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Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life
“Not since Harry Truman succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt twenty-nine years earlier had the American people known so little about a man who had stepped forward from obscurity to take the oath of office as President of the United States.”
—from Chapter 4 This is a comprehensive narrative account of the life of Gerald Ford written by one of his closest advisers, James Cannon. Written with unique insight and benefiting from personal interviews with President Ford in his last years, Gerald R. An Honorable Life is James Cannon’s final look at the simple and honest man from the Midwest.
—from Chapter 4 This is a comprehensive narrative account of the life of Gerald Ford written by one of his closest advisers, James Cannon. Written with unique insight and benefiting from personal interviews with President Ford in his last years, Gerald R. An Honorable Life is James Cannon’s final look at the simple and honest man from the Midwest.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
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August 1, 2018
https://bestpresidentialbios.com/2018...
Published posthumously in 2013, “Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life” is James Cannon’s second biography of the president he worked for as Domestic Policy Advisor. Cannon was previously a journalist and war correspondent, a political adviser to Governor Nelson Rockefeller and chief of staff for Senator Howard Baker. Cannon died in 2011 at the age of 93.
This 461-page biography seems to be the book Cannon originally intended to write in the early 1990s when he authored “Time and Chance: Gerald Ford’s Appointment with History.” While working on that book, the story of Ford’s early life captured the author’s focus and it would be two decades before Cannon returned to the task of more closely covering Ford’s presidency and retirement years.
It is quickly clear that this biography does not just supplement Cannon’s earlier book on Ford – it supplants it entirely, rendering the original work obsolete. The two books have much in common but “An Honorable Life” provides the reader more context, more color on certain historical events and much greater coverage of Ford’s presidency (accounting for about half of this book). But an eighteen-page Epilogue is all that is offered of Ford’s retirement years and the author’s final assessment of his character and legacy.
Readers of Cannon’s earlier book will recognize the author’s chief strengths: his coherent writing style, his significant insight into Ford’s political assets (and liabilities), and his ability to efficiently summarize complicated topics such as Watergate and Vietnam. But this newer biography also benefits greatly from Ford’s willingness to share his time and thoughts with the author.
This book also provides the reader with incremental insight into important supporting characters such as Betty Ford, Judge John Sirica and Nelson Rockefeller and, with the benefit of time and additional historical perspective, provides a more thorough and nuanced view of Watergate.
But like his earlier Ford biography, “An Honorable Life” is a relatively bland, matter-of-fact treatment of its subject. Ford’s life may not naturally lend itself to an engaging narrative or to breathtaking moments but Cannon’s style is never colorful or captivating. And although the author makes an effort to maintain balance toward his subject, there is never any doubt about Cannon’s reverence for Ford or his place in history.
Because this is essentially a political biography there are very few revelations regarding Ford’s personal life. Betty receives more coverage than in Cannon’s earlier work but Ford’s children are almost entirely ignored. Far more unfortunate, however, is that despite the author’s familiarity with Ford, the book is never able to paint a complete portrait of its subject and he remains a monochromatic, two-dimensional figure: honorable and ethical but also strangely distant and unknowable.
Overall, “Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life” proves to be much like Ford himself: competent, straightforward and unexciting. Readers in search of a thrilling narrative, a penetrating analysis of Ford’s character or an engaging account of his personal life will be disappointed. But anyone seeking a well-informed review of Gerald Ford’s childhood and public career will walk away satisfied if not enchanted.
Overall rating: 3¾ stars
Published posthumously in 2013, “Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life” is James Cannon’s second biography of the president he worked for as Domestic Policy Advisor. Cannon was previously a journalist and war correspondent, a political adviser to Governor Nelson Rockefeller and chief of staff for Senator Howard Baker. Cannon died in 2011 at the age of 93.
This 461-page biography seems to be the book Cannon originally intended to write in the early 1990s when he authored “Time and Chance: Gerald Ford’s Appointment with History.” While working on that book, the story of Ford’s early life captured the author’s focus and it would be two decades before Cannon returned to the task of more closely covering Ford’s presidency and retirement years.
It is quickly clear that this biography does not just supplement Cannon’s earlier book on Ford – it supplants it entirely, rendering the original work obsolete. The two books have much in common but “An Honorable Life” provides the reader more context, more color on certain historical events and much greater coverage of Ford’s presidency (accounting for about half of this book). But an eighteen-page Epilogue is all that is offered of Ford’s retirement years and the author’s final assessment of his character and legacy.
Readers of Cannon’s earlier book will recognize the author’s chief strengths: his coherent writing style, his significant insight into Ford’s political assets (and liabilities), and his ability to efficiently summarize complicated topics such as Watergate and Vietnam. But this newer biography also benefits greatly from Ford’s willingness to share his time and thoughts with the author.
This book also provides the reader with incremental insight into important supporting characters such as Betty Ford, Judge John Sirica and Nelson Rockefeller and, with the benefit of time and additional historical perspective, provides a more thorough and nuanced view of Watergate.
But like his earlier Ford biography, “An Honorable Life” is a relatively bland, matter-of-fact treatment of its subject. Ford’s life may not naturally lend itself to an engaging narrative or to breathtaking moments but Cannon’s style is never colorful or captivating. And although the author makes an effort to maintain balance toward his subject, there is never any doubt about Cannon’s reverence for Ford or his place in history.
Because this is essentially a political biography there are very few revelations regarding Ford’s personal life. Betty receives more coverage than in Cannon’s earlier work but Ford’s children are almost entirely ignored. Far more unfortunate, however, is that despite the author’s familiarity with Ford, the book is never able to paint a complete portrait of its subject and he remains a monochromatic, two-dimensional figure: honorable and ethical but also strangely distant and unknowable.
Overall, “Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life” proves to be much like Ford himself: competent, straightforward and unexciting. Readers in search of a thrilling narrative, a penetrating analysis of Ford’s character or an engaging account of his personal life will be disappointed. But anyone seeking a well-informed review of Gerald Ford’s childhood and public career will walk away satisfied if not enchanted.
Overall rating: 3¾ stars
September 1, 2018
Presidential biography in the television age is revelatory, in that press conferences, news clips, comedic impressions all combine to create a picture of a president that may have little at all to do with the actual persona of the man (or, someday, woman). No greater example of this incomplete public perception exists than with Gerald Ford, president from 1974 until 1977. On television, Ford came across as rather exquisitely dull, pleasant but unengaging, sometimes clumsy or, in comic representations, even stupid. But Ford was not remotely stupid or even clumsy, and had proven himself both an exceptional athlete in his early days and one of the most perspicacious members of Congress for many years before his accession to the presidency. What comes across in this book is a portrait of a very intelligent, very patriotic, very statesman-like man who understood government like few others, but who was much better as a legislator than as an executive. As president, Ford made errors in delegation of authority (and one whopper in analysis, regarding Soviet domination of Eastern Europe), but he steadfastly chose to do what he believed right for the country even when such choices were unpopular or politically damaging to himself. James Cannon's biography is wonderfully insightful, especially of Ford's adult years. My only reservation is that I was blindsided by the discovery more than halfway through the book that Cannon had served in Ford's administration and that some of his praise for Ford and other members of the administration was conceivably not entirely non-partisan. But Cannon seems to have endeavored vigorously to be objective about his subject, and, for the most part, this comes across in the narrative. This is quite a fine book, shedding light on one of the most misunderstood presidents in American history.
November 29, 2017
A bland and somewhat uneven biography. For a “comprehensive” account of the life of Gerald Ford, it covers Ford’s upbringing, 25 years in Congress, and post-Presidential career only superficially. An outsized portion of the book is devoted to the Watergate scandal (somewhat understandable given the role that event played in Ford’s life and administration). The second half of the book, covering his Presidential Administration is pretty dry. The author seemed to dwell on subjects of minor interest (like all Ford’s cabinet appointments) and then blow through subjects with great potential. For example, the feud between Vice President Rockefeller and Chief of Staff Rumsfeld is barely even discussed. Likewise, two people tried to assassinate Ford (one attempt was way too close for comfort) but you’d hardly know it from this account because it is only casually mentioned (pg 335) without any context and then immediately forgotten as if the author assumes everyone was already familiar with these incidents. A better story-teller could have molded this into a much better book.
I learned that Ford was a hard worker and an honest and decent man. Yet, somewhat ironically, these traits blinded him to the vices of others. Somehow, he firmly and genuinely believed in Nixon’s innocence right up until confronted with hard evidence to the contrary. He lacked any semblance of showmanship essential to a successful presidency. He had the courage to do what he thought was right even when everyone believed otherwise…and he suffered politically for his inability to sell his decisions to the nation. The events of this book happened before I was born so this biography was fairly informative even if not always exciting. Recommended only for other nerds with a serious interest in Presidential history. If you don’t fall in that category I guarantee you’ll find this one pretty dull. I originally marked this 3 stars (because I learned a lot) but it just doesn't match up with other bios I marked as 3 stars so bumping this down to 2 stars.
What follows are my notes on the book.
Gerald R. Ford Jr. was born Leslie L. King Jr. His mother Dorothy married Leslie King from Omaha after a whirlwind courtship. King turned out to be both a liar and abusive. A pregnant Dorothy fled back to her family in Michigan and their 15 month marriage ended in divorce. She met Gerald R. Ford, a paint salesman, at a church social in Grand Rapids and cautiously entered a relationship with him. After they were wed, Gerald Ford proved the very model of a father. Gerald and Dorothy would have 3 more sons. At age 21, Leslie King Jr. officially changed his name to Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. in honor of the man who had raised him (51).
The Great Depression was raging when Ford sought to attend college. His stepfather couldn’t afford to pay and Michigan didn’t offer football scholarships back then. Harry Kipke, Michigan’s football coach arranged for Ford to work waiting tables at the University Hospital to raise enough money to cover meals and rent a cheap room (49). Ford was determined to attend law school after college but had no way to pay for it. Ford turned down offers from the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions because they didn’t pay enough for him to go to law school. Coach Kipke, impressed with Ford’s work ethic telephoned Yale, recommending Ford as an assistant coach. He accepted and started making $2,400 a year. His first application to Yale Law School was rejected. After a couple courses at Michigan Law School, one of his professors was impressed with his maturity and signed a recommendation letter. His next application to Yale was accepted.
