NationStates Jolt Archive

The longest living american president, gerald r. ford just died.

He ended the 'national nightmare', and fell over.

His wife was a drunk or something.

What!?! Link, please! :eek:

Really?

I'm not seeing anything on the news ...not yet, anyway.

damnit, I wanted to break this story on NS genral. Good job on the speed.

Really?

I'm not seeing anything on the news ...not yet, anyway.

its all over cnn, and msnbc.

What!?! Link, please! :eek:

It's on wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford

Only a banner headline so far.

Well, the guy was active all the way to his death. Hope I am as energetic if I make it to my 90s.

http://www.cnn.com/

Former President Gerald Ford, who became president in 1974 after the resignation of Richard Nixon, died Tuesday at age 93, his wife, Betty Ford, told The Associated Press.




It's in the 'news alert' thing at the top.

yeah the husband just told me.

he lived a good long life. may he rest in peace.

Pretty much everything I know about Gerald Ford is based on that Simpson's episode he was in. Evidently, he liked nachos and football.

But my condolences to his family anyway. And the fact that I don't know anything about him probably means that he did a good job and had no major screw-ups while serving as president.

I just got on to post this... *Shakes fist*

What!?! Link, please! :eek:

Former President Ford Dead at 93
Dec 26 11:51 PM US/Eastern
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 said. He was 93.
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/26/D8M8VO581.html

Really?

I'm not seeing anything on the news ...not yet, anyway.

It just hit the wire a 10 minutes ago.

damnit, I wanted to break this story on NS genral. Good job on the speed.

Damn yeah. Here I thought I might have been breaking it when I saw it just a few minutes ago.

Were there wolves involved?

linky (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10949314/)

Damn yeah. Here I thought I might have been breaking it when I saw it just a few minutes ago.

he was in the 2006 pool. don't get many points for him though.

Damn you....beat me.

Sad too. HE just brok Reagan's record.

May he rest in peace. He was exactly what the country needed at the time.

http://www.cnn.com/

President Gerald Ford is dead. :(

This news is AT LEAST 15 minutes old. Pft. General works faster than that, it's on the front page. Mind the poor spelling in the title..

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=512392

Afraid you were beaten to it. Shame about Ford, history treated him pretty roughly.

I wonder what Bush will have to say about the guy tomorrow...

yeah! Pfft!



:D

Sorry lol.

President Ford will be remembered as a great patriot who served his country well. Rest in peace.

Ford was far from the best, but far from the worst.

Not sure what he was like in person, but at any rate, may he R.I.P.

This sucks. He was a good guy. He did alot for the community. He shall be missed...

The only president to not be elected as president or vice president turned out to be the longest living president.

R.I.P. Gerry Ford!

President Ford will be remembered as a great patriot who served his country well. Rest in peace.

Weren't you just attacking him in another thread?

Gerald Ford was a co-conspirator in the Warren Commission, a government coverup of John F Kennedy's assassination, which, in reality, was carried out by robotic duplicates of Hillary Clinton, who then traveled into the future, inadvertently firing a missile into the Pentagon in an attempt to escape the Morlocks (OMG Hillary is strangling me)

http://dc-mrg.english.ucsb.edu/WarnerTeach/E192/Images/Weena.Time.Machine.gif
Morlock hawt.

That's an Eloi.

That's an Eloi.

...

You killed my stiffie. You bastard.

My condolences to his family.

President Ford was a decent fellow who took a blow to political ambitions for the good of the country. He governend as a moderate, and held the office at the moment of its greatest crisis. His responsible governance saved the executive, and helped to heal the wounds of the nation after Watergate. Save for a major gaffe in a debate, he might even have won his own term.

Best of luck with whatever is next Jerry.

Were there wolves involved?

Beat me to it.

It is sad...

Save for a major gaffe in a debate, he might even have won his own term.

Nope. The fact that he pardoned Nixon when over half of the American population wanted him tried ended any chance of him winning an election.

My condolences to his family.

President Ford was a decent fellow who took a blow to political ambitions for the good of the country. He governend as a moderate, and held the office at the moment of its greatest crisis. His responsible governance saved the executive, and helped to heal the wounds of the nation after Watergate. Save for a major gaffe in a debate, he might even have won his own term.

Er... No. Watergate was small pickings compared to the Great Depression.

Er... No. Watergate was small pickings compared to the Great Depression.

Or, you know, that whole civil war dealio.

I wanted to post this...And its DEAD dude.

copycat thread.

