Wednesday, December 27, 2006
President Gerald Ford, RIP : The 1st President I Ever Voted Against
As you probably know, President Ford died today (12.26.06). Not a great President, but by all accounts a very good man. His passing brought two thinks to mind, one personal and one theological.
President Gerald Ford, the man who helped make Chevy Chase famous and who will forever be linked to the pardon of Richard M. Nixon in 1974, died today (12.26.06). Say a prayer of thanks for this mediocre president, but good man, today, and read on for my thoughts on the man.
First the personal reflection…
The first time I really ever heard of Gerald Ford was in First Grade at Mark Twain Elementary. It was September or October of 1976, and as we came back from recess there on our desks sat the latest edition of Weekly Reader, the greatest thing next to sliced Wonder Bread for a kid. I loved Weekly Reader. It was like being treated like an adult…a magazine just for me.
Well, on the back page of this issue was the all important “Kids Choice Presidential Election.” Before me sat pictures of James Earl Carter (kids were never allowed to call him “Jimmy”) and the current President, Gerald R. Ford. I went home and agonized over my choice and eventually made the only one that makes sense to a 1st Grader – I voted for Carter because he hadn’t been President yet, and I thought everyone should get a turn. And Mr. Ford would not be hurt because he got to be President (this is not the best example of logic in my life).
Now this is not unimportant. After 2004 I believe that the kids have correctly called the Presidential election 12 out of 13 times (and in my ill-formed mind at the time, I was hoping that if the vote was tied they would then use our kid votes…sad but voting was one of the things I looked forward to most about growing up). So, President Ford was the first person I ever voted against.
I am sorry President Ford, and I hope now that you have slipped the bonds of this earthly life that you can forgive me (as I am sure countless other Americans wished they could be forgiven for voting for Carter and his stagflation, “Sweater Speech,” Iran Hostage crisis and the Olympic Boycott). If I could I would go back in time and take out my eraser and change that vote.
Now, the theological reflection…
As we are hearing all over the television today, President Ford is the only man never elected to national office. A replacement VP and then elevated to the Presidency, he was by all accounts “The Accidental President” (a title usually reserved for Millar Fillmore, whom I sadly must admit my intelligent and well-educated wife did not know was the 13th President and who argued with me until I sent her a link to his Wikipedia entry).
This is not to say that President Ford did not want to be President (we must remember that there were real arguments that he should not be made President because of his lack of national election). But what was clear is that his whole life was not consumed with being President. I think this is important.
Right now we are two years from our next election and one is already hearing names constantly – Giuliani, McCain, Romney, Clinton, and now Obama. All of these people seem consumed by becoming President. I have recently been hit by this because of the Obama Mania that is all over the media. Come on man, do something aside from being a lawyer and a politician. He is the latest example of someone who wants to be President a little too much. I guess I have always liked the reluctant candidates (one of my heroes is William T. Sherman for his famous, “If nominated I shall not run, if elected I shall not serve”). I prefer politicians who are semi-reluctant but feel compelled by outside events to seek election. I think that was true of Reagan. And while Lincoln was ambitious as any person in history, it was slavery that pulled him out of self-imposed retirement and back into the game. That is what we need in politicians today…those who are reluctant but called. These folks today seem as if they were born to be President, which is frankly a little scary and very egotistical.
Not only was President Ford an accidental President, but he was one of the few men in history who did the right thing for the country well knowing that it might cost him re-election. The decision to pardon President Nixon for Watergate might well have kept the country from losing the remaining health in our democratic system. It began a healing process (one we need again if we are to get past the Bush hatred of these past few years). It probably cost him the election, but even in the after years he knew it was the right thing to have done, and it was something he was proud of (along with the pardoning of draft dodgers).
So I say a hearty thanks and well-done good and faithful servant of America (apologies to those who find my use of biblical language offensive for a non-religious role). You made us proud as both President and ex-President, and I nominate you as the greatest ex-President, a man whom, as Jonah Goldberg pointed out in today’s Corner post:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ODA0NmRmZDU5ODBiNzJlY2RlY2QzMTEyMWQ1YWRhNWU=
(PS – Can we now say that Jimmy “I am not anti-Semitic but I sure hate Israel” Carter is not a great ex-President, not since he put down the hammer and picked up the vitriol of people like Michael Moore and lost his mind and I am sad to say, maybe even his faith. Please pray that President Carter finds his way back to an even keel and a profound faith in Christ that will enable him to love his fellow human being, Jew and Arab, Bush and Clinton).
