Gerald Ford - Biography - IMDb Gerald Ford Biography Showing all 61 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (1) | Trivia (45) | Personal Quotes (8) Overview (5) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Gerald Rudolph Ford was the 38th President of the United States from August 1974 until January 1977. Ford was born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska as Leslie Lynch King, Jr., being the son of Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King. His parents separated two weeks after his birth and his mother took him to Grand Rapids, Michigan to live with her parents. On February 1, 1916, his mother Dorothy King married Gerald R. Ford, a paint salesman. The Fords began calling their son Gerald R. Ford, Jr. but this name became legal only on December 3, 1935.

Aged 13, Ford knows that Gerald Ford Sr., was not his biological father, but it lasted until 1930 he met his biological father Leslie King, who made an unexpected stop in Grand Rapids. Ford grew up in a family with three younger half-brothers (Thomas, Richard, and James). He attended South High School in Grand Rapids, where he already showed is athletics skills, being named to the honor society and the "All-City" and "All-State" football teams. As a scout he was ranked Eagle Scout in November 1927. He earned money by working in the family paint business and at a local restaurant. Ford attended The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor from 1931 to 1935. He majored in economics and political science and graduated with a B.A. degree in June 1935. He played on the University's national championship football teams in 1932 and 1933 and was voted MVP of Wolverine in 1934. He also played in All-Star and benefit football games.

He denied offers from two professional football teams, (Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers), but chose to become boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach at Yale hoping to attend law school there. Ford earned his law degree in 1941. After returning to Michigan and passing his bar exam, Ford set up a law partnership in Grand Rapids with Philip Buchen, a University of Michigan fraternity brother (who later served on Ford's White House staff as Counsel to the President). In April 1942 Ford joined the U.S. Naval Reserve and became a physical fitness instructor at a flight school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the spring of 1943 he began service in the light aircraft carrier USS Monterey. Ford spent the remainder of the war ashore and was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946. He returned to Grand Rapids to become a partner in the locally prestigious law firm of Butterfield, Keeney, and Amberg. His first political experience was in the summer of 1940 when he was working in the presidential campaign of Wendell Willkie. Six years later he decided to challenge Bartel Jonkman for the Republican nomination for the U.S.

House of Representatives in the 1948 election. Ford won the nomination and after that was elected to Congress on November 2, 1948, receiving 61% of the vote. On October 15 1948, the height of the campaign, Ford married Elizabeth ('Betty') Anne Bloomer Warren, a department store fashion consultant. Betty was born on April 8, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in Grand Rapids. They subsequently had four children: Michael Gerald (March 14, 1950), John Gardner (March 16, 1952), Steven Meigs (May 19, 1956) and Susan Elizabeth (July 6, 1957). Ford served in the House of Representatives from January 3, 1949 to December 6, 1973. He was re-elected twelve times, winning each time with more than 60% of the vote. As his ambition was to become Speaker of the House already in the early 1950s, he denied offers to run for both the Senate and the Michigan governorship in these years.

In 1961 he became chairman of the House Republican Conference. In 1963 President Johnson appointed Ford to the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He was the last living member of the Warren Commission. In 1965 Ford was chosen as the House minority leader, a post he held until 1973. As minority leader Ford made more than 200 speeches a year all across the country, which made him nationally known. He was not only a close friend of Richard Nixon for many years, but also a loyal supporter in both the 1968 and 1972 presidential elections. As in 1960, Ford was again considered as a vice presidential candidate in 1968. Because the Republicans did not attain a majority in the House, Ford was unable to reach his ultimate political goal, Speaker of the House. Instead, he became president of the Senate. Late in 1973 Spiro Agnew pleaded no contest to a charge of income tax evasion and resigned as Vice President. President Nixon was empowered by the 25th Amendment to appoint a new vice president and chose Ford.

He was sworn in on December 6, 1973. On August 9, 1974, Nixon became the first president in U.S. history to resign from the office under the threat of impeachment in the Watergate scandal. The same day Gerald R. Ford took the oath of office as 38th President of the United States on August 9, 1974. Also in August 1974, Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller for vice president, which nomination was confirmed by Congress on December 19, 1974. One month after taking office President Ford faced one of the toughest decisions in his career. He decided to grant Nixon a full, free and absolute pardon for all offences against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in. The public opinion was mostly negative about the pardon and there was even suspicion Ford and Nixon had made a deal to grant a pardon if Nixon would resign. Although this happened on September 8, 1974, it might have cost the re-election of Ford two years later.

On November 24, 1974, in the conference hall of the Okeansky Sanitarium, Vladivostok, USSR, President Ford and Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev signed the SALT-treaty, following talks on the limitation of strategic offensive arms In March 1975, during the final days of the Vietnam War, Ford ordered the airlift of about 237,000 Vietnamese refugees to the United States. Two months later, on May 14, 1975, Ford ordered U.S. forces to retake the S.S. Mayaguez after its seizure by Cambodia, an action Ford characterized as an "act of piracy." The operation saved the ship's 39-member crew, but sadly 41 Americans were killed and 50 more wounded during the preparation and execution of the rescue. President Ford was twice the target of assassination attempts. Both took place in on two separate trips to California in September 1975 and both were 'performed' by women.