I wanted to post this...And its DEAD dude.

Pfft. Says you.

I prefer ded.

Was he the appointed president that no one voted for?

Were there wolves involved?

He was delicious.

I can't help but laugh at the fact that his funeral will get nowhere near the amount of coverage that Reagan's did.

The news was kissing Reagan's ass so much that week it got sickening...they'll talk about Ford for two days, commenting on the fact that he wasn't a total fuckup.

The poor guy...

It took guts to pardon Nixon, yet it was the right thing to do. I remember being furious he did it then. Now, I know what he did was right. He governed from the center and was one of the most open Presidents of the modern era.

He was the medicine this country needed at the time.

I hope he is remembered in the future better. I can honestly say he was the only Republican President in my lifetime that I admired and completely respected. So the last member of the Warren Commission is dead and that closes quite a chapter of recent US History.

RIP, Mr. Ford. Maybe all of your teammates from the 1932 and 1933 Michigan National Championship Football Teams will buy you a beer.

Rest in Peace President Jerry Ford, and
my Condolences to The First Lady Betty Ford,
from La Habana Cuba.

So what's his legacy?

So what's his legacy?

He was the greatest President never elected. :(

He was the greatest President never elected. :(

...

What? Everything I've read about him suggests he was basically Nixon lite.

...and wasn't he the ONLY President never elected? (In that he was not elected to the office of President or Vice President, but appointed after the resignation of Spiro Agnew.)

...and wasn't he the ONLY President never elected? (In that he was not elected to the office of President or Vice President, but appointed after the resignation of Spiro Agnew.)

Well, there was Dubya. :D

200,000 dead in East Timor.

Clumsiest President ever.

Good man though he couldn't take two steps without tripping.

200,000 dead in East Timor.While Ford was presi?

While Ford was presi?

No... resulting overall from the invasion and occupation of East Timor by Indonesia that he explicitly approved and funded.

200,000 dead in East Timor.

The phrase "one death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic" springs to mind.:(

Can't say I know much about the man, though, except that he lost to Carter.

While Ford was presi?

Started in 1975 and continued until 1993. *nod*

Well, there was Dubya.Well, he got elected for the second term. Which is probably scarier than having a presi put into office by the SC.

Started in 1975 and continued until 1993. *nod*Because of his presidency?

Because of his presidency?

Basically, He and Henry Kissinger met with the President of Indonesia the day before Indonesia invaded and said, "Whatever you're planning, do it quickly".

They didn't. :(

Basically, He and Henry Kissinger met with the President of Indonesia the day before Indonesia invaded and said, "Whatever you're planning, do it quickly".

Yeah... because Kissinger was afraid the use of US arms in the brutal invasion and occupation of a sovereign country might cause PR problems.

Ford is dead (naturally), and he's being remembered well... Kissinger is still alive and at large. They got away with it anyway.

Yeah... because Kissinger was afraid the use of US arms in the brutal invasion and occupation of a sovereign country might cause PR problems.

Ford is dead (naturally), and he's being remembered well... Kissinger is still alive and at large. They got away with it anyway.

Well, the fact that the western media almost completely ignored it went a long way toward squashing PR problems, didn't it? :p

Well, the fact that the western media almost completely ignored it went a long way toward squashing PR problems, didn't it? :p

Yeah. We obsess over every Iraqi murdered by Saddam (well, once we decide to designate him as an enemy) but 200,000 murdered East Timorese barely make a blip.

Worthy and unworthy victims.

Yeah. We obsess over every Iraqi murdered by Saddam (well, once we decide to designate him as an enemy) but 200,000 murdered East Timorese barely make a blip.

Worthy and unworthy victims.

They were commies. :p

Well, there was Dubya. :D

Oh haha. Don't tell me you believe that hogwash. He was elected. As sad as it is, he was elected. I wish people would stop trying to pin the blame on him for stuff he didn't actually do, and focus on the stuff he HAS done. Jesus.

Oh haha. Don't tell me you believe that hogwash. He was elected. As sad as it is, he was elected. I wish people would stop trying to pin the blame on him for stuff he didn't actually do, and focus on the stuff he HAS done. Jesus.Which is in fact far worse. He should be shipped to The Hague.

They were commies. :pI thought it was a Portuguese colony...

Oh haha. Don't tell me you believe that hogwash. He was elected. As sad as it is, he was elected. I wish people would stop trying to pin the blame on him for stuff he didn't actually do, and focus on the stuff he HAS done. Jesus.

