Former President Gerald Ford Dies...

Pursegrrl

Pursegrrl

Oh no she di-int!!
O.G.
Jun 1, 2006
28,866
1,050
#1
Former President Ford dies at 93 - CNN.com

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 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.



[mods, please kindly move if this is not a true 'celeb' thread...]
 
#3
I'm watching all of the coverage. What a great man. I am really glad he lived such a long life. I will think of him and his family and friends, we all lost a great man.
 
#4
luvpurses24 said:
Wow...he made it to age 93. Nice long life. May he rest in peace.

P.S. Two women tried to kill him separately? I had never heard that. Interesting...
Click to expand...

Intersting trivia! Check this out:

September 5, 1975: In Sacramento, California, Squeaky Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, drew a Colt .45 caliber pistol on Ford when he reached to shake her hand in a crowd. There were four cartridges in the pistol's magazine but the firing chamber was empty. She was soon restrained by a Secret Service agent. Fromme was sentenced to life in prison, where she remains.

September 22, 1975: In San Francisco, California, Sara Jane Moore fired a revolver at Ford from 40 feet (12 m) away. The shot missed Ford because a bystander, Oliver Sipple, grabbed Moore's arm. Moore was sentenced to life in prison.
 
#5
Pursegrrl said:
Intersting trivia! Check this out:

September 5, 1975: In Sacramento, California, Squeaky Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, drew a Colt .45 caliber pistol on Ford when he reached to shake her hand in a crowd. There were four cartridges in the pistol's magazine but the firing chamber was empty. She was soon restrained by a Secret Service agent. Fromme was sentenced to life in prison, where she remains.

September 22, 1975: In San Francisco, California, Sara Jane Moore fired a revolver at Ford from 40 feet (12 m) away. The shot missed Ford because a bystander, Oliver Sipple, grabbed Moore's arm. Moore was sentenced to life in prison.
Click to expand...


Thanks for this Pursegrrl. I can't believe these two incidents happened just weeks apart. Insane!

I agree with you Megs. He was a great man. I admired his kind, gentle manner in his later years.
 
#6
I also had never heard of those two incidents. How horrible.

I'm so glad he lived to such a ripe old age. When I see that someone lived to such an age, it helps to lessen the sadness for me because I know they had many years here on this earth.



On another note, pneumonia is really running rampant these days. People really need to be careful.

p.S. Does anyone else think that Kelsey Grammar kind of looks like Gerald Ford a little bit?
 
#7
May he rest in peace. (And to survive an assassination attempt . . . he's hard core!)

The first time I really heard of Gerald Ford was an episode of The Simpsons called Two Bad Neighbors.

The Simpsons have a garage sale one boring weekend and here we first meet Disco Stu. Right when the sale gets moving, George Bush upstages Homer by moving in across the street. Homer starts holding a grudge against Bush; meanwhile, Bart takes on the role of "Dennis the Menace" to George Bush's "Mr. Wilson". After George gives Bart the spanking he deserves, Homer starts a prank war, which escalates into a one-on-one confrontation. This results in the Bushes leaving and Gerald Ford moving in, becoming Homer's good friend.


Gerald Ford: Say, Homer, do you like football?
Homer: Do I ever!
Gerald Ford: Do you like nachos?
Homer: Yes, Mr. Ford.
Gerald Ford: Well, why don't you come over and watch the game and we'll have nachos, and then some beer.
(Homer and Ford cross the street together.)
Homer: Jerry, I think you and I are going to get along just---
(They both trip in Ford's driveway)
Homer & Ford: D'oh!



The second time was in an episode of That '70s Show called Streaking.

President Ford comes to Point Place; Red is chosen to ask him a question, but struggles as he tries to speak. Eric and the guys welcome the President by streaking. Donna has to wear an American flag jumpsuit Bob gave her.

Red was chosen to ask a question during the Q & A session because the man organizing the visit wants to make sure that the right-sort of person is chosen to ask the right sort of question -- he wants a working-class Joe; or, in his words, "a loser." When Red goes to ask his question, he has a little stage fright. But being emboldened by the streakers, he finally asks, "Hey Gerry, here's my question.....how the hell could you pardon Nixon?"




My dad actually saw him speak when Mr. Ford was in Lexington, in 1975.
 
#9
His son, Steve, used to show quarter horses at the same shows with me. He was a very nice guy (the son) down to earth, and quite frankly, hot. We used to raid vending machines at the horse shows together. May his family find peace at this sad time.
 
#10
He was very blessed to have lived such a long life. God bless his family and give them comfort.

on a side note:
I heard an interview on the radio this morning asking him if Nixon ever thanked him for pardoning him. He said he never got a thank you from him but "thats just Nixon."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back