On September 5, 1975 he survived an assassination attempt in Sacramento, California, by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of a cult once led by convicted mass murderer Charles Manson. On September 22, 1975, in San Francisco, California, Sara Jane Moore fired a shot at the president, but a bystander diverted the shot. Despite his former athletics skills, Gerald Ford tumbled several times during his presidency. No cause was ever communicated. At the Republican National Convention in August 1976, Ford fought off a serious challenge from Californian Governor Ronald Reagan to be nominated as his party's presidential candidate. He chose Senator Robert Dole of Kansas as his running mate. Although he succeeded in closing in on Democrat Jimmy Carter's large lead in the polls, President Ford finally lost one of the closest elections in history in November 1976. After leaving office, Gerald and Betty Ford returned to private life and moved to California where they built a new house in Rancho Mirage, which became his last residence. President Ford continued to actively participate in the political process and to speak out on important political issues. He lectured at hundreds of colleges and universities.

In 1981, the Gerald R. Ford Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, were dedicated. President Ford was the recipient of numerous awards and honors by many civic organizations, like the recipient of many honorary Doctor of Law degrees from various public and private colleges and universities. In August 1999, President Bill Clinton presented Ford with the nation's highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom. Two months later, in October 1999, Senate and House leaders presented Ford and his wife, Betty, with the Congressional Gold Medal. Together with former President Carter, he served as honorary Co-Chair of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform in 2001. In May 2001 he was presented with the Profiles in Courage award for his controversial decision to pardon former President Nixon. In August 2000 Ford suffered a mild stroke while attending the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On May 16, 2003 following fluctuations in blood pressure and hot weather, Ford suffered dizzy spells on the golf course and taken to hospital. He was released the next day.

Although President Ford cut back on his travel and public appearances in recent years, he attended funeral services for President Ronald Reagan at Washington's National Cathedral, sitting with former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Carter, and their wives in June 2004. In August 2006, he was discharged from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, after doctors tried to reduce or eliminate blockages in his coronary arteries. They also implanted a pacemaker to improve his heart performance. In the fall of 2006 Ford spent several days at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage for medical tests. He was released on October 16. On November 12, 2006, Ford officially became the longest-lived president, surpassing Ronald Reagan. Ford would extend the record by 45 days. On December 26, 2006 at 6:45 p.m., President Ford died in his house in Rancho Mirage, California. He was aged 93 years and 165 days old, making him the longest-lived United States President. No cause of death was communicated. A state funeral and memorial services were held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

on January 2, 2007. President Ford was buried at his presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. President Gerald Ford is survived by his wife Betty, after more than 58 years of marriage, and by their four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Richard, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Aernout Fetter (apfetter@zonnet.nl) Spouse (1) ( 15 October 1948 - 26 December 2006) (his death) (4 children) Trade Mark (1) Known for occasional stumbles and falls in public while in office Trivia (45) Chosen as U.S. President Richard Nixon 's vice president after the resignation of Spiro Agnew . Later, Ford succeeded Nixon as U.S. President when Nixon resigned from office. Ford is the first person to hold the office of U.S. President without the vote of the people. Ford was sworn in as Vice President on 6 December 1973, after the resignation of then-Vice President Spiro Agnew . Served in the U.S.

House of Representatives from 1949-1973. In 1963, U.S. President Johnson appointed Ford to the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of U.S. President Kennedy. Ford was the longest lived member of that Commission. Ford pardoned U.S. President Nixon for Nixon's involvement in Watergate, which was largely unpopular with the U.S. public. Many believe the pardon cost Ford the 1976 U.S. Presidential election, but Ford maintained that it was the right thing to do for the good of the country. In 2001, Senator Ted Kennedy , a staunch critic of the pardon in 1974, admitted that it had been the right decision for the country. On two separate trips to California in September of 1975, Ford was the target of assassination attempts. Both of the assailants were women of 'Charles Manson (I)''s group of criminals, they were Lynette Fromme and Sara Jane Moore . Played football while in college, and, after graduation, was offered positions with both the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. He declined each in favor of coaching boxing and football at Yale University.

His children and their birth-dates: Michael Gerald, born on Tuesday, March 14th, 1950. John Gardner was born on Sunday, March 16th, 1952. Steven Meigs was born on Saturday, May 19th, 1956 and Susan Elizabeth, was born on Saturday, July 6th, 1957. Earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1927. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War Two. Ford was born Leslie Lynch King Jr., but his parents separated two weeks after his birth. His mother remarried when Ford was two, and his name was changed to that of his stepfather, Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. Ford did not know until he was seventeen years old that his stepfather was not his biological father. Graduated from the University of Michigan and Yale University Law School. He was an avid golfer. Ford was left-handed only when sitting down. Although he signed all official documents with his left hand, he was photographed writing on a chalkboard and throwing a softball with his right hand, both while standing. Portrayed on Saturday Night Live (1975) by Chevy Chase .

