I'm on a Jerry Ford kick, and just read his autobiography and Ambrose's book on Nixon's last years. Interesting fact on Ford's selection as V-P in 1974. After Agnew resigned Nixon took a poll of the RNC, his Cabinet, the Senate and House Republicans to see who should replace him. The results were as follows:
1) RNC - Goldwater, Reagan, Rockefeller and Connelly approximately 50 votes each or 200 total. Ford got 9 votes.
2) Cabinet- Ford got 2 of 12, with the remaining votes split between Rodgers, Goldwater, Reagan, Rockefeller and Connelly.
3) The Senate Republicans - Ford got 1 vote.
4) House Republicans - Ford got 80 votes with 75 other votes going to the big 4.
Nixon himself wanted Connelly, and listed Reagan and Rockefeller next with Ford in 4th place.
Given this lack of support why was Ford chosen? Three reasons. First, Nixon didn't want a party fight or to make anyone unhappy, so that eliminated Reagan (whose selection would anger the RINOs) and Rockefeller (hated by conservatives). Secondly, Nixon didn't want a congressional fight over the nomination, and the Democrats (Albert and Mansfield) told Nixon they would fight if Connelly was nominated. Albert and Mansfield told Nixon the Republican they would support was Ford. Thirdly, and incredibly, Nixon thought Ford was impeachment insurance. Nixon thought that the Republicans and a few Democrats would support him staying on rather than see "Dumb as a Rock" Ford succeed him.
So why was Ford V-P? Bottom line: Because the Democrats wanted him. Nixon felt he shouldn't or couldn't fight for a stronger man. And the Democrats position was vindicated - from a partisan standpoint - by Ford Presidency and his loss in 1976.
Showing posts with label Ford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ford. Show all posts
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Write it When I'm Gone. by Tom DeFrank
After listening to DeFrank on Meet the Press, I went out and read the book. Several thoughts:
1) It is a badly written, badly organized "journalistic" book.
2) Jerry Ford comes off in the book as an even bigger blockhead, than I first realized. It seems that Ford was bitter and resentful for the rest of his life because Reagan ran a primary challenge against him in 1976 and didn't campaign hard enough for Ford or go to Texas and Mississippi in October 1976. He bad mouths Reagan saying he "was not a technically competent President" and a "shallow Showman"; was upset at Reagan getting $2 million for speaking fees in Japan, and was jealous that the Press gave him so much credit for ending the Cold War. Even more amazing, he wanted to run in 1980 and was sure he would win and was not sure Reagan could. Finally, he turned down Reagan's offer of the V-P slot in 1980 and when Reagan offered again in Detroit, Ford deliberately made demands so impossible that it scuttled any V-P deal and led to Bush's selection.
3) Ford tried to get Bush to dump Quayle in 1992, because he was too conservative and a drag on the ticket. Suggested alternatives were Cheney or Kemp.
4) Cheny was " too conservative" as V-P.
5) He didn't offer Reagan the V-P. He didn't like him or want him on the ticket. And his advisers warned him against selecting Rockefeller (Rocky was a "weak 5th" on the list of possible nominees) but Ford made him V-P anyway, because he "needed a moderate as V-P".
6) He believed his "indefatigable" campaigning for Reagan in 1980 won him several states.
7) He supported McCain in 2000 and Dole in 1996. He strongly wanted Powell to run in 1996 and thought a Dole-Powell ticket would win easily.
8) He strongly supported NAFTA and congratulated himself on "single-handedly convincing" Clinton to support it.
9) His deepest regret as POTUS was dumping Rocky in 1975 because of the "hard right wingers" However, he and Rocky both knew it had to be done to win the nomination. Nixon and he never met privately after Ford Left the Presidency.
10) Ford disliked Carter, and even on the way to Sadat's funeral (1981) called him a "Chickenshit". He also called him the weakest President in his lifetime. However, when Carter came to speak to raise Funds for the Ford Library the two men had a warmer relationship. By 1997 Ford told DeFrank that Rosalind and Betty were very close and that the two men were friends.
11) Ford requested Clinton not be allowed to speak at his funeral. Bush-I had a secure phone line installed to talk to Ford on a regular basis.
1) It is a badly written, badly organized "journalistic" book.
2) Jerry Ford comes off in the book as an even bigger blockhead, than I first realized. It seems that Ford was bitter and resentful for the rest of his life because Reagan ran a primary challenge against him in 1976 and didn't campaign hard enough for Ford or go to Texas and Mississippi in October 1976. He bad mouths Reagan saying he "was not a technically competent President" and a "shallow Showman"; was upset at Reagan getting $2 million for speaking fees in Japan, and was jealous that the Press gave him so much credit for ending the Cold War. Even more amazing, he wanted to run in 1980 and was sure he would win and was not sure Reagan could. Finally, he turned down Reagan's offer of the V-P slot in 1980 and when Reagan offered again in Detroit, Ford deliberately made demands so impossible that it scuttled any V-P deal and led to Bush's selection.
3) Ford tried to get Bush to dump Quayle in 1992, because he was too conservative and a drag on the ticket. Suggested alternatives were Cheney or Kemp.
4) Cheny was " too conservative" as V-P.
5) He didn't offer Reagan the V-P. He didn't like him or want him on the ticket. And his advisers warned him against selecting Rockefeller (Rocky was a "weak 5th" on the list of possible nominees) but Ford made him V-P anyway, because he "needed a moderate as V-P".
6) He believed his "indefatigable" campaigning for Reagan in 1980 won him several states.
7) He supported McCain in 2000 and Dole in 1996. He strongly wanted Powell to run in 1996 and thought a Dole-Powell ticket would win easily.
8) He strongly supported NAFTA and congratulated himself on "single-handedly convincing" Clinton to support it.