After he graduated from Yale he returned to Grand Rapids to begin his practice. In 1940 he dipped into politics. He volunteered for Wendell Wilkie’s 1940 Presidential campaign and attended the Republican National Convention that year. After Pearl Harbor, Ford immediately volunteered for the Navy. Ford used his professional connections to get onto a warship, the aircraft carrier USS Monterey. Ford directed the ships anti-aircraft guns and was in the thickest of the fighting. The Monterey was in continuous combat for thirteen months straight…Palau, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Wake, Luzon, Formosa…earning 11 battle stars (60). After returning from war he met and married divorcee Betty Warren. Naturally, the war changed him, he returned a committed internationalist who supported Truman and the Marshall Plan to save Europe.
Initiative was never Ford’s strong suit but he was always responsive to a challenge. Bartel Jonkman, the Republican representative for his district was an outspoken critic of the Marshall Plan. His wrongheadedness constituted an open challenge and Ford felt somebody had to run against him. Beating Jonkman would not be easy. He was Dutch as was 60% of their District. And he had the support of Michigan’s corrupt political boss Frank McKay. Working behind the scenes, Ford cleared the field of other possible challengers so he could challenge Jonkman one-on-one in the primary. The central issue in the race was whether America would withdrawal from the world or step up to lead it. Ford pulled off the upset, beating Jonkman 2-1 in the primary (70). He went on to win the general election handily.
Ford earned a seat on the House Appropriations Committee. He was a natural fit or the position and was good at it. Ford loved digging into the budget and asking tough, probing questions. Throughout his time in Congress, Ford was a hawk on defense, committed to standing against Russian expansion. Sitting in a safely Republican seat, and having proven his dependability and trustworthiness, Ford was selected to sit on the Intelligence Subcommittee. After a disappointing Republican showing in the 1962 election, newly elected Illinois Representative Donald Rumsfeld proposed that Ford challenge for the chairmanship of the House Republican Conference. Ford was happy in his position on Defense Appropriations but viewed this as a stepping stone to becoming Speaker of the House. Ford won 86-78 and moved one step closer to his goal (84).
In 1964, Ford was concerned with some of the extremist views espoused by his party’s candidate Barry Goldwater but campaigned for him out of loyalty to the GOP. Ford was infuriated with the disastrous election results, not so much that Goldwater lost but that the GOP lost 36 seats in the House. In the aftermath, Ford challenged to become House Republican Leader, even though it would mean he would have to step down as the ranking Republican on Appropriations. When he won, he led the Republican opposition, proposing responsible alternatives to many of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society initiatives. In the minority, Ford grew frustrated with the Democratically controlled Congress ceasing to function as an independent branch of the Federal Government as it rubber stamped Johnson’s initiatives (89). While he opposed Johnson on many domestic issues, he support the President in stopping the spread of communists in Vietnam.
Ford was happy when Nixon was elected but was again frustrated that the GOP was 26 seats short of a majority and achieving his goal of becoming Speaker. It didn’t take long for Ford to become frustrated with a Nixon White House that devoted its energy to foreign policy and saw Congress as an enemy. Nixon’s bold and timely opening to China 9 months before the election proved a masterstroke. His election was all but guaranteed…which made what happened next so inexplicable. The arrest of five men breaking into DNC headquarters flabbergasted Ford. He knew Nixon was too smart a politician to be involved. Nixon would go on to win in a landslide but the GOP would only gain 12/38 seats needed for Ford to become Speaker. Ford considered retiring after serving out his 13th term.
Vice President Spiro Agnew, implicated in accepting bribes, resigned in exchange for no prosecution (123). Nixon’s first choice for VP was John Connally but with the Watergate scandal reaching a fever pitch, Nixon’s first choice would not survive the confirmation process. Ford, a known quantity with his 25 years in the House was the likeliest to get confirmed. Ford was initially reluctant to take a job he saw as largely ceremonial but accepted out of loyalty to Nixon. Ford’s naïve belief in Nixon’s innocence persisted longer than most and he didn’t grasp at this early stage that accepting the VP position would lead to his becoming President if Nixon was impeached.
While most were interested in what was best for the country, not all were so altruistic. Bella Abzug (NY Democrat) and other members of the far left sought to delay or deny Ford’s confirmation until after Nixon’s impeachment so Speaker Albert would become President (134). To is great credit, Albert recognized how damaging and divisive that would be for the country and did what he could to expedite Ford’s confirmation hearings. As investigators got closer to the truth, Nixon abolished the Office of the Special Prosecutor igniting a firestorm and inflaming calls for Nixon’s impeachment. Speaker Albert moved to confirm Ford before acting to impeach Nixon (139). The FBI and other federal agencies pried into every aspect of Ford’s life: personal, professional, financial, medical, etc. Ford instructed his chief of staff, accountants and others to “hold nothing back, give them everything” (141). After an intense investigation of his life and a grilling confirmation process, his peers in the House and Senate confirmed him by a vote of 479-38 (17). He was the first VP elected under recently ratified 25th Amendment. Ford’s rise was similar to Truman’s…both were plainspoken, hardworking, largely unknown Midwesterners. Yet there were some key differences…Truman was a product of the Pendergast political machine, Ford had challenged McKay’s Michigan machine.
Even as VP, Ford continued to believe that Nixon would be cleared of any wrongdoing. He didn’t dig into it, lest he be perceived as gunning for the Presidency. He didn’t want to become President and feared impeachment would be disastrous for the country. Ford trusted Nixon right up to the release of the White House tape recordings proving Nixon’s guilt. Chief of Staff Al Haig present VP Ford with a list of six options for Nixon stepping down, the sixth was that Ford would pardon Nixon. Ford’s blind trust and naïveté blocked any thought that Haig was proposing an unconscionable deal. When Ford’s lawyers heard of the conversation they went thru the roof, worried that he had implied a trade: a Ford pardon for Nixon’s resignation. Ford called Haig and told him plainly there would be no such deal (193).
In his 25 years in the House, Ford had seen and learned from five presidents (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon) (17). He believed Nixon had delegated too much to his staff, especially Al Haig. He resolved to demolish the traditional pyramid structure and planned to manage his presidency with a hub and spoke approach that had served him well in the House (22). He was essentially going to act as his own Chief of Staff. During his confirmation, he stated he had no intention to run for election in 1976. Kissinger later convinced him that was a mistake. A lame duck wouldn’t be taken seriously at home or abroad.
One of Ford’s first big acts as President was a push for amnesty for draft dodgers of Vietnam. It was unpopular with his base but Ford felt it was the right thing to do (217). The program floundered however in large part to do Ford’s lack of experience as an executive. Nixon dominated Ford’s first press conference. The experience was infuriating for Ford who was interested in moving on with the country’s business (224). The Friday after that press conference Ford had convinced himself that pardoning Nixon was both the right thing to do and the only way to move the country past the issue (231). Ford’s staff argued it was too soon, but Ford was convinced. He alone foresaw the consequences of a Nixon trial…that a protracted public spectacle would dominate the news and preoccupy the public, distracting the government from addressing the nation’s pressing economic and international crises. Ford pardoned Nixon in a televised address. Never the showman, Ford emphasized Nixon’s failing health (compassion for Nixon was not a factor in his decision) and not the country’s pressing crises (which dominated his thinking). The public was outraged (247).
Ford’s hub and spoke organization was not working and his administration was poorly managed in the early weeks. He brought in Donald Rumsfeld to be his Chief of Staff to provide some much needed organization (262). Ford remained fiscally conservative, increasingly concerned with Congress creating new programs without concern for future costs. He vetoed many new spending programs initiated by Congress (287). Ford listened to his scientific advisors and leaned forward on immunizing millions of Americans against an outbreak of Swine Flu after soldiers at Fort Dix died in a matter of days. Ford knew he would be criticized either way but believed he made the right decision (349).
Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller for his VP. Rockefeller was reluctant to take the ceremonial post and Ford promised him opportunity to shape domestic policy (which didn’t exactly pan out). Rockefeller repeatedly clashed with Rumsfeld. Ford and Rockefeller’s interests also diverged, with Ford concerned about spending and inflation and Rockefeller proposing expensive new programs to solve the country’s economic and social problems (335). Rockefeller wondered how Ford could get elected if he didn’t propose anything new. Ford’s fiscal conservatism influenced his decision not to bail out a bankrupt New York City. He eventually offered loans to the city after he was convinced the city and state were taking steps to bring spending under control. Still, the whole issue was another public relations disaster for Ford (363-364).
Ford’s was initially optimistic and supportive of the Vietnam War. Ten years later and now sitting as President his optimism had faded (370). Congress offered up funds to evacuate Americans and South Vietnamese at risk of retribution but not a cent for military aid that Ford requested (373). When the Khmer Rouge captured the ship Mayaguez, Ford recalled the North Korean propaganda from their capture of the Pueblo and acted swiftly. The Marines recaptured the ship and recovered the crew, but at a great toll: 15 killed, 3 missing, and 50 wounded (378). After the incident Ford had a rift with Schlesinger and moved to replace him at DoD at the same time he appointed a new CIA director (379). George H. W. Bush, a protégé of Ford’s was selected to lead the CIA. Rumsfeld protested the moves vehemently, arguing it would paint the picture that Ford’s administration was in disarray (383). Again, Ford’s pole numbers plummeted precipitously after the announcement.
Ford, having served 25 years in a reliably Republican seat was not prepared for the rigors of a Presidential campaign. Added to his own lack of experience, he appointed a campaign manager and chief fundraiser who had never worked on a Presidential campaign (391). Ronald Reagan challenged Ford from the right and ran a surprisingly strong campaign. In an act of desperation, Ford dumped Rockefeller from the ticket and added Bob Dole in hopes winning over the right wing. It was a move he later regretted and was ashamed of. For Rockefeller, an accomplished civil servant, it was deeply humiliating but he accepted his fate willingly because he strongly believed Ford would be a better president than Reagan. Ford was a weak campaigner, poor orator, and had zero television presence. A hard working an honest man, he believed his record would speak for him and that the American people would recognize his hard work and elect him. He lost to Jimmy Carter in a close election, but eschewed the idea of a recount in a couple key states.