As of 14 July 2003 he was one of only four U.S. Presidents to live into his nineties. The other three were John Adams (1735-1826), Herbert Hoover (1874-1964), and Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). August 2, 2000, he was admitted to hospital after suffering two mild strokes at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. May 18, 2003, he was admitted to hospital after suffering dizzy spells during a golf game he played in ninety-six degree Fahrenheit heat in Rancho Mirage, California. Although Ford was not an All-American football player at the University of Michigan, his jersey number (48) was retired in a stadium ceremony 8 October 1994. Ford was the only United States President who had been adopted as a child. After the death of Ronald Reagan , he became the oldest living former President. Ronald Reagan 's lifetime, in days alone, was 34,088 days, while Gerald Ford 's lifetime, in days, alone was 34,133 days.

Gerald Ford lived only 45 days more than Ronald Reagan. Is the only person to date who has served as Vice President and President without having been elected to either office. He took each office after the respective resignations of Spiro Agnew and Richard Nixon . He was a close friend of Jimmy Carter despite their quite different political ideologies and the fact Carter defeated him in the 1976 presidential election. In Thomas P. 'Tip' O'Neill 's memoir, "Man of the House", Ford confided to O'Neill that he was considering running for President in 1980. Was a member of the Warren Commission. His wife, Betty Ford , suffered from alcoholism. His wife, Betty Ford , founded The Betty Ford Clinic for alcohol & drug rehabilitation. Hospitalized with shortness of breath in July 2006. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum H0022-4 - Gerald Ford as student Madison Elementary School, ca. 1923.

(Full size image is 55K) Gerald Rudolph Ford, the 38th President of the United States, was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., the son of Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents separated two weeks after his birth and divorced later that year. He and his mother eventually settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan where her parents lived. On February 1, 1916, Dorothy King married Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman. The Fords began calling her son Gerald R. Ford, Jr., although his name was not legally changed until December 3, 1935. He had known since he was thirteen years old that Gerald Ford, Sr., was not his biological father, but it was not until 1930 when Leslie King made an unexpected stop in Grand Rapids that he had a chance meeting with this biological father. The future president grew up in a close-knit family which included three younger half-brothers, Thomas, Richard, and James.

Ford attended South High School in Grand Rapids, where he excelled scholastically and athletically, being named to the honor society and the "All-City" and "All-State" football teams. He was also active in scouting, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in November 1927. He earned spending money by working in the family paint business and at a local restaurant. From 1931 to 1935 Ford attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he majored in economics. He graduated with a B.A. degree in June 1935. He financed his education with part-time jobs, a small scholarship from his high school, and modest family assistance. A gifted athlete, Ford played on the University's national championship football teams in 1932 and 1933. He was voted the Wolverine's most valuable player in 1934 and on January 1, 1935, played in the annual East-West College All-Star game in San Francisco, for the benefit of the Shrine Crippled Children's Hospital. In August 1935 he played in the Chicago Tribune College All-Star football game at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears.

H0035-1 - Gerald Ford at the University of Michigan, with fellow football players Russell Fuog, Chuck Bernard, Herman Everhardus, and Stan Fay, 1934. (Full size image is 102K) He received offers from two professional football teams, the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers, but chose instead to take a position as boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach at Yale hoping to attend law school there. Among those he coached were future U.S. Senators Robert Taft, Jr. and William Proxmire. Yale officials initially denied him admission to the law school, because of his full-time coaching responsibilities, but admitted him in the spring of 1938. Ford earned his LL.B. degree in 1941, graduating in the top 25 percent of his class in spite of the time he had to devote to his coaching duties. His introduction to politics came in the summer of 1940 when he worked in Wendell Willkie's presidential campaign. After returning to Michigan and passing his bar exam, Ford and a University of Michigan fraternity brother, Philip A.

Buchen (who later served on Ford's White House staff as Counsel to the President), set up a law partnership in Grand Rapids. He also taught a course in business law at the University of Grand Rapids and served as line coach for the school's football team. He had just become active in a group of reform-minded Republicans in Grand Rapids, calling themselves the Home Front, who were interested in challenging the hold of local political boss Frank McKay, when the United States entered World War II. In April 1942 Ford joined the U.S. Naval Reserve receiving a commission as an ensign. After an orientation program at Annapolis, he became a physical fitness instructor at a pre- flight school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the spring of 1943 he began service in the light aircraft carrier USS MONTEREY. He was first assigned as athletic director and gunnery division officer, then as assistant navigator, with the MONTEREY which took part in most of the major operations in the South Pacific, including Truk, Saipan, and the Philippines.

His closest call with death came not as a result of enemy fire, however, but during a vicious typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. He came within inches of being swept overboard while the storm raged. The ship, which was severely damaged by the storm and the resulting fire, had to be taken out of service. Ford spent the remainder of the war ashore and was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946. H0038-3 - Gerald Ford campaigning with farmers, 1948 (Full size image is 103K) When he returned to Grand Rapids Ford became a partner in the locally prestigious law firm of Butterfield, Keeney, and Amberg. A self-proclaimed compulsive "joiner," Ford was well-known throughout the community. Ford has stated that his experiences in World War II caused him to reject his previous isolationist leanings and adopt an internationalist outlook. With the encouragement of his stepfather, who was county Republican chairman, the Home Front, and Senator Arthur Vandenberg, Ford decided to challenge the isolationist incumbent Bartel Jonkman for the Republican nomination for the U.S.

