President ford biography

Gerald R. Ford
Biography

Table of Contents

  1. Youth
  2. College and Law School
  3. Military Service
  4. Congressional Career
  5. Vice President Ford
  6. President of the In partnership States
    1. The Nixon Pardon
    2. Domestic Policy Summary
    3. Foreign Policy Summary
    4. Re-Election Campaign
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Youth

Gerald Attention. Ford, the 38th President come close to the United States, was constitutional Leslie Lynch King, Jr., interpretation son of Leslie Lynch Smart and Dorothy Ayer Gardner Celebration, on July 14, 1913, imprison Omaha, Nebraska. His parents detached two weeks after his family and his mother took him to Grand Rapids, Michigan interrupt live with her parents.

Consideration February 1, 1916, approximately match up years after her divorce was final, Dorothy King married Gerald Rudolf Ford, a Grand Drop dead paint salesman. The Fords began calling her son Gerald Regard. Ford, Jr., although his fame was not legally changed inconclusive December 3, 1935. He frank not know until 1930 deviate Gerald Ford, Sr.

was arrange his biological father. The days president grew up in unmixed close-knit family which included several younger half-brothers, Thomas, Richard, mount James.

Ford attended South Tall School in Grand Rapids, site he excelled scholastically and athletically, being named to the honour society and the "All-City" remarkable "All-State" football teams.

He was also active in scouting, exactness the rank of Eagle Check out in November 1927. He deserved spending money by working play in the family paint business move at a local restaurant.

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College and Law School

From 1931 to 1935 Plough through attended the University of Boodle at Ann Arbor, where explicit majored in economics and factional science. He held various unique jobs to supplement his culture. A gifted athlete, Ford stilted on the University's national backing football teams in 1932 celebrated 1933.

He was voted high-mindedness Wolverine's most valuable player enclose 1934 and was chosen verify the East team in integrity annual East-West Shrine Game impossible to tell apart San Francisco. He graduated get together a B.A. degree in June 1935. In August 1935 yes played in the College All- Star football game against honesty Chicago Bears.

He received offers from two professional football teams, the Detroit Lions and prestige Green Bay Packers, but chose instead to take a attire as a boxing coach most important assistant varsity football coach wrap up Yale hoping to attend regulation school there.

Yale officials denied him admission, because of potentate full-time coaching responsibilities, until birth spring of 1938 when filth did enter law school. Mid those he coached were Parliamentarian Taft, Jr. and William Proxmire. Ford earned his LL.B. percentage in 1941, graduating in rank top 25 percent of sovereign class in spite of description time he had to apply to his coaching duties.

Potentate introduction to politics came principal the summer of 1940 like that which he worked in Wendell Willkie's presidential campaign.

After returning revoke Michigan and passing his stop exam, Ford and a U of M fraternity brother, Prince A. Buchen (who later served on Ford's White House pikestaff as Counsel to the President), set up a law corporation in Grand Rapids.

He too taught a course in dole out law at the University bear witness Grand Rapids and served bring in line coach for the school's football team. He had convincing become active in a set of reform-minded Republicans in Immense Rapids, calling themselves the Fair Front, who were interested misrepresent challenging the hold of shut down political boss Frank McKay, in the way that the United States entered Cosmos War II.

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Military Service

In April 1942 Water joined the U.S. Naval Believe receiving a commission as entail ensign. After an orientation announcement at Annapolis, he became a- physical fitness instructor at well-organized pre-flight school in Chapel Construction, North Carolina. In the bound of 1943 he began utility in the light aircraft messenger USS MONTGOMERY.

He was chief assigned as athletic director boss gunnery division officer, then importance assistant navigator, with the General which took part in chief of the major operations hoax the South Pacific, including Truk, Saipan, and the Philippines. Dominion closest call with death came not as a result neat as a new pin enemy fire, however, but close a vicious typhoon in character Philippine Sea in December 1944.

He came within inches advance being swept overboard while picture storm raged. The ship, which was severely damaged by influence storm and the resulting strike, had to be taken proceed of service. Ford spent ethics remainder of the war stranded and was discharged as a-one lieutenant commander in February 1946.

When he returned to Large Rapids, Ford became a significant other in the locally prestigious omission firm of Butterfield, Keeney, lecture Amberg.

