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'''Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr.''' (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) was the 38th [[President of the United States of America]], serving from August 1974 to January 1977.  He was the first person to be appointed President without being elected to either the presidency or vice-presidency.  A [[Republican]], Ford also served as U.S. [[Representative]], 1948-73, and was the House Minority Leader in 1965.  His most famous and daring decision was to pardon former President [[Richard Nixon]] of any crimes for the good of the nation.  Nixon appointed Ford as Vice President on the resignation of [[Spiro Agnew]].  When Nixon subsequently resigned as President, Ford succeeded him.

'''Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr.''' (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) was the 38th [[President of the United States of America]], serving from August 1974 to January 1977.  He was the first person to become president without being elected to either the presidency or vice-presidency.  A Republican, Ford served as U.S. [[Representative]], 1948-73, and was the House Minority Leader from 1965 to 1974.  His most famous and daring decision was to pardon former President [[Richard Nixon]] of any crimes for the good of the nation.  Nixon appointed Ford as Vice President on the resignation of [[Spiro Agnew]].  When Nixon subsequently resigned as President, Ford succeeded him.  

He received heavy criticism for pardoning Nixon.  Ford watched helpless as [[South Vietnam]] fell to a Communist invasion, after all American forces had been removed.  He promoted [[détente]] with the [[Soviet Union]], incurring the wrath of the conservatives, led by [[Ronald Reagan]]. He narrowly defeated Reagan for renomination in 1976 by the [[U.S. Republican Party, history|Republican party]], then lost narrowly to Democrat [[Jimmy Carter]].  Ford was scandal free, but marred by too many stumbles, literally and figuratively; he was one of a series of failed presidents in the 1960s and 1970s.

==Early Life==

==Early Life==

Both his father, a Republican leader in Grand Rapids, and the late Republican Senator [[Arthur H. Vandenberg]] urged young Ford to run for Congress. Vandenberg, who was an internationalist, wanted to oust the isolationist Republican congressman from the Grand Rapids area district, Bartel Jonkman. Ford won the primary by more than 9,000 votes and went on to an easy victory.  At this stage his basic political basic outlook was influenced by [[Wendell Willkie]], by service in World War II, and by hostility to the dominant local machine. Ford ran as a minority reformer. Ford's view of himself as a minority reformer willing to stand up and oppose what he saw as corruption.<ref>William A. Syers, "The Political Beginnings of Gerald R. Ford: Anti-bossism, Internationalism, and the Congressional Campaign of 1948." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 1990 20(1): 127-142. ISSN 0360-4918.</ref>

Both his father, a Republican leader in Grand Rapids, and the late Republican Senator [[Arthur H. Vandenberg]] urged young Ford to run for Congress. Vandenberg, who was an internationalist, wanted to oust the isolationist Republican congressman from the Grand Rapids area district, Bartel Jonkman. Ford won the primary by more than 9,000 votes and went on to an easy victory.  At this stage his basic political basic outlook was influenced by [[Wendell Willkie]], by service in World War II, and by hostility to the dominant local machine. Ford ran as a minority reformer. Ford's view of himself as a minority reformer willing to stand up and oppose what he saw as corruption.<ref>William A. Syers, "The Political Beginnings of Gerald R. Ford: Anti-bossism, Internationalism, and the Congressional Campaign of 1948." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 1990 20(1): 127-142. ISSN 0360-4918.</ref>

In 1949, the year he entered Congress, Ford was selected by the [[U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce]] as one of the country's ten outstanding young men. Ford's rise in the House was steady, assured by his repeated reelection from the strongly Republican district in a conservative region.

After two years in the House, Ford won a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and soon became the top Republican on its defense subcommittee. He became an expert on defense and military affairs and emerged as a strong anti-Soviet hawk in the [[Cold War]] years. Ford headed a group of 15 House Republicans who produced an exhaustive study endorsing the Cold War policies of President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]].

