Posted by
Silvio Canto, Jr. on Saturday, July 15, 2006 4:59:18 PM
Some of us are old enough to remember August 9, 1974. At noon, Gerald Ford became the 38th president of the US following Pres. Nixon's resignation.
On Friday, Pres. Ford celebrated his 93rd birthday (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/14/politics/main1805523.shtml)
Ford had a short but consequential presidency. He lost a close election to Jimmy Carter in '76. (http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1102.html#article)
I can still remember the 1976 election night. Carter got off to an early start but Ford made a great comeback as the election moved west. Finally, Carter went over the electoral college early morning and Ford conceded around noon.
Ford's most important accomplishment was to restore integrity and a sense of normalcy to the country after Watergate.
Happy # 93 to a very decent man.
In retrospect, the failed Carter presidency made Reagan possible, and the Republican domination of politics.