House of Representatives in the 1948 election. He won the nomination by a wide margin and was elected to Congress on November 2, receiving 61 percent of the vote in the general election. During the height of the campaign Gerald Ford married Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Warren, a department store fashion consultant. They were to have four children: Michael Gerald, born March 14, 1950; John Gardner, born March 16, 1952; Steven Meigs, born May 19, 1956; and Susan Elizabeth, born July 6, 1957. Gerald Ford served in the House of Representatives from January 3, 1949 to December 6, 1973, being reelected twelve times, each time with more than 60% of the vote. He became a member of the House Appropriations Committee in 1951, and rose to prominence on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, becoming its ranking minority member in 1961.

He once described himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a conservative in fiscal policy." As his reputation as a legislator grew, Ford declined offers to run for both the Senate and the Michigan governorship in the early 1950s. His ambition was to become Speaker of the House. In 1960 he was mentioned as a possible running mate for Richard Nixon in the presidential election. In 1961, in a revolt of the "Young Turks," a group of younger, more progressive House Republicans who felt that the older leadership was stagnating, Ford defeated sixty-seven year old Charles Hoeven of Iowa for Chairman of the House Republican Conference, the number three leadership position in the party. In 1963 President Johnson appointed Ford to the Warren Commission investigating the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In 1965 Ford co-authored, with John R. Stiles, a book about the findings of the Commission, Portrait of the Assassin. The battle for the 1964 Republican nomination for president was drawn on ideological lines, but Ford avoided having to choose between Nelson Rockefeller and Barry Goldwater by standing behind Michigan favorite son George Romney.

In 1965 Ford was chosen by the Young Turks as their best hope to challenge Charles Halleck for the position of minority leader of the House. He won by a small margin and took over the position early in 1965, holding it for eight years. Ford led Republican opposition to many of President Johnson's programs, favoring more conservative alternatives to his social welfare legislation and opposing Johnson's policy of gradual escalation in Vietnam. As minority leader Ford made more than 200 speeches a year all across the country, a circumstance which made him nationally known. AV82-31-502 - Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and other members of the Chowder and Marching club at a meeting celebrating Mr. Ford's becoming Minority Leader, February 24, 1965. (Full size image is 52K) In both the 1968 and 1972 elections Ford was a loyal supporter of Richard Nixon, who had been a friend for many years. In 1968 Ford was again considered as a vice presidential candidate. Ford backed the President's economic and foreign policies and remained on good terms with both the conservative and liberal wings of the Republican party.

Because the Republicans did not attain a majority in the House, Ford was unable to reach his ultimate political goal--to be Speaker of the House. Ironically, he did become president of the Senate. When Spiro Agnew resigned the office of Vice President of the United States late in 1973, after pleading no contest to a charge of income tax evasion, President Nixon was empowered by the 25th Amendment to appoint a new vice president. Presumably, he needed someone who could work with Congress, survive close scrutiny of his political career and private life, and be confirmed quickly. He chose Gerald R. Ford. Following the most thorough background investigation in the history of the FBI, Ford was confirmed and sworn in on December 6, 1973. A0004-10 - Gerald R. Ford is sworn in as the 38th President of the United States by Chief Justice Warren Burger as Mrs. Ford looks on, August 9, 1974.

Full size image is 222K) The specter of the Watergate scandal, the break-in at Democratic headquarters during the 1972 campaign and the ensuing cover-up by Nixon administration officials, hung over Ford's nine-month tenure as vice president. When it became apparent that evidence, public opinion, and the mood in Congress were all pointing toward impeachment, Nixon became the first president in U.S. history to resign from that office. Gerald R. Ford took the oath of office as President of the United States on August 9, 1974, stating that "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works." Within the month Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller for vice president. On December 19, 1974, Rockefeller was confirmed by Congress, over the opposition of many conservatives, and the country had a full complement of leaders again. One of the most difficult decisions of Ford's presidency was made just a month after he took office. Believing that protracted impeachment proceedings would keep the country mired in Watergate and unable to address the other problems facing it, Ford decided to grant a pardon to Richard Nixon prior to the filing of any formal criminal charges.

Public reaction was mostly negative; Ford was even suspected of having made a "deal" with the former president to pardon him if he would resign. The decision may have cost him the election in 1976, but President Ford always maintained that it was the right thing to do for the good of the country. President Ford inherited an administration plagued by a divisive war in Southeast Asia, rising inflation, and fears of energy shortages. He faced many difficult decisions including replacing Nixon's staff with his own, restoring the credibility of the presidency, and dealing with a Congress increasingly assertive of its rights and powers. In domestic policy, President Ford felt that through modest tax and spending cuts, deregulating industries, and decontrolling energy prices to stimulate production, he could contain both inflation and unemployment. This would also reduce the size and role of the federal government and help overcome the energy shortage. His philosophy was best summarized by one of his favorite speech lines, "A government big enough to give us everything we want is a government big enough to take from us everything we have." The heavily Democratic Congress often disagreed with Ford, leading to numerous confrontations and his frequent use of the veto to control government spending.

