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-- Former President Ford dies at 93
Former President Ford dies at 93
| quote: |
| Former President Ford dies at 93 POSTED: 12:09 a.m. EST, December 27, 2006 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon's scandal-shattered White House as the 38th and only unelected president in America's history, has died, his wife, Betty, said Tuesday. He was 93. Ford had battled pneumonia in January 2006 and underwent two heart treatments -- including an angioplasty -- in August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He was the longest living president, followed by Ronald Reagan, who also died at 93. Ford had been living at his desert home in Rancho Mirage, California, about 130 miles east of Los Angeles. Ford was an accidental president, Nixon's hand-picked successor, a man of much political experience who had never run on a national ticket. He was as open and straightforward as Nixon was tightly controlled and conspiratorial. He took office minutes after Nixon flew off into exile and declared "our long national nightmare is over." But he revived the debate a month later by granting Nixon a pardon for all crimes he committed as president. That single act, it was widely believed, cost Ford election to a term of his own in 1976, but it won praise in later years as a courageous act that allowed the nation to move on. The Vietnam War ended in defeat for the U.S. during his presidency with the fall of Saigon in April 1975. In a speech as the end neared, Ford said: "Today, America can regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by refighting a war that is finished as far as America is concerned." Evoking Abraham Lincoln, he said it was time to "look forward to an agenda for the future, to unify, to bind up the nation's wounds." Ford also earned a place in the history books as the first unelected vice president, chosen by Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew who also was forced from office by scandal. He was in the White House only 895 days, but changed it more than it changed him. Even after two women tried separately to kill him, the presidency of Ford remained open and plain. Not imperial. Not reclusive. And, of greatest satisfaction to a nation numbed by Watergate, not dishonest. |
just saw.. it interrupted jay leno
laters.
rip us pres
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-89770458144460734&hl=en
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| Tom Brokaw: Okay, who are we up to? Voice of Producer: Uh.. we're still on Presidents. Gerald Ford. Tom Brokaw: Gerald Ford? Well, he's in good shape.. Voice of Producer: Just covering our bases, Tom. You never know.. Tom Brokaw: Alright, alright.. [ graphic of Gerald Ford, "1913-1996" appears over Tom's left shoulder ] "Gerald Ford dead today at the age of 83." Voice of Producer: Okay, good. Annd, one for next year. Tom Brokaw: Alright.. [ graphic of Gerald Ford, "1913-1997" ] "Gerald Ford dead today, at age 84." Voice of Producer: Uh.. a little sadder. Tom Brokaw: Alright. [ sad ] "Gerald Ford dead today.. at age 84.." Voice of Producer: That was good. Good. Tom Brokaw: Okay, what now? Voice of Producer: Now let's do one for if he's shot. Tom Brokaw: Well, what are the chances of that? Voice of Producer: We're just covering contingencies. Tom Brokaw: I mean, it just seems that Gerald Ford.. Voice of Producer: Look - you're the one who wants to spend the whole winter in Barbados, okay? Now, we gotta be ready with something, just in case. Alright, Tom? Tom Brokaw: Alright, alright.. [ graphic of Gerald Ford, "1913-1996" ] "Gerald Ford shot dead today, at age 83." Voice of Producer: Uh.. add the word "senseless". Tom Brokaw: Alright. "Gerald Ford shot dead today, at the senseless age of 83." Voice of Producer: Um.. uh.. Tom Brokaw: Alright, alright.. "Gerald Ford shot senselessly dead, at the age of 83." Voice of Producer: Good, good.. Okay, now suicide. Tom Brokaw: What?! Voice of Producer: Just read it! Tom Brokaw: Alright. "Gerald Ford dead today, after jupming out of an office building, senselessly." Voice of Producer: That's a nice touch. Okay, moving on. Tom Brokaw: Okay. "Gerald Ford dead today, from an overdose of crack cocaine." Voice of Producer: Good, good.. Next. Tom Brokaw: Alright. [ graphic of Gerald Ford and a commuter plane ] "Stunning news from Michigan, as former President Gerald Ford was chopped into little bits by the propeller of a commuter plane." Voice of Producer: Good. One take. Tom Brokaw: Alright, we got it? Voice of Producer: No. We've got "eaten by wolves". Tom Brokaw: What? Now, come on! Voice of Producer: Just read it! Tom Brokaw: Gerald Ford isn't gonna be eaten by wolves! Voice of Producer: Taft was. Tom Brokaw: Really? Taft? Voice of Producer: Uh.. yeah. Tom Brokaw: Alright, alright.. [ graphic of Ford surrounded by a pair of wolves ] "Tragedy today, as former President Gerald Ford was eaten by wolves. He was delicious." Now.. now, that's just superfluous, you know? Voice of Producer: It's a former President, Tom. What do you say - he's not delicious? Tom Brokaw: Alright, fine.. what's next? Voice of Producer: The double story. Tom Brokaw: Alright. [ graphic of Ford and map of France ] "A fireball destroyed France today, and Gerald Ford is dead." Now, what are the odds of that? Voice of Producer: Fine. We'll get Stone Phillips to do it. You know, I'm sure Stone Phillips would be thrilled to break a story like that! Tom Brokaw: Alright. Let's keep moving.. [ graphic of Ford and the corpse of Richard Nixon ] "Stunning news from Yorba Linda today, as Richard Nixon's corpse climbed out of his grave and strangled Gerald For to death." Voice of Producer: Excellent. Tom Brokaw: Alright. [ graphic of Ford and circus lion ] "Gerald Ford was mauled senselessly by a circus lion in a convenience store." Voice of Producer: Good. Next. Tom Brokaw: Alright. "Gerald Ford is dead today, and I'm gay." Now, wait a minute! Voice of Producer: What? That'd be a huge story - Ford dying, and you coming out! Tom Brokaw: But I'm not gay! Voice of Producer: Today you're not gay, you know.. but then one day you wake up, you like men, and Gerald Ford dies, and we're screwed. Everyone's hearing about it from Dan Rather! Tom Brokaw: Alright, alright.. what's this for? [ graphic of Gerald Ford and the Zimbabwee flag appears ] Voice of Producer: Alright, this one's for if we're invaded by Zimbabwee. Tom Brokaw: Would I still be the anchor if Zimbabwee invaded us? Voice of Producer: Yeah.. if you break the Gerald Ford story, you will.. Tom Brokaw: Alright. "Hola bambe, hungala dimba Gerald Ford.. *click* *click* *click* *click* ..hola bambe, allah bumba bubba hulla humba hey." Voice of Producer: Very nice. Very nice. A little sadder, please. Tom Brokaw: Alright, alright.. [ sadly ] "Hola bambe, hungala dimba Gerald Ford.. *click* *click* ..hola bambe.." |
His funeral just ended...now he lies in state.
I president who will be remebered for his compassion and his capacity for forgiveness...
The last republican president to rule before the onset of extreme contervatism in the republican party.
The only man to serve as Vice President and President without being elected to either office.
R.I.P. Gerald Ford
R.I.P.
R.I.P. Gerald Ford
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