In 1978, Betty Ford suffering from a pinched nerve became addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs. After admitting herself for treatment she founded the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA to help others suffering from addiction (453). After the loss to Carter, Ford assumed his political career was over. However, Reagan pursued him strongly for his Vice President. When Walter Cronkite implied that Ford and Reagan would be co-presidents, Ford and Reagan both agreed it was best to go their separate ways (456-457). In retirement, Ford joined several corporate boards and earned the money he never had as a career congressman (458). He split his time between California and Colorado. Ford died in 2006 at age 93.
I learned that Ford was a hard worker and an honest and decent man. Yet, somewhat ironically, these traits blinded him to the vices of others. Somehow, he firmly and genuinely believed in Nixon’s innocence right up until confronted with hard evidence to the contrary. He lacked any semblance of showmanship essential to a successful presidency. He had the courage to do what he thought was right even when everyone believed otherwise…and he suffered politically for his inability to sell his decisions to the nation. The events of this book happened before I was born so this biography was fairly informative even if not always exciting. Recommended only for other nerds with a serious interest in Presidential history. If you don’t fall in that category I guarantee you’ll find this one pretty dull. I originally marked this 3 stars (because I learned a lot) but it just doesn't match up with other bios I marked as 3 stars so bumping this down to 2 stars.
What follows are my notes on the book.
Gerald R. Ford Jr. was born Leslie L. King Jr. His mother Dorothy married Leslie King from Omaha after a whirlwind courtship. King turned out to be both a liar and abusive. A pregnant Dorothy fled back to her family in Michigan and their 15 month marriage ended in divorce. She met Gerald R. Ford, a paint salesman, at a church social in Grand Rapids and cautiously entered a relationship with him. After they were wed, Gerald Ford proved the very model of a father. Gerald and Dorothy would have 3 more sons. At age 21, Leslie King Jr. officially changed his name to Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. in honor of the man who had raised him (51).
The Great Depression was raging when Ford sought to attend college. His stepfather couldn’t afford to pay and Michigan didn’t offer football scholarships back then. Harry Kipke, Michigan’s football coach arranged for Ford to work waiting tables at the University Hospital to raise enough money to cover meals and rent a cheap room (49). Ford was determined to attend law school after college but had no way to pay for it. Ford turned down offers from the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions because they didn’t pay enough for him to go to law school. Coach Kipke, impressed with Ford’s work ethic telephoned Yale, recommending Ford as an assistant coach. He accepted and started making $2,400 a year. His first application to Yale Law School was rejected. After a couple courses at Michigan Law School, one of his professors was impressed with his maturity and signed a recommendation letter. His next application to Yale was accepted.
After he graduated from Yale he returned to Grand Rapids to begin his practice. In 1940 he dipped into politics. He volunteered for Wendell Wilkie’s 1940 Presidential campaign and attended the Republican National Convention that year. After Pearl Harbor, Ford immediately volunteered for the Navy. Ford used his professional connections to get onto a warship, the aircraft carrier USS Monterey. Ford directed the ships anti-aircraft guns and was in the thickest of the fighting. The Monterey was in continuous combat for thirteen months straight…Palau, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Wake, Luzon, Formosa…earning 11 battle stars (60). After returning from war he met and married divorcee Betty Warren. Naturally, the war changed him, he returned a committed internationalist who supported Truman and the Marshall Plan to save Europe.
Initiative was never Ford’s strong suit but he was always responsive to a challenge. Bartel Jonkman, the Republican representative for his district was an outspoken critic of the Marshall Plan. His wrongheadedness constituted an open challenge and Ford felt somebody had to run against him. Beating Jonkman would not be easy. He was Dutch as was 60% of their District. And he had the support of Michigan’s corrupt political boss Frank McKay. Working behind the scenes, Ford cleared the field of other possible challengers so he could challenge Jonkman one-on-one in the primary. The central issue in the race was whether America would withdrawal from the world or step up to lead it. Ford pulled off the upset, beating Jonkman 2-1 in the primary (70). He went on to win the general election handily.
Ford earned a seat on the House Appropriations Committee. He was a natural fit or the position and was good at it. Ford loved digging into the budget and asking tough, probing questions. Throughout his time in Congress, Ford was a hawk on defense, committed to standing against Russian expansion. Sitting in a safely Republican seat, and having proven his dependability and trustworthiness, Ford was selected to sit on the Intelligence Subcommittee. After a disappointing Republican showing in the 1962 election, newly elected Illinois Representative Donald Rumsfeld proposed that Ford challenge for the chairmanship of the House Republican Conference. Ford was happy in his position on Defense Appropriations but viewed this as a stepping stone to becoming Speaker of the House. Ford won 86-78 and moved one step closer to his goal (84).
In 1964, Ford was concerned with some of the extremist views espoused by his party’s candidate Barry Goldwater but campaigned for him out of loyalty to the GOP. Ford was infuriated with the disastrous election results, not so much that Goldwater lost but that the GOP lost 36 seats in the House. In the aftermath, Ford challenged to become House Republican Leader, even though it would mean he would have to step down as the ranking Republican on Appropriations. When he won, he led the Republican opposition, proposing responsible alternatives to many of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society initiatives. In the minority, Ford grew frustrated with the Democratically controlled Congress ceasing to function as an independent branch of the Federal Government as it rubber stamped Johnson’s initiatives (89). While he opposed Johnson on many domestic issues, he support the President in stopping the spread of communists in Vietnam.
Ford was happy when Nixon was elected but was again frustrated that the GOP was 26 seats short of a majority and achieving his goal of becoming Speaker. It didn’t take long for Ford to become frustrated with a Nixon White House that devoted its energy to foreign policy and saw Congress as an enemy. Nixon’s bold and timely opening to China 9 months before the election proved a masterstroke. His election was all but guaranteed…which made what happened next so inexplicable. The arrest of five men breaking into DNC headquarters flabbergasted Ford. He knew Nixon was too smart a politician to be involved. Nixon would go on to win in a landslide but the GOP would only gain 12/38 seats needed for Ford to become Speaker. Ford considered retiring after serving out his 13th term.
Vice President Spiro Agnew, implicated in accepting bribes, resigned in exchange for no prosecution (123). Nixon’s first choice for VP was John Connally but with the Watergate scandal reaching a fever pitch, Nixon’s first choice would not survive the confirmation process. Ford, a known quantity with his 25 years in the House was the likeliest to get confirmed. Ford was initially reluctant to take a job he saw as largely ceremonial but accepted out of loyalty to Nixon. Ford’s naïve belief in Nixon’s innocence persisted longer than most and he didn’t grasp at this early stage that accepting the VP position would lead to his becoming President if Nixon was impeached.
While most were interested in what was best for the country, not all were so altruistic. Bella Abzug (NY Democrat) and other members of the far left sought to delay or deny Ford’s confirmation until after Nixon’s impeachment so Speaker Albert would become President (134). To is great credit, Albert recognized how damaging and divisive that would be for the country and did what he could to expedite Ford’s confirmation hearings. As investigators got closer to the truth, Nixon abolished the Office of the Special Prosecutor igniting a firestorm and inflaming calls for Nixon’s impeachment. Speaker Albert moved to confirm Ford before acting to impeach Nixon (139). The FBI and other federal agencies pried into every aspect of Ford’s life: personal, professional, financial, medical, etc. Ford instructed his chief of staff, accountants and others to “hold nothing back, give them everything” (141). After an intense investigation of his life and a grilling confirmation process, his peers in the House and Senate confirmed him by a vote of 479-38 (17). He was the first VP elected under recently ratified 25th Amendment. Ford’s rise was similar to Truman’s…both were plainspoken, hardworking, largely unknown Midwesterners. Yet there were some key differences…Truman was a product of the Pendergast political machine, Ford had challenged McKay’s Michigan machine.
Even as VP, Ford continued to believe that Nixon would be cleared of any wrongdoing. He didn’t dig into it, lest he be perceived as gunning for the Presidency. He didn’t want to become President and feared impeachment would be disastrous for the country. Ford trusted Nixon right up to the release of the White House tape recordings proving Nixon’s guilt. Chief of Staff Al Haig present VP Ford with a list of six options for Nixon stepping down, the sixth was that Ford would pardon Nixon. Ford’s blind trust and naïveté blocked any thought that Haig was proposing an unconscionable deal. When Ford’s lawyers heard of the conversation they went thru the roof, worried that he had implied a trade: a Ford pardon for Nixon’s resignation. Ford called Haig and told him plainly there would be no such deal (193).
In his 25 years in the House, Ford had seen and learned from five presidents (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon) (17). He believed Nixon had delegated too much to his staff, especially Al Haig. He resolved to demolish the traditional pyramid structure and planned to manage his presidency with a hub and spoke approach that had served him well in the House (22). He was essentially going to act as his own Chief of Staff. During his confirmation, he stated he had no intention to run for election in 1976. Kissinger later convinced him that was a mistake. A lame duck wouldn’t be taken seriously at home or abroad.
One of Ford’s first big acts as President was a push for amnesty for draft dodgers of Vietnam. It was unpopular with his base but Ford felt it was the right thing to do (217). The program floundered however in large part to do Ford’s lack of experience as an executive. Nixon dominated Ford’s first press conference. The experience was infuriating for Ford who was interested in moving on with the country’s business (224). The Friday after that press conference Ford had convinced himself that pardoning Nixon was both the right thing to do and the only way to move the country past the issue (231). Ford’s staff argued it was too soon, but Ford was convinced. He alone foresaw the consequences of a Nixon trial…that a protracted public spectacle would dominate the news and preoccupy the public, distracting the government from addressing the nation’s pressing economic and international crises. Ford pardoned Nixon in a televised address. Never the showman, Ford emphasized Nixon’s failing health (compassion for Nixon was not a factor in his decision) and not the country’s pressing crises (which dominated his thinking). The public was outraged (247).
Ford’s hub and spoke organization was not working and his administration was poorly managed in the early weeks. He brought in Donald Rumsfeld to be his Chief of Staff to provide some much needed organization (262). Ford remained fiscally conservative, increasingly concerned with Congress creating new programs without concern for future costs. He vetoed many new spending programs initiated by Congress (287). Ford listened to his scientific advisors and leaned forward on immunizing millions of Americans against an outbreak of Swine Flu after soldiers at Fort Dix died in a matter of days. Ford knew he would be criticized either way but believed he made the right decision (349).
Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller for his VP. Rockefeller was reluctant to take the ceremonial post and Ford promised him opportunity to shape domestic policy (which didn’t exactly pan out). Rockefeller repeatedly clashed with Rumsfeld. Ford and Rockefeller’s interests also diverged, with Ford concerned about spending and inflation and Rockefeller proposing expensive new programs to solve the country’s economic and social problems (335). Rockefeller wondered how Ford could get elected if he didn’t propose anything new. Ford’s fiscal conservatism influenced his decision not to bail out a bankrupt New York City. He eventually offered loans to the city after he was convinced the city and state were taking steps to bring spending under control. Still, the whole issue was another public relations disaster for Ford (363-364).
Ford’s was initially optimistic and supportive of the Vietnam War. Ten years later and now sitting as President his optimism had faded (370). Congress offered up funds to evacuate Americans and South Vietnamese at risk of retribution but not a cent for military aid that Ford requested (373). When the Khmer Rouge captured the ship Mayaguez, Ford recalled the North Korean propaganda from their capture of the Pueblo and acted swiftly. The Marines recaptured the ship and recovered the crew, but at a great toll: 15 killed, 3 missing, and 50 wounded (378). After the incident Ford had a rift with Schlesinger and moved to replace him at DoD at the same time he appointed a new CIA director (379). George H. W. Bush, a protégé of Ford’s was selected to lead the CIA. Rumsfeld protested the moves vehemently, arguing it would paint the picture that Ford’s administration was in disarray (383). Again, Ford’s pole numbers plummeted precipitously after the announcement.
Ford, having served 25 years in a reliably Republican seat was not prepared for the rigors of a Presidential campaign. Added to his own lack of experience, he appointed a campaign manager and chief fundraiser who had never worked on a Presidential campaign (391). Ronald Reagan challenged Ford from the right and ran a surprisingly strong campaign. In an act of desperation, Ford dumped Rockefeller from the ticket and added Bob Dole in hopes winning over the right wing. It was a move he later regretted and was ashamed of. For Rockefeller, an accomplished civil servant, it was deeply humiliating but he accepted his fate willingly because he strongly believed Ford would be a better president than Reagan. Ford was a weak campaigner, poor orator, and had zero television presence. A hard working an honest man, he believed his record would speak for him and that the American people would recognize his hard work and elect him. He lost to Jimmy Carter in a close election, but eschewed the idea of a recount in a couple key states.
In 1978, Betty Ford suffering from a pinched nerve became addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs. After admitting herself for treatment she founded the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA to help others suffering from addiction (453). After the loss to Carter, Ford assumed his political career was over. However, Reagan pursued him strongly for his Vice President. When Walter Cronkite implied that Ford and Reagan would be co-presidents, Ford and Reagan both agreed it was best to go their separate ways (456-457). In retirement, Ford joined several corporate boards and earned the money he never had as a career congressman (458). He split his time between California and Colorado. Ford died in 2006 at age 93.
July 31, 2022
I put this book off for a long time because Ford has always been known as the bridge between scandal and getting our country back on track. He wasn’t the social disaster that was Nixon nor the economic disaster than was Carter, but didn’t unify the country like Reagan. As president, 99% of the “interesting” parts really have nothing to do with him in office. I really enjoyed the care Cannon brought to the subject. He crafted Fords early life and career in a way that really jumped off the page. The fact that cannon was actually in office alongside Ford puts us right in the room with Nixon, Ford, Rockefeller, Cheney, Rumsfeld etc in a way that feels highly accurate and lively. However, Cannon randomly decided to write two entire chapters from the first person point of view. The first chapter he switched to the narrative was actually pretty neat. It was about his personal relationship with Ford and why he was chosen for the job and the people around him. Then he keeps going in the first person, just to revert back later. This feels like a book that should have been handed over to a ghostwriter or co-author. Otherwise it’s a very enjoyable that really puts the reader in the room with Ford during one of the toughest internal periods of US presidential history, and why Ford was probably the best person for the job for those two years, despite his failures as a national politician.
December 7, 2018
I mainly picked this book up because I’m trying to read biographies of every American president. Although it’s a fairly new book, I recall absolutely no fanfare when the book was released. Maybe because Ford wasn’t that exciting of a guy? Maybe because he was president for such a short time? Well, it didn’t help that the Kindle version of this book was over $20 (!!) either. Fortunately, I found a copy at my local library. I was very surprised at how well this book was written. I enjoyed it immensely.
Well, what exactly do we remember about Gerald Ford? It seems that we know more about HOW and WHY he became president as opposed to anything the man actually did – either before or during his presidency. Not surprisingly, a big chunk of this book deals with his predecessor, Richard Nixon, and the Watergate scandal. Although I’ve read an awful lot of retrospectives about Watergate, I didn’t mind hearing about it again here. When one really thinks about it, most Watergate books don’t talk much about Gerald Ford. He’s almost mentioned as a footnote or an afterthought. So it’s interesting to see the tragedy through his eyes as it unfolds.
I found it fascinating, yet at the same time depressing, as to how he ascended to become Commander in Chief. For those that don’t know, Nixon’s Vice-President, Spiro Agnew, was having problems of his own and was actually forced out of office a year before Nixon’s resignation. Most on the inside knew that it was only a matter of time before Nixon would be forced out as well, so Congress decided they needed to pick the “best person” to become the new Vice-President – as this individual would, almost surely, become the next president as well. Think about that for a minute.
Never in our country’s history have we “chosen” a president by this process. I mention that this factor was fascinating, yet also depressing. This is because, well, Ford was actually a great candidate for the particular job, and both Republicans and Democrats felt he was the best. Yet, at the same time, Gerald Ford had one of those personalities that would never allow himself to get elected for the office by the people. Forget the fact that he was well qualified, he simply wasn’t “sexy” enough to be a President. The American people place far too much emphasis on style, and not enough on substance.
This book does cover Ford’s entire life, but it wisely doesn’t spend that much time on his early years. We learn just enough about the man to understand his character and how he acts once he’s elected to the House of Representatives. He’s very smart, very calm, has a strong local constituent base, and doesn’t need to do a lot of preening for the camera. Some would say his lack of charisma should be a deterrent for a “leader”, but the current political climate (2016 as I write) has me believing otherwise.
Once he takes over as President in August of 1974, his main job – heal the nation. Not only is the country reeling from Watergate and the first ever resignation of a President, but there are other problems as well – inflation, unemployment, Mid-East tensions, and many other normal things that president’s deal with every day. Ford’s most notable decision was a pardon for Richard Nixon. There are those that argue that this was his worst mistake, and those arguments have plenty of validity. However Ford makes a strong argument. He states that the country has had enough of Watergate and needs to move on. Had he not pardoned Nixon, the spotlight would have remained on Nixon and his travails for several more years. So I agree with Ford. Enough was enough.
The shadow of Watergate can’t escape Ford as he runs for President in 1976. He does an o.k. job during his campaign, but when an unknown governor of Georgia starts smiling a lot and charming the socks off everyone with his enduring southern accent, it proves to be just the antidote that the country needs to forget about Watergate and Vietnam. Hindsight being 20-20, I’m actually surprised how well Ford did – it’s not like he got whooped a la Barry Goldwater or Walter Mondale. The popular vote was rather close.
Of course, we read about his post-presidential life, but there really isn’t anything that exciting, so the author doesn’t devote too much time to that phase of his life either.
You really have to wonder just what type of leader Gerald Ford would have been had he been president for a normal length of time. His entire tenure lasted less than 1000 days, and the majority of that time was either spent cleaning up Nixon’s mess and/or campaigning for the 1976 election. Although, again, he was very smart and even tempered (and not as far right as, say, Ronald Reagan), you have to wonder if his lack of chutzpah may have hindered a four year term.
A great book. Don’t pass up just because you think his presidency was somewhat inconsequential. Dare I say – we could use more men and women like Gerald Ford in leadership these days.
Well, what exactly do we remember about Gerald Ford? It seems that we know more about HOW and WHY he became president as opposed to anything the man actually did – either before or during his presidency. Not surprisingly, a big chunk of this book deals with his predecessor, Richard Nixon, and the Watergate scandal. Although I’ve read an awful lot of retrospectives about Watergate, I didn’t mind hearing about it again here. When one really thinks about it, most Watergate books don’t talk much about Gerald Ford. He’s almost mentioned as a footnote or an afterthought. So it’s interesting to see the tragedy through his eyes as it unfolds.
I found it fascinating, yet at the same time depressing, as to how he ascended to become Commander in Chief. For those that don’t know, Nixon’s Vice-President, Spiro Agnew, was having problems of his own and was actually forced out of office a year before Nixon’s resignation. Most on the inside knew that it was only a matter of time before Nixon would be forced out as well, so Congress decided they needed to pick the “best person” to become the new Vice-President – as this individual would, almost surely, become the next president as well. Think about that for a minute.
Never in our country’s history have we “chosen” a president by this process. I mention that this factor was fascinating, yet also depressing. This is because, well, Ford was actually a great candidate for the particular job, and both Republicans and Democrats felt he was the best. Yet, at the same time, Gerald Ford had one of those personalities that would never allow himself to get elected for the office by the people. Forget the fact that he was well qualified, he simply wasn’t “sexy” enough to be a President. The American people place far too much emphasis on style, and not enough on substance.
This book does cover Ford’s entire life, but it wisely doesn’t spend that much time on his early years. We learn just enough about the man to understand his character and how he acts once he’s elected to the House of Representatives. He’s very smart, very calm, has a strong local constituent base, and doesn’t need to do a lot of preening for the camera. Some would say his lack of charisma should be a deterrent for a “leader”, but the current political climate (2016 as I write) has me believing otherwise.
Once he takes over as President in August of 1974, his main job – heal the nation. Not only is the country reeling from Watergate and the first ever resignation of a President, but there are other problems as well – inflation, unemployment, Mid-East tensions, and many other normal things that president’s deal with every day. Ford’s most notable decision was a pardon for Richard Nixon. There are those that argue that this was his worst mistake, and those arguments have plenty of validity. However Ford makes a strong argument. He states that the country has had enough of Watergate and needs to move on. Had he not pardoned Nixon, the spotlight would have remained on Nixon and his travails for several more years. So I agree with Ford. Enough was enough.