Through compromise, bills involving energy decontrol, tax cuts, deregulation of the railroad and securities industries, and antitrust law reform were approved. In foreign policy, Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger continued the policy of detente with the Soviet Union and "shuttle diplomacy" in the Middle East. U.S.-Soviet relations were marked by on-going arms negotiations, the Helsinki agreements on human rights principles and East European national boundaries, trade negotiations, and the symbolic Apollo-Soyuz joint manned space flight. Ford's personal diplomacy was highlighted by trips to Japan and China, a 10-day European tour, and co-sponsorship of the first international economic summit meeting, as well as the reception of numerous foreign heads of state, many of whom came in observance of the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. A2092-3A - President Ford and Soviet General Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev sign a Joint Communique following talks on the limitation of strategic offensive arms in the conference hall of the Okeansky Sanitarium, Vladivostok, USSR, November 24, 1974.

(Full size image is 41K) With the fall of South Vietnam in 1975 as background, Congress and the President struggled repeatedly over presidential war powers, oversight of the CIA and covert operations, military aid appropriations, and the stationing of military personnel. On May 14, 1975, in a dramatic move, Ford ordered U.S. forces to retake the S.S. MAYAGUEZ, an American merchant ship seized by Cambodian gunboats two days earlier in international waters. The vessel was recovered and all 39 crewmen saved. In the preparation and execution of the rescue, however, 41 Americans lost their lives. On two separate trips to California in September 1975, Ford was the target of assassination attempts. Both of the assailants were women -- Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme and Sara Jane Moore. During the 1976 campaign, Ford fought off a strong challenge by Ronald Reagan to gain the Republican nomination. He chose Senator Robert Dole of Kansas as his running mate and succeeded in narrowing Democrat Jimmy Carter's large lead in the polls, but finally lost one of the closest elections in history.

Three televised candidate debates were focal points of the campaign. Upon returning to private life, President and Mrs. Ford moved to California where they built a new house in Rancho Mirage. President Ford's memoir, A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, was published in 1979. After leaving office, President Ford continued to actively participate in the political process and to speak out on important political issues. He lectured at hundreds of colleges and universities, on such issues as Congressional/White House relations, federal budget policies, and domestic and foreign policy issues. He attended the annual Public Policy Week Conferences of the American Enterprise Institute, and in 1982 established the AEI World Forum, which he hosted for many years in Vail/Beaver Creek, Colorado. This was an international gathering of former and current world leaders and business executives to discuss political and business policies impacting current issues. In 1981, the Gerald R. Ford Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, were dedicated.

President Ford participated in conferences at either site dealing with such subjects as the Congress, the presidency and foreign policy; Soviet-American relations; German reunification, the Atlantic Alliance, and the future of American foreign policy; national security requirements for the ‘90s; humor and the presidency; and the role of First Ladies. The former President was the recipient of numerous awards and honors by many civic organizations. He was also the recipient of many honorary Doctor of Law degrees from various public and private colleges and universities. President Ford died on December 26, 2006 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. After ceremonies in California, Washington, and Grand Rapids, he was interred on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. Gerald Ford - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com Google Early Years and Congressional Career Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was born in Omaha, Nebraska , on July 14, 1913. His name at birth was Leslie Lynch King Jr., after his biological father. His mother, Dorothy, divorced King when her son was a baby and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan . She then married Gerald R. Ford, a successful paint salesman who adopted her young son.

Ford recalled in his memoirs that he learned about his biological father at the age of 12 and only met the man a couple of times. Did You Know? Although Gerald Ford had a reputation for being clumsy, he was one of the most accomplished athletes ever to grace the Oval Office. He was a gridiron star who won college football national championships in 1932 and 1933 with the University of Michigan, and was also an expert downhill skier. A high-school football star in Grand Rapids, Ford attended the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship. After earning a degree in economics in 1935, he later went on to study law at Yale University. Shortly after he graduated from law school in 1941, America.entered World War II (1939-45). Ford enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard an aircraft carrier. In 1948, he married Elizabeth (Betty) Bloomer Warren (1918-), a former professional dancer and department store fashion coordinator.

They eventually had four children: Michael (1950-), John (1952-), Steven (1956-) and Susan (1957-). Ford also launched his career in politics in 1948, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in the House for the next 25 years, earning a reputation as a friendly, honest, loyal and hardworking Republican. In 1964, he served on the Warren Commission that investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). The following year, Ford became House Minority Leader. An Unexpected Presidency The unusual chain of events that lifted Ford to the Oval Office began in 1972 when operatives connected to President Richard Nixon’s (1913-1994) re-election campaign broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington , D.C. A number of high-ranking Nixon administration officials knew about the break-in, and the president himself took part in efforts to cover up the illegal activities that became known as the Watergate scandal. As the scandal came to light, Vice President Spiro T.