9) His deepest regret as POTUS was dumping Rocky in 1975 because of the "hard right wingers" However, he and Rocky both knew it had to be done to win the nomination. Nixon and he never met privately after Ford Left the Presidency.
10) Ford disliked Carter, and even on the way to Sadat's funeral (1981) called him a "Chickenshit". He also called him the weakest President in his lifetime. However, when Carter came to speak to raise Funds for the Ford Library the two men had a warmer relationship. By 1997 Ford told DeFrank that Rosalind and Betty were very close and that the two men were friends.
11) Ford requested Clinton not be allowed to speak at his funeral. Bush-I had a secure phone line installed to talk to Ford on a regular basis.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Jerry Ford - Blockhead
Just watched the C-Span Presidential series on Jerry Ford. A fascinating series on the Presidents since Hoover, it contains some new information on Ford, along with never seen Ford reflections on his Presidency. Watching it, I kept thinking "what a blockhead".
There are two common views about Ford. First and true, he was one of our dumbest Presidents. Second and falsely, he was humble. In fact, Jerry Ford was never "humble" he was an egotistical, arrogant man. And like most egotists forever blaming others for his failures, and refusing to admit mistakes.
No one prior to 1975 thought of him as Presidential material. He was selected as V-P primarily because no one dislike him or thought of him as a threat. Yet once President, he not only regarded the Presidency as his own, he thought he was entitled to reshape the party in his own image. Ignoring advice, he embarked upon a series of disastrous decisions designed to alienate and enrage the conservative wing of the party. To whit:
Because of these actions, Reagan who had already run for the nomination in 1968, challenged Ford in 1976. After all, Ford had no right to the Presidency, other than his own sense of entitlement. The result was a draining and completely needless primary fight that went on till August 1976. To cap it off, Ford further alienated conservatives by refusing to offer Reagan the V_P slot, instead going with Bob "where's the outrage" Dole.
Even with all this, Ford could have won had he not insisted in the debates, and for a week afterwards, that "there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe". This gaffe not only alienated anti-communists, but reminded everyone of what a blockhead he was. According to Novak, for a week afterwards, Ford refused his aides entreaties to admit his comment was in error. He only made a public retraction for political reasons.
So in the post presidential interview does Ford admit all these mistakes and take the blame for the loss? Of course not. Who was to blame? Why Ronald Reagan! You see it was "unwise" for Reagan to "Challenge an incumbent President". And why didn't he choose Reagan as V-P? Why, his feelings were hurt during the primary challenge and Reagan wasn't a friend of his! (Right Jerry, who cares about winning, when personal feelings are involved.)
Further shifting the blame, Jerry states he still might have won if only Reagan had campaigned harder for him. Leaving aside the truth of the charge, exactly why Reagan, after being snubbed for V-P twice by Ford, and viciously attacked during the primaries as a "right-wing extremist" should have campaigned harder for him is unclear.
It should also be noted that Rumsfeld and Cheney - those two political and foreign policy geniuses were both Key Ford subordinates. Cheney was Ford Chief of Staff while Rummy replaced Schlesinger at DOD
There are two common views about Ford. First and true, he was one of our dumbest Presidents. Second and falsely, he was humble. In fact, Jerry Ford was never "humble" he was an egotistical, arrogant man. And like most egotists forever blaming others for his failures, and refusing to admit mistakes.
No one prior to 1975 thought of him as Presidential material. He was selected as V-P primarily because no one dislike him or thought of him as a threat. Yet once President, he not only regarded the Presidency as his own, he thought he was entitled to reshape the party in his own image. Ignoring advice, he embarked upon a series of disastrous decisions designed to alienate and enrage the conservative wing of the party. To whit:
- Appointing Rockefeller, the conservatives enemy, as V-P
- Refusing to offer Reagan a significant cabinet post
- Adopting the policy of Detente, firing all its opponents (Like James Schlesinger) and signing the Helsinki accords.
- Snubbing Alexander Solzhenitsyn on the advice of Kissinger
- Refusing to nominate a conservative to the SCOTUS.
- Running a massive budget deficit
- Leaving Vietnam
- Trying to give the Panama Canal away to Panama
- Ignoring social conservatives.
Because of these actions, Reagan who had already run for the nomination in 1968, challenged Ford in 1976. After all, Ford had no right to the Presidency, other than his own sense of entitlement. The result was a draining and completely needless primary fight that went on till August 1976. To cap it off, Ford further alienated conservatives by refusing to offer Reagan the V_P slot, instead going with Bob "where's the outrage" Dole.
Even with all this, Ford could have won had he not insisted in the debates, and for a week afterwards, that "there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe". This gaffe not only alienated anti-communists, but reminded everyone of what a blockhead he was. According to Novak, for a week afterwards, Ford refused his aides entreaties to admit his comment was in error. He only made a public retraction for political reasons.
So in the post presidential interview does Ford admit all these mistakes and take the blame for the loss? Of course not. Who was to blame? Why Ronald Reagan! You see it was "unwise" for Reagan to "Challenge an incumbent President". And why didn't he choose Reagan as V-P? Why, his feelings were hurt during the primary challenge and Reagan wasn't a friend of his! (Right Jerry, who cares about winning, when personal feelings are involved.)
Further shifting the blame, Jerry states he still might have won if only Reagan had campaigned harder for him. Leaving aside the truth of the charge, exactly why Reagan, after being snubbed for V-P twice by Ford, and viciously attacked during the primaries as a "right-wing extremist" should have campaigned harder for him is unclear.
It should also be noted that Rumsfeld and Cheney - those two political and foreign policy geniuses were both Key Ford subordinates. Cheney was Ford Chief of Staff while Rummy replaced Schlesinger at DOD
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