 

In 1963 Ford took over as chairman of the House Republican caucus. Two years later, with the help of young turk House colleagues [[Melvin Laird]] of Wisconsin, Robert Griffin of Michigan, and Charles Goodell of New York, Ford became House minority leader by ousting the current Leader [[Charles Halleck]] of Indiana by a 73-67 vote. His weekly press conferences with [[Everett Dirksen]], the GOP Senate leader, made them the national voice of the Republican party.  In 1963 was appointed by the new president [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] to the [[Earl Warren|Warren Commission]], which investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  He supported Kennedy and Johnson's involvement in the [[Vietnam War]].

After two years in the House, Ford won a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and soon became the top Republican on its defense subcommittee. He became an expert on defense and military affairs and emerged as a strong anti-Soviet hawk in the [[Cold War]] years. In 1961, he became chairman of the House Republican Conference, making him the third most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives. In November 1963, President [[Lyndon Johnson]] appointed Ford as a member of the [[Earl Warren|Warren Commission]], to investigate the events of President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s assassination. The Commission's findings were that [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] was the lone assassin.  

Domestically, he was consistently conservative, and led the fight against Johnson's [[Great Society]]. As long as the [[Conservative Coalition]] was intact he usually won; Johnson's landslide in 1964 over [[Barry Goldwater]] brought in scores of new Democrats and opened the door for liberal legislation and Ford was usually on the losing side. Ford's conservatism was endorsed by the voters in 1966, as the [[New Deal Coalition]] started unraveling because of voter disgust with Johnson's inept handling of the Vietnam war and the violent outbreaks in large American cities.  

On January 4, 1965, Ford was elected House Minority Leader by a vote of 73-67; his ambition was to became [[Speaker of the House]]. Ideologically Ford was flexible. He once described himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a [[conservative]] in fiscal policy."

Ideologically Ford was flexible. He once described himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a [[conservative]] in fiscal policy." Ford had a good television persona, which he needed as the main spokesman for his party. He showed a knack for wooing more liberal congressmen, especially within his own party. His easygoing amiability made him widely popular.  Ford had harbored only one further ambition - to become speaker of the House - but he became discouraged when the Republican Party could not gain a majority.

==Vice Presidency==

==Vice Presidency==

On October 10, 1973, Vice President under Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew resigned for office after pleading no contest to failure to report income. Nixon chose Representative Ford as his replacement and was confirmed by the [[Democrat]]-controlled U.S. [[Senate]]. During that period the [[Watergate affair]] was a major issue, when members of the campaign to reelect Richard Nixon broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Hotel during the 1972 presidential election campaign. Being loyal to the President, Ford defended Nixon. However, on August 9th 1974 Nixon resigned from the Presidency because of the national scandal.  

On October 10, 1973, [[Richard Nixon]]'s Vice President, Spiro Agnew resigned for office after pleading no contest to failure to report income from illegal bribes. Nixon chose Ford as his replacement and he was confirmed by Congress. During that period the [[Watergate affair]] escalated, destroying Nixon's p[olitical base in public opinion and within the GOP. Loyally Ford defended Nixon until he learned that Nixon was indeed guilty. On August 9th 1974 Nixon resigned from the Presidency and Ford took over.

==Presidency (1974-1977)==

==Presidency (1974-1977)==

[[Image:A4256-04-thm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|President Ford chats with Chief of Staff [[Donald Rumsfeld]] and Rumsfeld’s assistant [[Richard Cheney]] in the Oval Office, 04/28/75]] Ford kept some of the original cabinet members from Nixon's Presidency, such as [[Secretary of State]] [[Henry Kissinger]]. However, the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Attorney General would resign. He announced [[liberal]] [[Republican]] [[New York]] [[Governor]] [[Nelson Rockefeller]] as his Vice President. He was confirmed in December 1974, although some - including Senator [[Barry Goldwater]] - voted against him. <ref>http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,917422,00.html</ref> Two of Ford's biggest decisions in his first month in office was when he granted a full presidential pardon to Richard Nixon, which prevented any legal action against the former President, and when he gave amnesty to all [[Vietnam]] draft evaders.  