The shadow of Watergate can’t escape Ford as he runs for President in 1976. He does an o.k. job during his campaign, but when an unknown governor of Georgia starts smiling a lot and charming the socks off everyone with his enduring southern accent, it proves to be just the antidote that the country needs to forget about Watergate and Vietnam. Hindsight being 20-20, I’m actually surprised how well Ford did – it’s not like he got whooped a la Barry Goldwater or Walter Mondale. The popular vote was rather close.
Of course, we read about his post-presidential life, but there really isn’t anything that exciting, so the author doesn’t devote too much time to that phase of his life either.
You really have to wonder just what type of leader Gerald Ford would have been had he been president for a normal length of time. His entire tenure lasted less than 1000 days, and the majority of that time was either spent cleaning up Nixon’s mess and/or campaigning for the 1976 election. Although, again, he was very smart and even tempered (and not as far right as, say, Ronald Reagan), you have to wonder if his lack of chutzpah may have hindered a four year term.
A great book. Don’t pass up just because you think his presidency was somewhat inconsequential. Dare I say – we could use more men and women like Gerald Ford in leadership these days.
March 31, 2015
Some authors can make a dry subject absolutely fascinating. Others can make a very interesting topic as dry as dust. James Cannon is definitely in the latter category. This book was very poorly written. He glosses over Fords early life and career in Congress (presumably since he has written another book that focuses on it), then spends half the book discussing Watergate.
Lou Cannon wrote a horribly and unreasonably negatively biased book about Reagan. James Cannon has written a horribly and unreasonably positively biased book about Ford. He is downright childish and immature in complaining about the Nixon crowd.
I feel as though I would have learned as much about Ford by reading a Wiki page as I did reading this 400+ page book
Lou Cannon wrote a horribly and unreasonably negatively biased book about Reagan. James Cannon has written a horribly and unreasonably positively biased book about Ford. He is downright childish and immature in complaining about the Nixon crowd.
I feel as though I would have learned as much about Ford by reading a Wiki page as I did reading this 400+ page book
September 25, 2021
Informative, but a bit bland - just like its subject.
June 20, 2020
I am trying to read a biography of each U.S. president in order of administration. I chose to read Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life as my Ford biography because it came highly reviewed and because I could get it for free from my university library.
I almost quit reading after the first few pages because I found Cannon's syntax amateurish and inefficient. I continued because I could not find a better alternative. Thankfully, I got used to Cannon's writing style and soon it did not bother me at all. His prose could have flowed better, but it never interfered with the understanding of the message.
I enjoyed the pre-presidential narrative of the biography more than the portions describing Ford's presidency and failed attempt at re-election. Cannon covers Ford's childhood, adolescence, and navy service succinctly. He includes quotes from Ford himself and from the people who knew Ford before he became Nixon's VP. Ford's background is unglamorous and straightforward but filled with hard work, much like the man himself. Cannon also dedicates a large chunk of the book explaining Watergate and Ford's pardon of Nixon. These chapters were illuminating and easy to understand. I found that Cannon described Watergate more clearly than the Nixon biography I read, in part because he did not get bogged down in the details. Cannon excellently described the unprecedented legal quandaries Watergate presented lawmakers and lawyers. Ford's pardon of Nixon also unfolds scene by scene, as Cannon recounts each conversation and overture made between Nixon's lawyers, Ford, and the White House staff. Was the pardon part of a shady deal between Ford and Nixon? Eh, kind of. Cannon carefully exonerates Ford from official blame, but obviously Tricky Dick was willing to do almost anything to wiggle out of legal repercussions for his criminal activity.
Once Nixon was out of the picture, Cannon dives into the workings of the Ford administration. One might think that having a White House insider would be advantageous for writing Ford's biography, but Cannon's role in the administration seems to hinder his account. Instead of getting a broad view of Ford's presidency, the biography remains cloistered in the White House. Too much time is spent describing every detail of how Ford and his White House staff operated and too little is spent describing the wider impact and legacy of Ford's presidency. The reader does not even get any "dirt" that might be expected from an insider's account. Cannon makes it seem like every person on Ford's staff (except for James Schlesinger) was a genius and a saint. One might admire Cannon for keeping it professional and staying loyal to his former colleagues, but it comes across as disingenuous.
I most appreciated Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life for helping me understand Watergate and Nixon's pardon. It did an adequate job detailing Ford's upbringing, strengths, and weaknesses. However, I would rather read a biography written by an unbiased historian with a broader view than Cannon. I am not sure if there are many critically-acclaimed Gerald Ford biographies in print, so I would recommend Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life as an acceptable choice in the absence of any obvious alternatives.
I almost quit reading after the first few pages because I found Cannon's syntax amateurish and inefficient. I continued because I could not find a better alternative. Thankfully, I got used to Cannon's writing style and soon it did not bother me at all. His prose could have flowed better, but it never interfered with the understanding of the message.
I enjoyed the pre-presidential narrative of the biography more than the portions describing Ford's presidency and failed attempt at re-election. Cannon covers Ford's childhood, adolescence, and navy service succinctly. He includes quotes from Ford himself and from the people who knew Ford before he became Nixon's VP. Ford's background is unglamorous and straightforward but filled with hard work, much like the man himself. Cannon also dedicates a large chunk of the book explaining Watergate and Ford's pardon of Nixon. These chapters were illuminating and easy to understand. I found that Cannon described Watergate more clearly than the Nixon biography I read, in part because he did not get bogged down in the details. Cannon excellently described the unprecedented legal quandaries Watergate presented lawmakers and lawyers. Ford's pardon of Nixon also unfolds scene by scene, as Cannon recounts each conversation and overture made between Nixon's lawyers, Ford, and the White House staff. Was the pardon part of a shady deal between Ford and Nixon? Eh, kind of. Cannon carefully exonerates Ford from official blame, but obviously Tricky Dick was willing to do almost anything to wiggle out of legal repercussions for his criminal activity.
Once Nixon was out of the picture, Cannon dives into the workings of the Ford administration. One might think that having a White House insider would be advantageous for writing Ford's biography, but Cannon's role in the administration seems to hinder his account. Instead of getting a broad view of Ford's presidency, the biography remains cloistered in the White House. Too much time is spent describing every detail of how Ford and his White House staff operated and too little is spent describing the wider impact and legacy of Ford's presidency. The reader does not even get any "dirt" that might be expected from an insider's account. Cannon makes it seem like every person on Ford's staff (except for James Schlesinger) was a genius and a saint. One might admire Cannon for keeping it professional and staying loyal to his former colleagues, but it comes across as disingenuous.
I most appreciated Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life for helping me understand Watergate and Nixon's pardon. It did an adequate job detailing Ford's upbringing, strengths, and weaknesses. However, I would rather read a biography written by an unbiased historian with a broader view than Cannon. I am not sure if there are many critically-acclaimed Gerald Ford biographies in print, so I would recommend Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life as an acceptable choice in the absence of any obvious alternatives.
August 16, 2023
Some background first. I consider the beginnings of my awareness of politics to be the Watergate hearings. My father worked for Archibald Cox and was out of town for months on end, and, there being only a handful of TV stations, I got a big dose of the hearings. When reading history, I find myself making a distinction between memory and history. History is the stuff that happened before I was "aware" and memory covers the rest. So, in my reading of whole-life presidential biographies, Ford is the first president I will say "I remember". This naturally colors my reaction to reading this material.
The author worked for both Rockefeller and Ford in the White House. I try to be cognizant of any biases biographers have, either for or against, their subjects. It seems apparent to me that the author held Ford in high regard before he embarked on writing this book. I figure there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, as long as I take it into account.
Having been "unaware" of politics prior to Watergate, when Ford was appointed to be Vice President, I had no idea who he was. I knew only about his presidency and events after. So I was looking forward to learning what Ford did in his 26 years of service in the House of Representatives. His time in the House is covered here in just a few pages. Either the author didn't feel any events in those 26 years were noteworthy, or there were no accomplishments worth mentioning. I would have liked to have been able to learn something about this time, but it's just not here.
By deciding which events to cover and which to emphasize, the author attempts to guide us to a full understanding of the subject. As an example of this, we read 4 or 5 pages about the author's first day on the job working for Ford, in contrast to Ford's participation in the Warren Report (on the JFK assassination) which is dealt with in two paragraphs. Finally, Ford was retired from politics after his presidency for a time longer than he served in Congress. His post-presidency is covered in 3 or 4 pages.
I think the author did a fine job of covering Ford's presidency, but compared to other whole-life biographies of the other presidents, I think this one is on the weak side.
The author worked for both Rockefeller and Ford in the White House. I try to be cognizant of any biases biographers have, either for or against, their subjects. It seems apparent to me that the author held Ford in high regard before he embarked on writing this book. I figure there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, as long as I take it into account.
Having been "unaware" of politics prior to Watergate, when Ford was appointed to be Vice President, I had no idea who he was. I knew only about his presidency and events after. So I was looking forward to learning what Ford did in his 26 years of service in the House of Representatives. His time in the House is covered here in just a few pages. Either the author didn't feel any events in those 26 years were noteworthy, or there were no accomplishments worth mentioning. I would have liked to have been able to learn something about this time, but it's just not here.
By deciding which events to cover and which to emphasize, the author attempts to guide us to a full understanding of the subject. As an example of this, we read 4 or 5 pages about the author's first day on the job working for Ford, in contrast to Ford's participation in the Warren Report (on the JFK assassination) which is dealt with in two paragraphs. Finally, Ford was retired from politics after his presidency for a time longer than he served in Congress. His post-presidency is covered in 3 or 4 pages.
I think the author did a fine job of covering Ford's presidency, but compared to other whole-life biographies of the other presidents, I think this one is on the weak side.
October 28, 2021
There aren’t many biographies on Gerald Ford I imagine, and as a biography this is fine. But it is fine in the way that biographies written for children are fine. It is very sanitized and one note and I didn’t really walk away knowing too much about Ford or about what he accomplished as president. There was information that I absorbed so I know certain things that he did, but I think the overall tone of this book makes it hard for me to know what I can trust and what I can’t.
