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.

Post-presidential years

Ford has remained relatively active as a former President, and during his post-presidential years he continued to make appearances at events of historical and ceremonial significance to the nation, such as presidential inaugurals and memorial services. In 1981 he opened the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Gerald R. Ford Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ford has remained an avid fan of Michigan football and delivered a videotaped message before Michigan and Ohio State played their 100th game in 2003. In 1999, the School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan was renamed the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy in honor of Ford's lifetime of public service. Ford has remained popular as a caricature in his retirement, with such icons as Saturday Night Live and the Simpsons continuing to lampoon him, but despite his taking these in good humor has chosen to continue to respect the office by not appearing on those shows as himself.

Related Topics:
1981 - Gerald R. Ford Museum - Grand Rapids, Michigan - Gerald R. Ford Library - Ann Arbor, Michigan - Michigan - Ohio State - 2003 - 1999 - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

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Ford has been outspoken on a variety of political issues confronting the nation since leaving office. Although he had taken a more centrist-to-conservative stance on the matter while campaigning for president in 1976, Ford has emerged as a leading pro-choice Republican on abortion rights; he has been an advisor to Republicans for Choice, and told Larry King in an interview that he shared in his wife's outspoken support of reproductive rights. Ford has also endorsed civil unions for gay couples, and urged Republicans not support the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s.

Related Topics:
Centrist - Conservative - 1976 - Pro-choice - Republicans for Choice - Larry King - Gay - Bill Clinton

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In recent years Ford was quite accomidating in his written correspondence to those who had written to his office, often times fulfilling autograph requests. In 2005, his office has enacted a policy that he and Mrs. Ford "are no longer able to comply with the thousands of autograph requests that they receive each year."

Related Topics:
Autograph - 2005

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Health concerns

Recently, there has been ongoing speculation regarding Ford's health. Though he gave an interview to Larry King in June 2004, attended the funeral of former President Reagan, and spoke at ceremonies commemorating the 30th anniversary of his swearing-in in August 2004, Ford has appeared increasingly frail – and this may have caused him to cut back on his formerly busy schedule. He was, for the first time in his political life, unable to attend a Republican National Convention when he didn't attend the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. In addition, Ford was the only living former president not to attend ceremonies for the opening of the Bill Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. Former president Bill Clinton told Larry King in an interview that Ford had confided that he now feels uncomfortable when flying in aircraft. He was the only living former president not to attend the second inauguration of President George W. Bush in 2005.

Related Topics:
Larry King - June - 2004 - Funeral of former President Reagan - August - Republican National Convention - 2004 Republican National Convention - New York City - Bill Clinton Presidential Library - Little Rock, Arkansas - Bill Clinton - Inauguration - George W. Bush - 2005

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When New York Republican Governor George Pataki named the living former presidents as honorary members of the board rebuilding the World Trade Center, he was unaware of Ford's health decline in the recent months.

Related Topics:
George Pataki - World Trade Center

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In 2003, Ford's death was incorrectly announced by CNN when his pre-written obituary (along with those of several other famous figures) was inadvertently published on CNN's web site due to a lapse in password protection.

Related Topics:
Incorrectly announced - CNN

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