Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (born July 14, 1913) (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., renamed after his mother's remarriage) was the fortieth (1973–1974) Vice President and the thirty-eighth (1974–1977) President of the United States. He remains the only individual to serve as President without ever having been elected to either the presidency or vice presidency. Instead, following the resignation of Spiro Agnew in 1973, he was nominated as Vice President by Richard Nixon and approved by both houses of Congress (not just the Senate, as is the procedure for Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, and most other federal officials), in keeping with provisions of the 25th Amendment. When Nixon resigned on noon of August 9, 1974, Ford assumed the presidency.

1976 election bid

It is believed that Ford's pardoning of Nixon, along with the continuing economic problems, cost him the election of 1976.

Related Topics:
Nixon - Election of 1976

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His campaign may also have been hampered by a strong challenge that year for the nomination in the Republican party by Ronald Reagan. Additionally, Ford made a major gaffe during the second presidential election debate when he insisted that Eastern Europe was not dominated by the Soviet Union. Carter replied that he would like to see Ford convince Czech-Americans and Polish-Americans that their countries did not live under Soviet domination. On 30 October, 1975, his refusal to sanction federal aid for the city of New York led The New York Daily News to paraphrase their perception of Ford's attitude in the headline "Ford to City: Drop Dead".

Related Topics:
Ronald Reagan - Gaffe - Presidential election debate - Eastern Europe - Soviet Union - Czech-Americans - Polish-Americans - 30 October - 1975 - New York - The New York Daily News

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Had Ford won the election, he would have been disqualified by the 22nd amendment from running in 1980 because he served more than two years of Nixon's term.

Related Topics:
22nd amendment - 1980

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