| − | Ford remained active in politics after his Presidency through lecturers at hundreds of colleges and universities over current issues. There was serious consideration in 1980 that Ronald Reagan would select Ford as his Vice Presidential running mate. Howeverm Reagan instead chose [[George H.W. Bush]]. Ford attended the annual Public Policy Week Conferences of the American Enterprise Institute, and in 1982 established the AEI World Forum, which was a gathering of international former and current world leaders to discuss political and business policies. On August 11, 1999, then-President [[Bill Clinton]] awarded Ford the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor. <ref>http://www.ford.utexas.edu/avproj/post-presidential.asp</ref> In 2001, Ford was also awarded the Profiles in Courage Award. After the 2000 Presidential election, he and his former rival Jimmy Carter co-chaired the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. <ref>http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/grf/timeline.asp#post</ref> | + | Ford remained active in politics after his Presidency through lecturers at hundreds of colleges and universities over current issues. There was serious consideration in 1980 that Ronald Reagan would select Ford as his Vice Presidential running mate. However Reagan instead chose [[George H.W. Bush]]. Ford attended the annual Public Policy Week Conferences of the American Enterprise Institute, and in 1982 established the AEI World Forum, which was a gathering of international former and current world leaders to discuss political and business policies. On August 11, 1999, then-President [[Bill Clinton]] awarded Ford the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor. <ref>http://www.ford.utexas.edu/avproj/post-presidential.asp</ref> In 2001, Ford was also awarded the Profiles in Courage Award. After the 2000 Presidential election, he and his former rival Jimmy Carter co-chaired the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. <ref>http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/grf/timeline.asp#post</ref> |
| − | President Ford died on December 26, 2006 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California due to arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease. Ford was 93 years old. President Ford's body was taken to Eisenhower Medical Center where it remained until the start of State Funeral Services. | + | President Ford died on December 26, 2006 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California due to arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease. Ford was 93 years old. President Ford's body was taken to Eisenhower Medical Center where it remained until the start of State Funeral Services. |