Agnew (1918-1996) resigned from office in October 1973 over unrelated charges of accepting bribes and evading taxes. Nixon used his power under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to appoint Ford as his new vice president. The well-liked and respected Ford was easily confirmed by Congress and took office on December 6, 1973. For the next eight months, as the Watergate investigation heated up, Ford defended Nixon and represented the administration. On August 9, 1974, however, Nixon chose to resign from office rather than face an impeachment trial over his role in the scandal. Ford assumed the presidency and immediately took up the task of reassuring a shaken and demoralized American public. “Our long national nightmare is over,” he declared in his inaugural address. “Our Constitution works. Our great republic is a government of laws and not men.” The Nixon Pardon Shortly after taking office, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed as president. The presidential pardon meant that Nixon would never have to face criminal charges over his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Ford’s decision generated a swirl of controversy.

Millions of Americans wanted to see the disgraced former president brought to justice. Some critics charged that Ford issued the pardon as part of a pre-arranged deal to reach the Oval Office. But Ford insisted that the nation’s future hinged on ending the ordeal of Watergate and beginning the process of healing. During the remaining two years of his presidency, Ford faced a domestic energy crisis and a weak economy marked by high inflation and unemployment. He also struggled to work effectively with a heavily Democratic Congress. In fact, Ford vetoed 66 pieces of legislation that conflicted with his basic philosophy of fiscal conservatism. Ford’s foreign policy generated both successes and failures. Unable to convince Congress to approve further military aid to South Vietnam, he could only watch as the country fell to North Vietnamese Communist forces in 1975. Later that year, however, Ford helped reduce tensions with the Soviet Union by signing the Helsinki Accords, which were meant to strengthen the relationship between Western nations and the communist countries of Europe. Post-White House Years Ford understood that his decision to pardon Nixon could have political consequences, and it probably cost him the presidency in 1976. That year, he lost a close election to Democrat Jimmy Carter (1924-).

Ford took the loss in stride, however, telling friends that he had planned to retire from Congress that year anyway. He viewed his brief tenure in the Oval Office as an unexpected bonus at the end of a long career in politics. Ford often said that he was pleased to have had the opportunity to help the nation emerge from the shadow of Watergate. The former president remained active in his retirement. He gave speeches, served on the boards of major corporations and indulged his passions for golf and downhill skiing. He and his wife, who battled alcoholism at a time when the disease was not publicly discussed, also opened the Betty Ford Clinic in California to support research, treatment and rehabilitation for alcohol addiction. In 1999, Ford received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor “awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” Ford died on December 26, 2006, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 93. At the time of his death, he was America’s oldest ex-president.

Access hundreds of hours of historical video, commercial free, with HISTORY Vault . Start your free trial today. Tags Biography of President Gerald Ford for Kids Born: July 14, 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska Died: December 26, 2006 (aged 93) Rancho Mirage, California Married: Elizabeth Bloomer Ford Children: John, Michael, Steven, Susan Nickname: Jerry Biography: What is Gerald Ford most known for? Gerald Ford became president amidst the scandals of his predecessor Richard Nixon . He is the only man to become president without having been elected to the office of president or vice president. Growing Up Gerald Ford was born in Nebraska, but while he was still a baby his parents were divorced. He and his mother moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where Gerald would grow up. His mother remarried to Gerald Ford Sr. who adopted Gerald and gave him his name. Gerald's birth name was Leslie Lynch King. Growing up Gerald was an excellent athlete. His best sport was football where he played center and linebacker. He went on to play for the University of Michigan where they won two national championships. Gerald also was in the Boy Scouts.

He earned the Eagle Scout badge and was the only president to achieve Eagle Scout. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Gerald turned down offers to play professional football with the NFL to go to Yale Law University. While at Yale he studied law and coached the boxing team. After graduating from Yale, Ford passed the bar exam and opened his own law firm. However, soon World War II broke out and Ford enlisted in the Navy. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander while serving on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. Ford and Brezhnev by David Hume Kennerly Before He Became President In 1948 Ford was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served as a congressman for the next 25 years. For the last 8 years of his service he was the Minority Leader of the House. Ford earned the respect of many of his peers through this time as being a fair and honest politician. Vice President As scandals rocked President Richard Nixon's White House, the current Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned from office. The president needed someone the people and his fellow leaders could trust. He chose Gerald Ford and Ford took over as vice president.

Soon more information broke on the Watergate scandal and it became clear that President Nixon would be impeached. Instead of putting himself and the country through a bitter trial, Nixon resigned from office. Per the 25th Amendment, Gerald Ford was now president despite having not been elected to the office of either vice president or president. Gerald Ford's Presidency Ford considered it his job to restore the country's faith in their leaders and the office of president. In this effort he largely succeeded and when President Jimmy Carter took his oath of office, he began his speech with "For myself and for our Nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land." Ford continued with Nixon's effort on foreign relations. He brokered a temporary truce in the Middle East. He also established new treaties with the Soviet Union further reducing nuclear arms. The economy struggled, however, during Ford's time as president. The country entered a recession with high inflation and many people losing their jobs. Pardon for Nixon Shortly after becoming president, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed. Although this was expected, many people were upset with Ford for doing this and it is probably the main reason why he wasn't elected to a second term.