The reason this is the case is that Cannon himself served in the Ford administration and was a huge fan of Ford himself. Because of this the sketch that is traced of Ford is very positive and laudatory. I don’t doubt that Ford wasn’t a good guy, most historians seem to think so, but a man who made no mistakes? I doubt that. I’m wracking my brain and I can’t remember one negative or embarrassing thing that was shared about Ford. Not that I need those details and only want those details, it’s just hard to take everything y at face value in much the same way an incredibly negative biography would be hard to take seriously.
That isn’t to say that there weren’t parts that were good. I enjoyed the opening of the book quite a bit with his attention to Ford’s early life and I found his whole story of adoption really interesting and his relationship with his adoptive father. His athletic interests were also really interesting and I liked that reoccurring theme throughout his life.
It is possible that this book could have been better. Cannon died while writing it and I’m not sure if it went through any editing process. It’s possible that an editor could have helped Cannon put together a more nuanced biography even if it was largely positive, but alas.
All in all, it’s okay, but perhaps there are better options out there for Ford.
The reason this is the case is that Cannon himself served in the Ford administration and was a huge fan of Ford himself. Because of this the sketch that is traced of Ford is very positive and laudatory. I don’t doubt that Ford wasn’t a good guy, most historians seem to think so, but a man who made no mistakes? I doubt that. I’m wracking my brain and I can’t remember one negative or embarrassing thing that was shared about Ford. Not that I need those details and only want those details, it’s just hard to take everything y at face value in much the same way an incredibly negative biography would be hard to take seriously.
That isn’t to say that there weren’t parts that were good. I enjoyed the opening of the book quite a bit with his attention to Ford’s early life and I found his whole story of adoption really interesting and his relationship with his adoptive father. His athletic interests were also really interesting and I liked that reoccurring theme throughout his life.
It is possible that this book could have been better. Cannon died while writing it and I’m not sure if it went through any editing process. It’s possible that an editor could have helped Cannon put together a more nuanced biography even if it was largely positive, but alas.
All in all, it’s okay, but perhaps there are better options out there for Ford.
July 19, 2021
This one is a very positive biography, written by a former member of the Ford administration. The common perception of Gerald Ford is that he was one of the more mediocre politicians--he's probably more known for tripping down the stairs than for he succesful career in the House of Representatives. But while Mr. Cannon does not ignore Ford's flaws and mistakes, he paints a picture of an honest, hard working, and highly capable man.
While the book covers Ford's life before and after his presidency, it does so relatively quickly. The focus is on Gerald Ford as president. It tells of an era of political life of the United States when many politicians, including Ford, put the well being of the country before their own agendas. (And before you bring up the pardon of Richard Nixon, the book covers Ford's rationale for that in depth.)
While the book covers Ford's life before and after his presidency, it does so relatively quickly. The focus is on Gerald Ford as president. It tells of an era of political life of the United States when many politicians, including Ford, put the well being of the country before their own agendas. (And before you bring up the pardon of Richard Nixon, the book covers Ford's rationale for that in depth.)
January 20, 2024
Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life Hardcover by James Cannon is my third republican presidential biography in a row. They all pretty much describe hard working, smart guys who believed in something or another. Excepting specific things like birthday and schools attended they blur in sameness.
The is a near total lack of depth. The good guy, President fill in the blank was proposing a world saving great program, never analyzed or described in depth. It did or did not pass, and again with no analysis of what was passed and why it may have been better or worse. It is good because my guy proposed it, what else do you need to know? In President Ford's case I think we got a shallow description of how the WIN (Wip Inflation Now) was supposed to work, nothing about if it did , did not, or what the lessons learned might have been. An earlier policy was highlighted as designed to promote individual action, but absence of analysis makes it hard to remember.
Given what American politics has devolved into, I will take the time to completely transcribe the one paragraph every presidential candidate should be able to recite from memory:
During Ford’s confirmation hearings, to become Nixion’s Vice President, (By appointment to replace resigned in disgrace Spiro Agnew), he was asked” What personal characteristics are important to presidential leadership?”
His reply” I think the President has to be a person of great truth and the American people have to believe that he is trueful.” Ford said. “I believe he has to be a man of thought, and not impetuous…I believe a president has to exemplify by his personal life, the standards -morally and ethically and otherwise- by which most American life their lives.”
There seems to be a belief that all a writer has to say is that the media was bad. Nothing about the job of making the case for your guy, of addressing and responding to the media, nor to giving a thought to why the other guy’s message was getting through. Cannon admits that Ford was not the most convincing of speakers. Americans can and have responded to plain speaking candidates. Trueman and Eisenhower were not given to rhetorical flights. Maybe his own team failed to make that a selling point. Or maybe the substance of his speaking was a message that could not resonate.
Based only on the contents of Gerlad R. Ford: An honorable life. a reader should be able to agree that his was an honorable life. What exactly he favored, why and who was in his team and what was their agenda, analysis or discussions of alternatives offered, is missing. This book has a life of about 1 generation. After that it has nothing to teach anyone who was not there.
The is a near total lack of depth. The good guy, President fill in the blank was proposing a world saving great program, never analyzed or described in depth. It did or did not pass, and again with no analysis of what was passed and why it may have been better or worse. It is good because my guy proposed it, what else do you need to know? In President Ford's case I think we got a shallow description of how the WIN (Wip Inflation Now) was supposed to work, nothing about if it did , did not, or what the lessons learned might have been. An earlier policy was highlighted as designed to promote individual action, but absence of analysis makes it hard to remember.
Given what American politics has devolved into, I will take the time to completely transcribe the one paragraph every presidential candidate should be able to recite from memory:
During Ford’s confirmation hearings, to become Nixion’s Vice President, (By appointment to replace resigned in disgrace Spiro Agnew), he was asked” What personal characteristics are important to presidential leadership?”
His reply” I think the President has to be a person of great truth and the American people have to believe that he is trueful.” Ford said. “I believe he has to be a man of thought, and not impetuous…I believe a president has to exemplify by his personal life, the standards -morally and ethically and otherwise- by which most American life their lives.”
There seems to be a belief that all a writer has to say is that the media was bad. Nothing about the job of making the case for your guy, of addressing and responding to the media, nor to giving a thought to why the other guy’s message was getting through. Cannon admits that Ford was not the most convincing of speakers. Americans can and have responded to plain speaking candidates. Trueman and Eisenhower were not given to rhetorical flights. Maybe his own team failed to make that a selling point. Or maybe the substance of his speaking was a message that could not resonate.
Based only on the contents of Gerlad R. Ford: An honorable life. a reader should be able to agree that his was an honorable life. What exactly he favored, why and who was in his team and what was their agenda, analysis or discussions of alternatives offered, is missing. This book has a life of about 1 generation. After that it has nothing to teach anyone who was not there.
September 18, 2020
This book focuses on Ford's qualities as a person, both the good - his morality, straightforwardness and work ethic - and the bad - his naivete, stubbornness and myopic focus - rather than the bulk of his work in office. Cannon had a front-row view of Ford's time in the presidency, as well as wonderful access to the man and his colleagues after he left office, and so you come away with a very detailed picture of who Gerald Ford was and why he did much of what he did in the brief time he had in the White House.
The strongest aspects of this book are when Cannon looks at the decisions Ford makes and analyzes them through the lens of who Ford was as a person. Understanding why Ford refused to admit he was wrong when he claimed much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, wasn't under Soviet Domination helps explain the action, if not pardon it. You come away getting a better feeling for who Ford was than, for example, in Mieczkowski's book, which focuses more on the external factors affecting Ford, rather than the internal ones. (Mieczkowski's book, Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970's is still an excellent resource, and well worth the reading, just for different reasons.)
Like many biographies (and particularly those of presidents), the book is forgiving and lets Ford off on some things that probably deserve more scrutiny (the defense of his pardon of Nixon is firmly embedded in a few historians' and journalists' acceptance of the decision after earlier condemnation, but nothing is mentioned about the implications for future presidential impeachments).
It's also overly sentimental, bordering on hagiographic, on what Ford's administration was able to accomplish, at one point claiming that "In sheer intellectual firepower, the Ford cabinet deserves to ranked first among all Cabinets of the twentieth century." First off, that's ridiculous - no one in Ford's cabinet is worthy of comparison to Kennedy's inner circle as far as intellect is concerned: McNamara, Rusk, and then informal advisors like McGeorge Bundy and Arthur Schlesinger. But anyone would also point out that intellect doesn't mean much if it's not applied well: just read The Best and the Brightest by Halberstam and you'll know what I mean.
Still, despite the flaws, the book is still a very intimate look at Ford's life and presidency, and, as such, is worth reading (at least until a more comprehensive biography comes out - one with the benefit of more hindsight).
The strongest aspects of this book are when Cannon looks at the decisions Ford makes and analyzes them through the lens of who Ford was as a person. Understanding why Ford refused to admit he was wrong when he claimed much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, wasn't under Soviet Domination helps explain the action, if not pardon it. You come away getting a better feeling for who Ford was than, for example, in Mieczkowski's book, which focuses more on the external factors affecting Ford, rather than the internal ones. (Mieczkowski's book, Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970's is still an excellent resource, and well worth the reading, just for different reasons.)
Like many biographies (and particularly those of presidents), the book is forgiving and lets Ford off on some things that probably deserve more scrutiny (the defense of his pardon of Nixon is firmly embedded in a few historians' and journalists' acceptance of the decision after earlier condemnation, but nothing is mentioned about the implications for future presidential impeachments).
It's also overly sentimental, bordering on hagiographic, on what Ford's administration was able to accomplish, at one point claiming that "In sheer intellectual firepower, the Ford cabinet deserves to ranked first among all Cabinets of the twentieth century." First off, that's ridiculous - no one in Ford's cabinet is worthy of comparison to Kennedy's inner circle as far as intellect is concerned: McNamara, Rusk, and then informal advisors like McGeorge Bundy and Arthur Schlesinger. But anyone would also point out that intellect doesn't mean much if it's not applied well: just read The Best and the Brightest by Halberstam and you'll know what I mean.
Still, despite the flaws, the book is still a very intimate look at Ford's life and presidency, and, as such, is worth reading (at least until a more comprehensive biography comes out - one with the benefit of more hindsight).
