Where is the Next Gerald Ford?

[Fitswimmer]

Watching the funeral this morning, I was struck by how much this country needs another President like Gerald Ford. We need another President who knows how to get things done, President Ford's time in the House and Senate gave him the experience to do just that. We need another President to lead us out of a "National Nightmare" and make the hard decisions that might hurt them immediately but will save the country in the long run. We need a President with the kind of level headedness and pragmatism that Gerald Ford had. We need another Gerald Ford-who will be that Presidential Candidate?

 

[DawnCt1]

With all due respect to Pres. Ford on this day that he is laid to rest; his most important legacy was pardoning Richard Nixon so as not to drag this country through a protracted trial and discredit the presidency. He has few other accomplishments to his credit.

 

[sotoalf]

Most historical figures respond to their times. There can't be another Gerald Ford because the circumstances that created him are gone.

 

[JunieJay]

Al Gore. Too bad he won't run.

 

[Fitswimmer]

With all due respect to Pres. Ford on this day that he is laid to rest; his most important legacy was pardoning Richard Nixon so as not to drag this country through a protracted trial and discredit the presidency. He has few other accomplishments to his credit.

Which was what lost him the election in 1976, even though it was the right decision. I believe I heard a good deal this morning about his work during the budget process and how he was able to work both sides of the aisle to get things accomplished. I think one of his biggest accomplishments was that he was able to argue all day with Tip O'Neil and then go out later and have a drink with him. He never forgot that on the other side of the aisle there were people who loved their country just as much as he did and truly thought that their ideas were the best thing for the country-whether he agreed with them or not. That is what we are missing today, and I truly hope that we didn't bury that spirit with him.

 

[Galahad]

With all due respect to Pres. Ford on this day that he is laid to rest; his most important legacy was pardoning Richard Nixon so as not to drag this country through a protracted trial and discredit the presidency. He has few other accomplishments to his credit.

This is basically true. Is Presidency cannot be said to have been bad - but it was really a "caretaker" Presidency. He was the first Presidential candidate I ever voted for though so I guess I have a soft spot for him. I though we could have used 4 more years of a "breather" (my vote wasn't any more complicated than that).

 

[DawnCt1]

This is basically true. Is Presidency cannot be said to have been bad - but it was really a "caretaker" Presidency. He was the first Presidential candidate I ever voted for though so I guess I have a soft spot for him. I though we could have used 4 more years of a "breather" (my vote wasn't any more complicated than that).

I actually voted for him as well. In fact, when he lost I felt so bad that I wrote him a letter and told him that he and Betty would be missed and that he restored dignity to the White House. I still have the letter that was sent to me in its original White House envelope. Unfortunately he gave us 4 years of Carter but perhaps, if it wasn't for the failed presidency of Carter the country would never have elected Ronald Reagan who was at the right place, at the right time with the right people. (The President, the Pope and the Prime Minister).

 

[Lanshark]

I saw an interview with him recently where he was asked about his stance on abortion and gun control. He was firmly pro choice and advocated some reasonable form of gun control. He considered himself a moderate.

 

[DawnCt1]

I think the other major thing that hurt him during the election is when he made a mistake, and I truly believe he misspoke because he no doubt knew otherwise. He said that there was "no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there will never be under a Ford administration". Well of course there was Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and the Carter campaign used that sound byte to discredit him through out the rest of the election.

 

[JudicialTyranny]

I hate to say it but I see an awful lot of hypocrites out there speaking fondly of Gerald Ford who didn't speak so fondly of him while he was President....

make the hard decisions that might hurt them immediately but will save the country in the long run.

Like taking out Saddam Hussein, the Taliban, and being tough on Iran and North Korea?

 

[GeorgeG]

I don't know if we need another Ford, but we do need a good moderate. The Republican and Democratic parties are so far "right" and "left" either one has the future of our country in a very precarious place. I believe the majority of Americans are more middle-of-the-road and it is they who need better representation. Get the country, as a whole, in better shape and all the other issues will fall into place. While I'm still very much undecided, I'm interested in John McCain and, if he would run, Colin Powell. Of course, that can and probably will change over the next few years.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I hate to say it but I see an awful lot of hypocrites out there speaking fondly of Gerald Ford who didn't speak so fondly of him while he was President....


Like taking out Saddam Hussein, the Taliban, and being tough on Iran and North Korea?

Brian Williams said this morning that the passing of time has changed many people's opinions about President Ford. Who knows how the events of the last 10 years will be viewed 30 years from now?