How did he die? Gerald Ford retired to California after leaving office. He refused to get involved in politics and led a quiet life. He lived to the old age of 93 before dying in 2006. Gerald Ford and dog Liberty Photo by David Hume Kennerly Fun Facts About Gerald Ford His middle name is Rudolph. He nearly died in World War II when a typhoon hit his aircraft carrier and it caught fire. Around 400 Eagle Scouts attended Ford's funeral and took part in the procession. His number 48 football jersey was retired at the University of Michigan. While a congressman, Gerald was a member of the Warren Commission which investigated the assassination of John F. Kennedy . Ford was awarded the Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2003 for his pardon of Nixon. Many people hated him for it, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Even democratic Senator Ed Kennedy, who was strongly against the pardon at the time, said he later realized that Ford made the right decision. Activities President Gerald Ford Donald Trump Key Dates 1913 Born in Omaha, Nebraska. (His name then was Leslie Lynch King Jr.

In 1916 he was adopted by his step father and his name was changed. 1935 Gerald Ford graduated from the University of Michigan. 1941 Ford graduated from the Yale Law School. 1942 -46 He served in the Navy during WWII 1948 Gerald Ford was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. 1964 Warren Commission which Ford served as a member concluded that there was no evidence of a conspiracy in the assassination of Kennedy. 1972 Watergate break-in. 1973 President Nixon appointed Ford as his Vice President. 1974 Nixon resigned as President and Gerald Ford became President. 1974 Ford pardoned Nixon. 1976 Lost the presidential election to Jimmy Carter. 1979 Ford published his memoir A Time to Heal. 1980 Ford declined to serve as Reagan's vice president. 1982 Betty and Gerald Ford open the Betty Ford Center. 2001 Ex-President Ford receives the Profile in Courage Award form the John F. Kennedy Foundation. 2006 Gerald Ford died. Surpassed Ronald Reagan as the nation's longest-lived president. Gerald Rudolph.

Ford 38th President Gerald was born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 14, 1913. Gerald R. Ford Jr. was the only President born in Nebraska. He was also the only President that was a resident of Michigan. He was named Leslie Lynch King, Jr. at birth. When his divorced mother remarried, he was adopted by his stepfather and named Gerald R. Ford after him. He was known as "Jerry." President Ford didn't know he was adopted until he was 12 years old. A second source says 17 years old. When his name was changed on December 3, 1935 his middle name was spelled Rudolf. However, Ford used the spelling Rudolph to give less of a German name. Gerald Ford considered himself a Republican from a very young age.. He was all city (Grand Rapids) and all state in football. He was the center on the University of Michigan Football Team. He also played linebacker. Ford was the MVP of the Michigan team. He was MVP on a team with a record of 1 and 7. He then played on two national champion Michigan teams at center, but not as a starter.

He was offered contracts to play football for the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. They offered to pay him $200 a game for a 14 game season. Ford was one of three presidents who majored in economics while is college. George H. Bursh and Ronald Reagan were the others. He married Elizabeth (Betty) Anne Bloomer on October 15, 1948. The next day they went to a University of Michigan football game as part of their Honeymoon. Gerald Ford was the first President whose parents were divorced. Ford was the first President to have been an Eagle Scout. Gerald R. Ford once worked as a fashion model. Ford was a model for Cosmopolitan and Look magazines in the 1940's. Ford studied law at Yale University. He graduated in the top third of his class. Gerald enlisted in the Navy Reserves on April 20, 1942. He served from 1942-1946 he served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. His ship took part in most of the major battles. (Wake Island, Okinawa, and the Philippines.) He was a decorated Naval officer.

Gerald was awarded ten battle stars for naval battles in the pacific. He is right-handed, but he wrote with his left hand. He always signed his name Jerry Ford. Ford smoked a pipe. He won his first election to the House of Representatives in 1948 by getting 60% of the vote. That was his smallest margin of victory in his career as a Representative. He spent 24 years as a representative. One of his professional goals was to became Speaker of the House. To reach that goal he worked to get a seat on the House Appropriations Committee. (Several Speakers of the House had served on that committee.) Ford was one of the members of the Warren Commission appointed to study the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He was the last living member of the Commission. While he was a congressman he bought a Polaroid Camera. They had just been invented and the camera printed a picture instantly. When people from his home district came to visit he would have their picture taken with him as a souvenir. If he wasn't in his office he allow people to sit at his desk and one of his aids would take their picture. The president enjoyed butter pecan ice cream.

Ford was 6' tall and weighed about 195. Ford was the only President who was employed by the National Park Service. He worked as a park ranger in Yellowstone in 1936. Ford's congressional office was across the hall from another young congressman named John Kennedy. They became close friends. He also became friends with Richard Nixon. When Nixon was getting ready to resign, he call Ford to the White House. The two shook hands and sat down. There was silence in the room and Nixon turned to Ford and said: "I know you will do well." At that moment Ford knew Nixon was resigning and he would become president. The next day Nixon resigned. Gerald Ford was Vice President to Richard Nixon. The vote to confirm his vice president was 92-3 in the Senate and 387-35 in the house. He was sworn into office by Chief Justice Warren Burger. Gerald R. Ford, 1974. Library of Congress (Click on image for a larger picture.) Gerald Ford became President with the resignation of Richard Nixon. He was one of 9 vice presidents to become president . He was the only vice president who didn't become president due to a president's death.