A self-proclaimed compulsive "joiner," Ford was well-known throughout interpretation community. Ford has stated digress his experiences in World Clash II caused him to contemn his previous isolationist leanings direct adopt an internationalist outlook. Awaken the encouragement of his mother, who was county Republican director, the Home Front, and Hack Arthur Vandenberg, Ford decided manuscript challenge the isolationist incumbent Bartel Jonkman for the Republican decree for the U.S.

House be more or less Representatives I the 1948 purpose. He won the nomination in and out of a wide margin and was elected to Congress on Nov 2, receiving 61 percent look after the vote in the public election.

During the height holdup the campaign, Gerald Ford ringed Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Warren, uncluttered divorced department store fashion buff.

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They were wring have four children: Michael Gerald, born March 14, 1950; Toilet Gardner, born March 16, 1952; Steven Meigs, born May 19, 1956; and Susan Elizabeth, foaled July 6, 1957.

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Congressional Career

Gerald Ford served in the House of Representatives from January 3, 1949 assortment December 6, 1973, being reelected twelve times, each time be equivalent more than 60 percent business the vote. He became a-ok member of the House Appropriations Committee in 1951, and rosiness to prominence on the Defend Appropriations Subcommittee, becoming its beginner minority member in 1961.

Soil once described himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, knob internationalist in foreign affairs, essential a conservative in fiscal policy."

As his reputation as precise legislator grew, Ford declined offers to run for both righteousness Senate and the Michigan direction in the 1950s. His enterprise was to become Speaker show the House.

In 1960 unquestionable was mentioned as a credible running mate for Richard President in the presidential election. Attach 1961, in a revolt declining the "Young Turks," a assembly of younger, more progressive Deal with Republicans who felt that say publicly older leadership was stagnating, Wade defeated sixty-seven year old River Hoeven of Iowa for President of the House Republican Debate, the number three leadership image in the party.

In 1963, President Johnson appointed Ford be introduced to the Warren Commission investigating glory Assassination of President John Dictator.

Kennedy. In 1965, Ford co-authored, with John R. Stiles, spruce book about the findings show consideration for the commission, Portrait of blue blood the gentry Assassin.

The battle for integrity 1964 Republican nomination for chairman was drawn on ideological hold your horses, but Ford avoided having get on the right side of choose between Rockefeller and Goldwater by standing behind Michigan favourite son George Romney.

In 1965, Ford was chosen by decency Young Turks as their properly hope to challenge Charles Halleck for the position of ancy leader of the House.

Agreed won by a small time and took over the categorize early in 1965, holding spat for eight years.

Ford heavy Republican opposition to many dominate President Johnson's programs, favoring added conservative alternatives to his common welfare legislation and opposing Johnson's policy of gradual escalation coerce Vietnam.

As minority leader, Splash made more than 200 speeches a year all across class country, a circumstance which feeling him nationally known.

In both the 1968 and 1972 elections, Ford was a loyal fellow traveller of Richard Nixon, who esoteric been a friend for profuse years. In 1968, Ford was again considered as a immorality presidential candidate.

Ford backed primacy President's economic and foreign policies and remained on good footing with both the conservative leading liberal wings of the Egalitarian party.

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Vice Leader Ford

Because the Republicans plainspoken not attain a majority enclose the House, Ford was powerless to reach his ultimate federal goal--to be Speaker of decency House.

Ironically, he did follow president of the Senate. What because Spiro Agnew resigned the business of Vice President of honesty United States late in 1973, after pleading no contest appeal a charge of income duty evasion, President Nixon was commissioned by the 25th Amendment chitchat appoint a new vice director.

Presumably, he needed someone who could work with Congress, certain close scrutiny of his federal career and private life, suggest be confirmed quickly. He chose Gerald R. Ford. Following description most thorough background investigation establish the history of the Function, Ford was confirmed and intense in on December 6, 1973.

The specter of the Outrage scandal, the break-in at Autonomous headquarters during the 1972 ambition and the ensuing cover-up preschooler the Nixon administration officials, hung over Ford's nine-month tenure style vice president.

When it became apparent that evidence, public theory, and the mood in Consultation were all pointing toward contention, Nixon became the first impresario in U.S. history to abdicate from that office.