January 4, 2022
This was well written and covered President Ford's whole life. It was very inciteful and got into a lot of detail on Watergate and the process to make Ford Vice-President. The author had a connection with Rockefeller and spent time in the administration but I don't think it unduly biased his assessment. Kind of difficult for me to rate Ford because of Watergate and his short time in the office. As someone who handled a difficult situation with Watergate and exiting Vietnam, he handled it well. Hard to know in other areas because he was up for election so quickly.
November 4, 2022
I’ve read biographies of all the presidents previous to Ford. This is the first of those bios that was authored by someone who is not a historian or a professional biographer.
The author was a close associate of Ford, and it showed. While the author did highlight Ford’s life from different angles, the good clearly dominated. There was no mention of Betty Ford’s struggles, and little mention of his family.
While Ford was without doubt a good man, the story written was just too self-serving.
The author was a close associate of Ford, and it showed. While the author did highlight Ford’s life from different angles, the good clearly dominated. There was no mention of Betty Ford’s struggles, and little mention of his family.
While Ford was without doubt a good man, the story written was just too self-serving.
September 1, 2024
An enjoyable biography of a President defined by Watergate and its fallout - just like his predecessor.
Cannon worked in the Ford administration and he tends to give his old boss the benefit of the doubt.
I very much enjoyed the time given to Ford’s VP, Nelson Rockefeller - who always struck me as the last of a particular breed of politician.
My greatest critique is the scant attention given to the Helsinki accords, together with his relationship with Kissinger.
All in all : this biography is solid, reliable and unassuming- much like its subject.
Cannon worked in the Ford administration and he tends to give his old boss the benefit of the doubt.
I very much enjoyed the time given to Ford’s VP, Nelson Rockefeller - who always struck me as the last of a particular breed of politician.
My greatest critique is the scant attention given to the Helsinki accords, together with his relationship with Kissinger.
All in all : this biography is solid, reliable and unassuming- much like its subject.
August 1, 2018
Definitely really pro-Ford, but a good account and balance between policy and personality. Might have liked a little more on him as a congressman, might have liked a bit more on Helsinki and Kissinger's foreign policy, but Ford is just one of those presidents which I feel like one volume is... enough. Besides I don't think I can find any other work focusing more on pre-presidential Ford anyways (I will humbly pass on Rumsfeld's recent work).
February 2, 2023
Includes thorough coverage of Watergate as well as Ford’s political career, presidency and post-presidency. Ford made a major impact on history in a short period of time. Many historians contend that “One term is too short for ‘a great work of reform.’ And reform was badly needed after Nixon; yet Ford had only two and a half years in office.” Ford brought the country through Watergate, Vietnam and a broken economy while having a Congress of the opposite party. Enjoyed this book.
November 5, 2024
A very solid biography of a president underserved by history. Though the author worked for President Ford, he doesn't gloss over weaknesses and makes honest assessments. Mr. Cannon's pacing is flawless, and highlights President Ford's contributions to a country--and an office--in crisis. I took precisely what I sought from this book, an honest assessment and deeper understanding of a man who served his country to the best of his ability and did so with unyielding character.
November 11, 2022
Interesting biography and I learned a lot about Ford. But as it was written by someone who worked directly for President Ford, it was pretty obvious it wasn't an unbiased accounting. Remarkable both how much and how little has changed in DC since the 1970s.
December 19, 2018
Good man
Would have liked to know a bit more about his early life but we'll done biography. Statesman we certainly could use more of.
Would have liked to know a bit more about his early life but we'll done biography. Statesman we certainly could use more of.
June 10, 2019
Gerald Ford is by far the least memorable modern President. There is no doctrine attached to his name, no notable domestic program such as "The Great Society" or memorable diplomatic breakthrough. His administration was overshadowed by the circumstances of his ascent to the White House and the misdeeds of his predecessor. Outside the circumstances of his birth, few things in his life are far removed from others in his generation. Gerald Ford was immensely average.
James Cannon was an insider, initially of Vice-President Rockefeller and later of President Ford. His apologetic aims are unabashed; this is not an objective and critical examination of Ford's administration. Instead, Cannon offers the perspective of an insider, a fair perspective that has the honesty to admit mistakes and flaws, but is overall proud of the administration's meager accomplishments and intentions. The recounting of Ford's Presidency bears out his minuscule accomplishments.
Ford spent the majority of his political life in the minority. As leader of the Republican minority in the House for much of legislative career, he never attained his ambition to become Speaker of the House. However, his long tenure in the House earned the respect of his peers as well as a deep understanding of inner workings of the Federal Government. Neither would lead to success as President. The two things Ford is remembered for, the pardon of Richard Nixon and the retreat from Vietnam can hardly be defined as a proud legacy, even if judged as necessary and appropriate in hindsight. The questions that remain about the pardon in particular have remained, and Cannon spends a significant portion of his book reinforcing that the pardon was not the result of a tacit agreement between Ford and Nixon. The tone throughout the biography is apologetic, not only for the more controversial actions, but also for the relative inaction of the Ford administration. The lack of accomplishments was not only the result of partisan opposition, but also his political philosophy. While his Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller represented the more progressive branch of the Republican Party, Ford clearly represented the the traditional Republican conservatism. In the face of a significant inflation and recession, Ford fell back on his fiscally conservative principles to fight the economic crisis nationally and smaller scale, most notably in New York City. His plan to address the the energy crisis was balanced and farsighted, but his inability convince a recalcitrant Congress doomed his plan to failure.
Ford's was not a legacy of bold forward looking policy, but he was clearly a man of integrity. After the trauma of the Nixon administration, this may have been his most valuable contribution as President. While Cannon spent much of his book offering an apology for Ford's administration and his policies, there is no need to offer an apology for his character. Gerald Ford was a humble, honest, good man, but he was a poor politician- the exact opposite of Richard Nixon. This may have been his greatest contribution as President.
James Cannon was an insider, initially of Vice-President Rockefeller and later of President Ford. His apologetic aims are unabashed; this is not an objective and critical examination of Ford's administration. Instead, Cannon offers the perspective of an insider, a fair perspective that has the honesty to admit mistakes and flaws, but is overall proud of the administration's meager accomplishments and intentions. The recounting of Ford's Presidency bears out his minuscule accomplishments.
Ford spent the majority of his political life in the minority. As leader of the Republican minority in the House for much of legislative career, he never attained his ambition to become Speaker of the House. However, his long tenure in the House earned the respect of his peers as well as a deep understanding of inner workings of the Federal Government. Neither would lead to success as President. The two things Ford is remembered for, the pardon of Richard Nixon and the retreat from Vietnam can hardly be defined as a proud legacy, even if judged as necessary and appropriate in hindsight. The questions that remain about the pardon in particular have remained, and Cannon spends a significant portion of his book reinforcing that the pardon was not the result of a tacit agreement between Ford and Nixon. The tone throughout the biography is apologetic, not only for the more controversial actions, but also for the relative inaction of the Ford administration. The lack of accomplishments was not only the result of partisan opposition, but also his political philosophy. While his Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller represented the more progressive branch of the Republican Party, Ford clearly represented the the traditional Republican conservatism. In the face of a significant inflation and recession, Ford fell back on his fiscally conservative principles to fight the economic crisis nationally and smaller scale, most notably in New York City. His plan to address the the energy crisis was balanced and farsighted, but his inability convince a recalcitrant Congress doomed his plan to failure.
Ford's was not a legacy of bold forward looking policy, but he was clearly a man of integrity. After the trauma of the Nixon administration, this may have been his most valuable contribution as President. While Cannon spent much of his book offering an apology for Ford's administration and his policies, there is no need to offer an apology for his character. Gerald Ford was a humble, honest, good man, but he was a poor politician- the exact opposite of Richard Nixon. This may have been his greatest contribution as President.
February 5, 2017
“Not since Harry Truman succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt had the American people known so little about a man who had stepped forward from obscurity to take the oath of office as President of the United States.” Born in Omaha Nebraska, abandoned by his biological father, Leslie King moved with his mother to Grand Rapids, Michigan where he was given the name of his mother’s new husband, Gerald Ford. Excelling in school, work, and football, Ford joined the Navy during World War II. Upon his post-war return to Michigan, the future president joined the local NAACP chapter in response to the discrimination he witnessed against African Americans in high school and at the University of Michigan. Ford entered local politics, and won a hard-fought congressional seat representing Grand Rapids. He was quickly appointed to the powerful Appropriations Committee in the House, where Ford became an expert on government spending and budget issues. His ultimate goal was to become Speaker of the House, however this goal was thwarted when Republicans failed to become the majority party in Congress. But Ford became well known by colleagues on both sides of the aisle as being fair and honest, a “work horse . . . a Clydesdale pulling a heavy load.” This is what made Ford the acceptable candidate to replace Vice President Spiro Agnew, who resigned amidst corruption charges. Vice President Ford thus became President Ford when Nixon resigned facing impeachment charges associated with the Watergate break-in and cover-up. As 38th President, Gerald Ford was best known for his controversial pardoning of Richard Nixon. However he was also responsible for formally ending the Vietnam War and aiding the economic recovery struggling from President Johnson’s entitlement program debt. Unfortunately, Ford’s aggressive plan to identify alternatives to dependency on foreign oil was stymied by a belligerent Congress. Similarly, Ford was ahead of his time in promoting the Helsinki Agreement as a “wedge” to open the Communist Soviet bloc to freedom. Perhaps Ford’s most profound failure was his inability to defeat Jimmy Carter for the Presidency in 1976. That job would await a conservative political newcomer, Ronald Reagan, in 1980.
August 20, 2013
Author James Cannon has given us a very interesting look into the life of President Gerald R. Ford. As one would expect, this is a well-written and informative book that details the inside story of happenings inside the White House during the administration of President Nixon. The author believed that Nixon was guilty of covering up any White House investigation.
The story of Gerald R. Ford's move into the office of leader of the most powerful nation on Earth is presented with clarity and forthrightness. The Nation was already traumatized by the Vietnam War, rising inflation, and, of course, the Watergate crises. The author shows us why Gerald R. Ford was the perfect President to end the fear that gripped the American people during this period of fearful transition. Through Gerald Ford's honest work-ethic and humble down-to-earth character, he restored the country's trust in its government.