Gerald R. Ford was the only president not elected by the people as either vice president or president. Therefore, he is the only President to not run for the Presidency or Vice Presidency and become President. As one book states he was the first un-elected President. He was the Speaker of the House and replace Vice President Agnew when he resigned and then replace Richard Nixon when he resigned. He was the second President to wear contacts while in office. Johnson and Reagan also wore contacts. On September 8, 1974, President Ford granted a pardon to Richard Nixon. Ford was highly critized for pardoning Nixon and his popularity rating dropped quickly. Ford felt it was the only want to put the Watergate scandal behind him and the nation. President Ford was the first president to visit Japan while in office. President Ford hired a joke writer. In 1975, Gerald Ford officially reinstated Robert E. Lee as a U. S. citizen. (Lee was the top ranking Confederate General in the Civil War.) Gerald Ford also loved golf, but spectators had to watch carefully because the President was know for conking people on the head with his wild shots. However, he did have a hole-in-one to his credit.

(He was the second president to do that. Eisenhower also had a hole-in-one. President Ford said he wanted to "replace a national frown with a national smile." He was an Episcopalian. In 1975, two attempts were made to assassinate President Ford. One on September 5 by Lynette (Squeaky) Fromme. She was a follower of Charles Manson. The second was on September 22, by Sara Jane Moore. President Ford was not hurt in either attempt. (For more information see our page on the attempts to assassinate President Ford. ) Shortly after becoming president he gave a full pardon to Richard Nixon (Sept. 8,1974). Some people say that this lead to his defeat to Jimmy Carter in the next presidential election (1976). He is the only president to grant a pardon to another president. Gerald Ford's Vice President was Nelson Rockefeller (1974-1977). When President Ford entered the room the band would play the Michigan Fight song instead of Hail to the Cheif. President Ford vetoed 15 bills in his first three months in office.

That was more that Nixon had vetoed in 18 months. However, many of those vetoes were overridden. He had more vetoes overridden than any other president. On April 23, 1973, President Ford in a speech at Tulane University announced that the war in Vietnam was finished. Ford stated: "Today, America can regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by refighting a war that is finished as far as America is concerned." On July 8th, 1975, President Ford announced his candidacy for the 1976 Republican presidential election. On September 5, 1975, "Sqeaky" Fromme tried to assassinate President Ford. She had a loaded gun but there was a bullet in the firing chamber. She pointed the gun at Gerald Ford. The Secret Service restrained her. After a second assassination attempt by Sara Jane Moore, the presidents started wearing a bullet proof vest. Gerald Ford had Golden Retriever named Liberty. The 1976 Presidential election was the only election he ever lost. Ford had several problems in running for president ion 1976. The economy was in bad shape.

Economic growth had slowed and inflation was taking place. Also within his own party, conservatives were upset and wanted Reagan as their nominee. The election of 1976 was the closest since 1916. Popular vote was 40.8 million for Carter and 39.1 million for Ford. The electorial vote was 297 for Carter and 240 for Ford. President Ford was in office for 896 days. Only two Vice Presidents served less day. ( Lyndon Johnson - 425 and Calvin Coolidge -580) It was the 5th shortest term served by any president. In his last State of the Union address on January 12, 1977, President Ford stated: "I can report that the state of the union is good. There is room for improvement, as always, but today we have a more perfect Union than when my stewardship began." President Carter first words in his inaugural address were: "For myself and for our nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land." President Ford and President Carter became close friends and work on several programs together. Ford won the John F.

Kennedy "Profile in Courage Award" for having the courage to pardon Richard Nixon. Many of his critics for pardoning Nixon came to realize later it was the best thing that he could have done to heal our nation and put Watergate behind us. It was said that he always followed the three rules that he learned as a kid from Michigan: Tell the Truth, Work Hard, and Come to Dinner on Time. Gerald R. Ford owns a home for skiing in Beaver Creek, CO. The Fords became millionaires after he left office. He published several books, spoke at corporate functions and had a NBC contract. Ford passed Ronald Reagan as the oldest person ever to be president Ford became 93 years and 121 days old. That was one month older than Reagan. ( Oldest living and deceased Presidents. ) His obituary took three pages in the New York Times. He lied repose in California, then Washington DC and was buried next to the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, MI. At right is a image of the statue at the Museum in Grand Rapids, MI. It has basic information on the front and quotes by Ford on the other three sides.

My favorite is from his swearing in speech: "I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your President by your ballots, and so I ask you to confirm me as your President with your prayers. And I hope that such prayers will also be the first of many. If you have not chosen me by secret ballot, neither have I gained office by any secret promises. I have not campaigned either for the Presidency or the Vice Presidency. I have not subscribed to any partisan platform. I am indebted to no man, and only to one womanï¿½my dear wifeï¿½as I begin this very difficult job." Gerald Ford

Question: What was US President Gerald Ford’s middle name?
Answer: Rudolph