Well, like the 1876 election, there will always be scrutiny. *nod*

I thought it was a Portuguese colony...

Yeah, well the Chinese endorsed the ruling government. So that made the commies in Kissinger's eyes. :p

Which is in fact far worse. He should be shipped to The Hague.

I'll agree to that.

LG: Certainly. There was a small amount of odd results during the 04 election, certainly, enough to warrent an inspection into the voting process. I have no problem with that, as it's a good thing and it ensures that the voting process works as it should. I just hate conspiracy theories and idiots badgering on about stuff that didn't happen when there's loads of stuff to badger about that did actually happen.

He was in that episode of the Simpsons; or at least he was impersonated in that particular episode.

Good to know the important facts, I think.

He was in that episode of the Simpsons; or at least he was impersonated in that particular episode.

Good to know the important facts, I think.

That was his voice. *nod*

That was his voice. *nod*

Yeah? Didn't that show have some pulling power!?

I'll agree to that.

LG: Certainly. There was a small amount of odd results during the 04 election, certainly, enough to warrent an inspection into the voting process. I have no problem with that, as it's a good thing and it ensures that the voting process works as it should. I just hate conspiracy theories and idiots badgering on about stuff that didn't happen when there's loads of stuff to badger about that did actually happen.

It keeps them busy. There haven't been any good wars to re-enact since the Civil War. They need their hobbies. :)

Yeah? Didn't that show have some pulling power!?

American animation has the ability to make ANYONE voice for it. Patrick Stewart has voiced multiple characters on many shows, for instance.

LG: Well...I just wish they wouldn't catch my dad up and make him believe in them...though sometimes I wonder if he and mom persist in "believing" just because they like getting to me...they do love to do that sort of thing to me, as they've proven time and again...

Yeah? Didn't that show have some pulling power!?

They sure did. Almost everybody famous has done a guest voice on The Simpsons. :p

The phrase "one death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic" springs to mind.:(

Can't say I know much about the man, though, except that he lost to Carter.

If you saw the debate where Ford said there was no Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe, you'd have voted for Carter too.

His legacy is that he knew what to say and how to say it following water gate. He wasn't really made for the presidency. He was an (almost) average American. He didn't move his family into the White House for a long while, and would still get up and cook his own breakfast. He wasn't very electable, very "presidential". But he was just what this country needed post Nixon.

Note: I was not alive at this point in time, this is what I have discovered and concluded from my own research. It may be completely of base.

Which is in fact far worse. He should be shipped to The Hague.

:confused: What for?

The Hague has proven it is inherently worthless in the deplorable handling of the Jugolavian dictator, Slobodan Milošević.

Ford will always be remembered for the following:

1) Not actually being elected
2) Pardoning Nixon, which was political suicide but didn't bog the nation down in more Watergate shit for years
3) Being a total klutz
4) Being honest

Ford is what you get when you have a "real guy" as President rather than a control-freak politician.

On the other hand, I have to wonder just how lampoonable he was...shows like Saturday Night Live could easily make fun of Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr.; I wonder if they touched Ford, considering he was in office until 1976 and it debuted in, I believe, 1975.

:confused: What for?For war crimes, for warmongering, for invading another country on a personal agenda.

The Hague has proven it is inherently worthless in the deplorable handling of the Jugolavian dictator, Slobodan Milošević.
Indeed, they should have just jailed him without the lengthy trial, since his guilt was obvious from the get-go. It's unfortunately that this bastard died before his conviction

Ford will always be remembered for the following:

1) Not actually being elected
2) Pardoning Nixon, which was political suicide but didn't bog the nation down in more Watergate shit for years
3) Being a total klutz
4) Being honest

Ford is what you get when you have a "real guy" as President rather than a control-freak politician.

On the other hand, I have to wonder just how lampoonable he was...shows like Saturday Night Live could easily make fun of Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr.; I wonder if they touched Ford, considering he was in office until 1976 and it debuted in, I believe, 1975.
http://geraldford.ytmnd.com/

I believe that answers your question.

http://geraldford.ytmnd.com/

I believe that answers your question.

And it's official - the internet is suitable for any random thought that pops into one's head. Ooh, cotton candy on a plastic zamboni!

And it's official - the internet is suitable for any random thought that pops into one's head. Ooh, cotton candy on a plastic zamboni!

That's the whole point to the internet, is it not? To store information on every subject possible? To be, in essence, the penultimate library?