President Ford established government committees that continued during the next six presidencies. His Economic Policy board of "EPB" became very popular with the country and displayed Ford's economic expertise. President Ford called on Ronald Rumsfield and eventually Richard Cheney to slowly help turn around the corrupt administration that still lingered after he became president.
This is an exception read and hard-to-put-down. I highly recommend it for acquisition in any library and for a special volume in the home library of those who love history. (reviewed M.Hicks)
About the author: James Cannon was a journalist, serving notably as a war correspondent in Korea and vice president of Newsweek, as well as Domestic Policy Adviser to President Ford and Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. He published several books, including an authorized biography of Ford, Time and Chance: Gerald Ford’s Appointment with History (University of Michigan Press, 1998). - See more at: http://www.press.umich.edu/135548/ger...
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life by James Cannon was provided in exchange for our honest review by the University of Michigan Press. No compensation was received for this review.
The story of Gerald R. Ford's move into the office of leader of the most powerful nation on Earth is presented with clarity and forthrightness. The Nation was already traumatized by the Vietnam War, rising inflation, and, of course, the Watergate crises. The author shows us why Gerald R. Ford was the perfect President to end the fear that gripped the American people during this period of fearful transition. Through Gerald Ford's honest work-ethic and humble down-to-earth character, he restored the country's trust in its government.
President Ford established government committees that continued during the next six presidencies. His Economic Policy board of "EPB" became very popular with the country and displayed Ford's economic expertise. President Ford called on Ronald Rumsfield and eventually Richard Cheney to slowly help turn around the corrupt administration that still lingered after he became president.
This is an exception read and hard-to-put-down. I highly recommend it for acquisition in any library and for a special volume in the home library of those who love history. (reviewed M.Hicks)
About the author: James Cannon was a journalist, serving notably as a war correspondent in Korea and vice president of Newsweek, as well as Domestic Policy Adviser to President Ford and Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. He published several books, including an authorized biography of Ford, Time and Chance: Gerald Ford’s Appointment with History (University of Michigan Press, 1998). - See more at: http://www.press.umich.edu/135548/ger...
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life by James Cannon was provided in exchange for our honest review by the University of Michigan Press. No compensation was received for this review.
January 3, 2018
I quite enjoyed the personal insights James Cannon inserted in this biography of Ford, and I appreciated the effort of his son to finish writing the book. No biography is really objective so I don't see the personal anecdotes as a problem. The balance between Ford the person and Ford the politician is good. I came away feeling as though I really understood Ford's place in history better. After reading this book, I put him on my top ten list of best presidents.
February 2, 2020
Ford was elevated to the vice presidency due to a scandal involving then Vice President Spiro Agnew, which forced Agnew to resign. It was a testimony to his character and abilities that his House colleagues and the Senate, with overwhelming bipartisan support, nominated and approved him knowing he was likely to be replacing Nixon either due to impeachment or resignation as a result of Watergate. He was the only man for the job. That says a lot.
Ford was sworn in as President under a cloud. The economy was in bad shape, the nation was weary of the Vietnam War, and there was a terrible mistrust in our leaders. We needed stability, and healing. Ford provided it.
He quickly learned that The topic of Nixon wouldn’t go away, so he pardoned him, taking the heat for the good of the country. It’s one of the factors that ensured he wouldn’t be elected in 1976. With Ford, though, it was always the good of the country over political gain. The only exception was when he dropped Rockefeller from the ticket in 1976 to appease the conservatives.
Reporters often portrayed Ford as being clumsy and stupid. That’s far from the truth. Ford was athletic, having played football at the University of Michigan. He was also smart. He’s one of the few people who actually read the entire budget and understood it. He knew the government inside and out. He also knew the military budget and the weapons as well as anyone. Few gave him credit for it.
This book was very well written, probably 4.5 stars. The author worked in the Ford administration and had first hand knowledge of the internal workings of his administration. I came away with a much better understanding of the cabinet positions and types of decisions a president faces to attempt to get the dynamics right when selecting whom he surrounds himself with.
Ford was sworn in as President under a cloud. The economy was in bad shape, the nation was weary of the Vietnam War, and there was a terrible mistrust in our leaders. We needed stability, and healing. Ford provided it.
He quickly learned that The topic of Nixon wouldn’t go away, so he pardoned him, taking the heat for the good of the country. It’s one of the factors that ensured he wouldn’t be elected in 1976. With Ford, though, it was always the good of the country over political gain. The only exception was when he dropped Rockefeller from the ticket in 1976 to appease the conservatives.
Reporters often portrayed Ford as being clumsy and stupid. That’s far from the truth. Ford was athletic, having played football at the University of Michigan. He was also smart. He’s one of the few people who actually read the entire budget and understood it. He knew the government inside and out. He also knew the military budget and the weapons as well as anyone. Few gave him credit for it.
This book was very well written, probably 4.5 stars. The author worked in the Ford administration and had first hand knowledge of the internal workings of his administration. I came away with a much better understanding of the cabinet positions and types of decisions a president faces to attempt to get the dynamics right when selecting whom he surrounds himself with.
July 15, 2013
One of the better biographies I have read. Often in reading a Presidential biography there is little that is really new to learn
This book is different. Watergate is examined in sharp but objective detail. Much is made of Ford's ability to work across the aisle and the general comity that existed between politicians across the aisle
Ford was a genuinely decent man. His pardon of Nixon was controversial but in retrospect few would argue it was the wrong one
Most of all be examine this good mans life and works we see what we have lost in today's public servants
An excellent addition to any Presidential biography fan's collection
Also a late addition to this review that I had meant to make. The author came to his relationship with President Ford through his working for former New York Governor and Ford's Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. A great admiration for the Governor is present in these sections. The sacrifices he made to become Vice President and the subsequent ill treatment he received from Ford's White House is explained in good detail. Even Ford himself in later life concluded his treatment of Rockefeller up to and including his removal from the ticket in 1976 was a shameful thing. Rockefeller, if there are any liberal Republicans left will find this section very meaningful
This book is different. Watergate is examined in sharp but objective detail. Much is made of Ford's ability to work across the aisle and the general comity that existed between politicians across the aisle
Ford was a genuinely decent man. His pardon of Nixon was controversial but in retrospect few would argue it was the wrong one
Most of all be examine this good mans life and works we see what we have lost in today's public servants
An excellent addition to any Presidential biography fan's collection
Also a late addition to this review that I had meant to make. The author came to his relationship with President Ford through his working for former New York Governor and Ford's Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. A great admiration for the Governor is present in these sections. The sacrifices he made to become Vice President and the subsequent ill treatment he received from Ford's White House is explained in good detail. Even Ford himself in later life concluded his treatment of Rockefeller up to and including his removal from the ticket in 1976 was a shameful thing. Rockefeller, if there are any liberal Republicans left will find this section very meaningful
November 29, 2021
Going into this book all I knew about Gerald Ford was that he pardoned Nixon and was a one term President. Coming out of this book, I have a much better understanding of Watergate, and that Ford was good man who pardoned Nixon and was a one term President. This is not to say that the book doesn't cover his accomplishments as President, from meetings with the Soviets, to fighting inflation, and more, but... the book is about 1/3 Watergate and the effects of that, 1/3 reelection campaign, and 1/3 everything else from his childhood to his Presidency.
The author served in Ford's administration, and he is very up front about it and his biases are clear. I appreciate that he makes it clear, but at the same time I do feel it detracts a bit from the biography. It's as fair as a biography as one who clearly admires the man can make I think. Certainly more balanced than Ford's Museum (which is actually more balanced than one might expect). But to be fair, Ford is not a President many people admire or research these days, so only one who admires him could write a long bio. It certainly is worth the read.
The author served in Ford's administration, and he is very up front about it and his biases are clear. I appreciate that he makes it clear, but at the same time I do feel it detracts a bit from the biography. It's as fair as a biography as one who clearly admires the man can make I think. Certainly more balanced than Ford's Museum (which is actually more balanced than one might expect). But to be fair, Ford is not a President many people admire or research these days, so only one who admires him could write a long bio. It certainly is worth the read.
March 28, 2016
"Jerry Ford is a human being cum laude, a down to earth, earnest, genuinely likable guy with an infectious laugh and not the slightest hint of pretentiousness. He is a politician of great and genuine sincerity. And in a time when virtuous pols seem as scarce as gasoline, Jerry Ford sticks out as a man of abundant decency." (DeFrank, Newsweek)
Count me as a fangirl of Ford. Written by a former staffer (recruited by VP Rockefeller), Cannon tells the story of Gerald Ford, born Leslie King Jr., who by his sheer genuine sincerity made it to the top in life. He wasn't always the best or the smartest, but he knew how to learn and work. Recommended by the colleagues from both sides of the isle to become Nixon's VP knowing they were essentially picking the next President. He didn't want to be Vice President, let alone President, but he took it on facing extraordinary challenges. He made decisions that were not popular, but best, knowing he could lose politically didn't change his mind. America needed Jerry Ford and we are all fortunate he stepped up when his country called.
Count me as a fangirl of Ford. Written by a former staffer (recruited by VP Rockefeller), Cannon tells the story of Gerald Ford, born Leslie King Jr., who by his sheer genuine sincerity made it to the top in life. He wasn't always the best or the smartest, but he knew how to learn and work. Recommended by the colleagues from both sides of the isle to become Nixon's VP knowing they were essentially picking the next President. He didn't want to be Vice President, let alone President, but he took it on facing extraordinary challenges. He made decisions that were not popular, but best, knowing he could lose politically didn't change his mind. America needed Jerry Ford and we are all fortunate he stepped up when his country called.
October 31, 2015
30/68/2 - This biography is 30% prepresidency, 68% presidency, 2% post presidency, and 40% Watergate. Parts were quite interesting. Some of it almost reads like an episode of West Wing with the amount of detail given to some of the daily operations of Ford's White House. Some of it gets quite tedious and Cannon details every Cabinet Officer being greeted by Donald Rumsfeld and then ushered into the Oval Office to be offered a position. However, this biography does a more interesting job than other presidential biographies when it examines the goings on of the presidency. I think Ford's earlier life is given short shrift, but I found that Cannon has written a previous biography that seems to spend more time with Ford's early life and less time with his presidency. I would recommend only if you are interested in the internal workings of Ford's Presidency.
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