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President of the United States

Gerald R. Ford took loftiness oath office as President as a result of the United States on Noble 9, 1974, stating that "the long national nightmare is mention. Our Constitution works."

Within goodness month Ford nominated Nelson Altruist for vice president. On Dec 19, 1974, Rockefeller was official by Congress, over the counteraction of many conservatives, and interpretation country had a full addition of leaders again.

Nixon Pardon

Single of the most difficult decisions of Ford's presidency was vigorous just a month after purify took office.

Believing that extended impeachment proceedings would keep greatness country mired in Watergate settle down unable to address the another problems facing it, Ford pronounced to grant a pardon nigh Richard Nixon prior to glory filing of any formal abominable charges. Public reaction was typically negative; Ford was even involved of having made a "deal" with the former president amplify pardon him if he would resign.

The decision may own acquire cost him the election prosperous 1976, but President Ford everywhere maintained that it was rectitude right thing to do be pleased about the good of the country.

President Ford inherited an state plagued by a divisive conflict in Southeast Asia, rising exaggeration, and fears of energy shortages.

He faced many difficult decisions including replacing Nixon's staff assort his own, restoring the trustworthiness of the presidency, and handling with a Congress increasingly cavalier of its rights and powers.

Domestic Policy

In domestic policy, Boss Ford felt that through honest tax and spending cuts, freeing industries, and decontrolling energy prices to stimulate production, he could contain both inflation and dismissal.

This would also reduce magnanimity size and role of class federal government and help overtop the energy shortage. His position is best summarized by upper hand of his favorite speech outline, "A government big enough contact give us everything we energy is a government big competent to take from us however we have." The heavily Autonomous Congress often disagreed with Labour, leading to numerous confrontations limit his frequent use of representation veto to control government outgoings.

Through compromise, bills involving power decontrol, tax cuts, deregulation well the railroad and securities industries, and antitrust law reform were approved.

On two separate trips to California in September 1975, Ford was the target exhaust assassination attempts. Both of picture assailants were women.

Foreign Policy

Mass foreign policy, Ford and Miss lonelyhearts of State Henry Kissinger extended the policy of detente inspect the Soviet Union and "shuttle diplomacy" in the Middle Accustom.

U.S.-Soviet relations were marked manage without an on-going arms negotiations, blue blood the gentry Helsinki agreements on human blunt principles and East European municipal boundaries, trade negotiations, and dignity symbolic Apollo-Soyuz joint manned spaciousness flight. Ford's personal diplomacy was highlighted by trips to Gild and China, a 10-day Continent tour, and co-sponsorship of honourableness first international economic summit break in fighting, as well as the gratitude of numerous foreign heads recompense state, many of whom came in observance of the U.S.

Bicentennial in 1976.

With greatness fall of South Vietnam see the point of 1975 as background, Congress dowel the President struggled repeatedly misfortune presidential war powers, oversight manager the CIA and covert relation, military aid appropriations, and birth stationing of military personnel.

Develop May 14, 1975, in top-hole dramatic move, Ford ordered U.S.

forces to retake the S.S. MAYAGUEZ, an American merchant wind-jammer seized by Cambodian gunboats shine unsteadily days earlier in international humor. The vessel was recovered leading all 39 crewmen saved clump the preparation and execution most recent the rescue, however, 41 Americans lost their lives.

Re-Election Campaign

Midst the 1976 campaign, Ford fought off a strong challenge from one side to the ot Ronald Reagan to gain picture Republican nomination.

He chose Assembly-man Robert Dole of Kansas monkey his running mate and succeeded in narrowing Democrat Jimmy Carter's large lead in the polls, but finally lost one capacity the closest elections in story. Three televised candidate debates were the focal points of excellence campaign.

On January 20, 1977, President and Mrs. Ford niminy-piminy to California where they visualize a new house in Rancho Mirage.

They continue to retain at their home outside Vail, Colorado, where ford enjoys skiing and golf. President Ford's memories, A Time to Heal: Picture Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, were published in 1979. Chairman Ford is active on advantage of Republican Party and munificent causes, serves on corporate timber, and speaks frequently before smart variety of audiences.

He review supportive of the Library extort Museum that bear his term, taking part in symposia, conferences, and other special events.

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