That's the whole point to the internet, is it not? To store information on every subject possible? To be, in essence, the penultimate library?

And not to have to worry about if some stuffy suit in an office somewhere approves your content...

Gerald Ford- Rest In Peace.

I didn't notice.

So what's his legacy?

Who's Gerald Ford? :confused:

j/k ;-)

My prayers go out to his family and may he rest in peace. The country lost a great man.

Probaly most people remember him from Chevy Chase's spoof of him in SNL as a bumbling man. Truth was like Carter, Ford was an honest man who was way too honest to be a politcian. He was a centerist who actually was appalled by the Repub's move to the far right.


I loved the Simpson's episode where he is on at the end.

I don't know much about Gerald Ford, other than that he was once President (and what I've picked up in this thread).

May he rest in peace.

Probaly most people remember him from Chevy Chase's spoof of him in SNL as a bumbling man. Truth was like Carter, Ford was an honest man who was way too honest to be a politcian. He was a centerist who actually was appalled by the Repub's move to the far right.


I loved the Simpson's episode where he is on at the end.

He was certainly too honest to be a politician these days. He did serve 12 terms in Congress, though, and was quite high up in the Republican ranks, but it was a different world then. He was very well liked in Vail, Colorado, where he vacationed a lot, and he seems to have been a genuinely nice man.

He was certainly too honest to be a politician these days. He did serve 12 terms in Congress, though, and was quite high up in the Republican ranks, but it was a different world then. He was very well liked in Vail, Colorado, where he vacationed a lot, and he seems to have been a genuinely nice man.

Thats the way I feel about the guy too.

Did you know he had offers to play football for Greenbay and Detroit? I just found that out.

He left the Navy a lieutenant commander as well.

Who in the hell fuked with my title?

It's supposed to say "Gerald R. Ford - ded!".

This is typical of the pro tory-wet, nanny state, around here.

R.i.p.

Thats the way I feel about the guy too.

Did you know he had offers to play football for Greenbay and Detroit? I just found that out.

He left the Navy a lieutenant commander as well.

I didn't know about the football offers, but I'm not surprised, he was a very athletic man, and the papers frequently showed pictures of him playing college football.

Ford will always be remembered for the following:

1) Not actually being elected
2) Pardoning Nixon, which was political suicide but didn't bog the nation down in more Watergate shit for years
3) Being a total klutz
4) Being honest

Ford is what you get when you have a "real guy" as President rather than a control-freak politician.

On the other hand, I have to wonder just how lampoonable he was...shows like Saturday Night Live could easily make fun of Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr.; I wonder if they touched Ford, considering he was in office until 1976 and it debuted in, I believe, 1975.

Chevy Chase did a "Ford" schtick constantly falling and tripping. It was quite funny.

He had guts for not investigating the watergate incident and its ties with Nixon.

It took guts to pardon Nixon, yet it was the right thing to do. I remember being furious he did it then. Now, I know what he did was right.

I disagree. Pardoning Nixon was the wrong move. He went against the majority of Americans in doing it and denied the nation closure in the matter. Watergate should have been publicly investigated and Nixon tried. Instead, over thirty years later it's still an open wound. Ford will always be remembered as the twat who pardoned Nixon.

Its sad to see him go.

Technically, I owe him my existence. When he was a Michigan Rep. he allowed my Dad's mother to move here to the USA from France. She may not have been able to come otherwise.

Excuse my ignorance, but what did Ford do that has so many NS'ers, even Mitanni, liking him?

http://dc-mrg.english.ucsb.edu/WarnerTeach/E192/Images/Weena.Time.Machine.gif
Morlock hawt.
That's an Irish pop star.

Excuse my ignorance, but what did Ford do that has so many NS'ers, even Mitanni, liking him?

Absolutely nothing. Nothing good, but nothing bad.

Although I seem to recall Mitanni attacking Ford about a day before his death.

I disagree. Pardoning Nixon was the wrong move. He went against the majority of Americans in doing it and denied the nation closure in the matter. Watergate should have been publicly investigated and Nixon tried. Instead, over thirty years later it's still an open wound. Ford will always be remembered as the twat who pardoned Nixon.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this.

I detested Nixon then and I detest Nixon now. Nothing would have pleased me more than to see him in a prison jumpsuit with a bullseye on his rear end.

Life is not simple, I have rarely found that moral or ethical black and white enter the equation. Thus my complaint with both US political parties.

