring the excellent and refreshingly even-handed Gerald R. Ford Museum. The multimedia exhibits take you to the early and mid-1970s and provide a dazzling glimpse into "Gerald Ford's America." The Watergate room is really well done, providing context, facts, and no sugar coating. I recommend a visit there to anyone roaming about near Grand Rapids, certainly.
Lest we forget the immediacy of the Iraq War, three more Michiganders were KIA there (on December 23, 2006):
Spc. Chad J. Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids.
Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell.
Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, Saginaw.
And another KIA on December 25, 2006:
Pfc. Andrew H. Nelson, 19, Saint Johns, Mich.
Source: US Department of Defense.
Today's Rune: Movement.
3 comments:
I was born on Carter's birthday. =D
It seems that every Christmas someone important dies, someone from entertainment dies, and someone ridiculous dies.
Example-
Important= Ford
Entertainment= Brown
Ridiculous= Guy who won $200 million lotto in 2005
Deaths come in 3's, right?
I hope that you had a wonderful holiday.
Gerald Ford should never have pardoned Nixon. As for Junior Shrub, he's staying the course in regards to Iraq.
Last president to have played football without a helmet.
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