[[Image:A4256-04-thm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|President Ford chats with Chief of Staff [[Donald Rumsfeld]] and Rumsfeld’s assistant [[Richard Cheney]] in the Oval Office, 04/28/75]] Ford kept some of the original cabinet members from Nixon's Presidency, such as [[Secretary of State]] [[Henry Kissinger]]. However, the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Attorney General would resign. He announced [[liberal]] [[Republican]] [[New York]] [[Governor]] [[Nelson Rockefeller]] as his Vice President. He was confirmed in December 1974, although some - including Senator [[Barry Goldwater]] - voted against him. <ref>http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,917422,00.html</ref> Two of Ford's biggest decisions in his first month in office was when he granted a full presidential pardon to Richard Nixon, which prevented any legal action against the former President, and when he gave amnesty to all [[Vietnam]] draft evaders.  

The [[economy]] was a major concern during the Ford administration. When taking office, [[Inflation]] was in the double digits, unemployment was rising and the gross national product was in decline. <ref>[Henry F. Graff, The Presidents, Pg. 538]</ref> Ford proposed a tight lid of $300 billion on the federal budget and asked for a $5 billion surtax on corporations and those in the higher income bracket. These were part of his "whip inflation now" policies. He did not have an easy time on Capital Hill with the Democratic-Congress. Sixty-six times he exercised his veto power. According to Congressional Quarterly, Ford won only 58 percent of congressional votes that he took a position on, the lowest level of support from any President. Therefore, Ford's inflation policies went no were.

The economy was a major concern during the Ford administration. When taking office, [[Inflation]] was in the double digits, unemployment was rising and the gross national product was in decline. <ref>[Henry F. Graff, The Presidents, Pg. 538]</ref> Ford proposed a tight lid of $300 billion on the federal budget and asked for a $5 billion surtax on corporations and those in the higher income bracket. These were part of his "whip inflation now" policies. He did not have an easy time on Capital Hill with the Democratic-Congress. Sixty-six times he exercised his veto power. According to Congressional Quarterly, Ford won only 58 percent of congressional votes that he took a position on, the lowest level of support from any President. Therefore, Ford's inflation policies went no were.

Oil prices were also a major concern. Congress turned down Ford's proposals for phasing out the federal ceilings on the price of most domestic oil. Senate Majority Whip [[Robert Byrd]] (D-[[West Virginia]]) explained the Democrats refusing of Ford's plans, saying, ''"After all, he doesn't have a national constituency, his is an inherited Presidency."'' Ford and Congressional Democrats finally reached a compromise with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. ''"Half a loaf was better then none, so I decided to sign it"'' Ford would later write. Under matters of foreign policy, the [[Cold War]] was a significant issue. On November 23, 1974, President Ford and Soviet General Secretary [[Leonid Brezhnev]] reached an agreement by signing the SALT treaty, which froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels. Being sworn into office just after the Vietnam War, Ford proposed emergency funds for South Vietnam, however, Congress rejected it, and Vietnam fell to [[Communist]] forces. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/38_ford/index.html</ref>  

Oil prices were also a major concern. Congress turned down Ford's proposals for phasing out the federal ceilings on the price of most domestic oil. Senate Majority Whip [[Robert Byrd]] (D-[[West Virginia]]) explained the Democrats refusing of Ford's plans, saying, ''"After all, he doesn't have a national constituency, his is an inherited Presidency."'' Ford and Congressional Democrats finally reached a compromise with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. ''"Half a loaf was better then none, so I decided to sign it"'' Ford would later write. Under matters of foreign policy, the [[Cold War]] was a significant issue. On November 23, 1974, President Ford and Soviet General Secretary [[Leonid Brezhnev]] reached an agreement by signing the SALT treaty, which froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels. Being sworn into office just after the Vietnam War, Ford proposed emergency funds for South Vietnam, however, Congress rejected it, and Vietnam fell to [[Communist]] forces. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/38_ford/index.html</ref>  

[[Category:Republican Party]]

[[Category:Republican Party]]