Watergate is a fascinating piece of political history and having lived through it, I can say that this President and Nixon share one thing in common other than political party. Neither of them did/will go to jail for crimes they OBVIOUSLY committed.

It is up to you to decide if it is good for a nation to send it's Chief Executive to prison. They avoided it with Nixon and Clinton, just what makes us think that Bush won't get the same treatment?

Does it suck? Yes. But, Ford by pardoning Nixon allowed some breathing room for the American people and allowed them to recover at least SOME faith in their government. The investigation and likely incarceration of Nixon would have provided short term satisfaction for you and I. The question that really needs to be answered is what would have happened in the long run, if he had not pardoned Nixon.

It certainly would have provoked a major Constitutional crisis...and who knows what else?

Part of me agrees with you, but the pragmatist disagrees.

For war crimes, for warmongering, for invading another country on a personal agenda.


Indeed, they should have just jailed him without the lengthy trial, since his guilt was obvious from the get-go. It's unfortunately that this bastard died before his conviction

You're missing the point. Sending anyone to the court in The Hague is about as useful as a bicycle is to a fish.

Chevy Chase did a "Ford" schtick constantly falling and tripping. It was quite funny.

Yep! It's the grand-daddy of *all* the Presidential skits that came thereafter on TV in general and SNL in particular. IMO, it was the funniest until the George H.W. Bush (41) impersonation by Dana Carvey.

Now THAT was comedy! http://snltranscripts.jt.org/75/75fford.phtml

He was a good man, and the world is a little more corrupt now that he is gone.

You're missing the point. Sending anyone to the court in The Hague is about as useful as a bicycle is to a fish.

The reason the International Court of Justice at the Hague is useless is because parties who could have made this body a genuine court withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction (The US withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction under Reagan in 1986). The United States only submits itself to this Court on a case by case basis.

If it is the intent of the world to have an international judicial body adjudicate issues, then the world needs to submit to the jurisdiction of the Court permanently with no exceptions.

Without the permanent members of the UN Security Council recognizing the authority of and submitting to the permanent jurisdiction of the ICJ, then it is indeed worse than useless.

But I submit the United States as a government wants it both ways. It wishes to be jingoistic without any consequences, it wants to affect world policy with no oversight from the rest of the world, and worst of all it does not accept the Court's jurisdiction in all matters where a US politician or representative might possibly have committed grave offenses (such as war crimes) such as violating GPW IV.

It's easy to be in charge and accept no responsibility in the world's eyes, it is harder to be in charge and accept the judgement of the world.

Which is in fact far worse. He should be shipped to The Hague.

Ford did nothing to deserve that.

For war crimes, for warmongering, for invading another country on a personal agenda.

Ford invaded a nation?

Indeed, they should have just jailed him without the lengthy trial, since his guilt was obvious from the get-go. It's unfortunately that this bastard died before his conviction

For once, I agree with you.

The reason the International Court of Justice at the Hague is useless is because parties who could have made this body a genuine court withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction (The US withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction under Reagan in 1986). The United States only submits itself to this Court on a case by case basis.

Given how it handles its caseload, that's a relief!

If it is the intent of the world to have an international judicial body adjudicate issues, then the world needs to submit to the jurisdiction of the Court permanently with no exceptions.

Without the permanent members of the UN Security Council recognizing the authority of and submitting to the permanent jurisdiction of the ICJ, then it is indeed worse than useless.

Agreed. Except that even of the 67 countries that HAVE made declarations of acceptance, many have exception clauses.

But I submit the United States as a government wants it both ways. It wishes to be jingoistic without any consequences, it wants to affect world policy with no oversight from the rest of the world, and worst of all it does not accept the Court's jurisdiction in all matters where a US politician or representative might possibly have committed grave offenses (such as war crimes) such as violating GPW IV.

It's easy to be in charge and accept no responsibility in the world's eyes, it is harder to be in charge and accept the judgement of the world.

If the rest of the world actually DID intervene in problem areas, I'd agree.
But the Chinese navy stayed in port during the tsunami. Jugoslavia, Darfur, Rwanda, and dozens of other hotspots go/went unheaded. Never mind pre-invasion Iraq or present Iran and North Korea. No, the US doesn't do a perfect job. No, it does not massively intervene in areas where it has no interest. But it still does a lot more good than (say) Sweden.

Further, if the UN actually enforced its own resolutions (does anyone really expect that anything will happen to Iran?), the US wouldn't have to go it with only a few allies on any given cause. (Notable exceptions being the Korean War & Gulf War 1).