President Gerald Ford was not a dynamic president, ranking with Dwight Eisenhower among those who held the office but didn't inspire greatness.
And he wasn't without flaws. After inheriting the job when Richard Nixon resigned, Ford will best be remembered for granting a controversial pardon to his predecessor, who was involved in a coverup of the Watergate incident, if not the incident itself.
But Ford was an honorable public servant who played the game of politics in a constructive manner, which is more than we can say about members of the most recent Congress. He was old-style much in the same way as President Lyndon Johnson. While neither embraced the opposing party, they worked with everyone in Congress to achieve consensus and move this country forward.
Ford ruled during a difficult time. There was considerable bitterness about the Nixon pardon, and a new skepticism about national politics in the wake of such a disruptive scandal. During Ford's rule, the country also was rocked by significant inflation, which severely squelched commerce because nobody could afford to borrow.
Nonetheless, he gladly stepped in and carried the nation forward with honor. His personal integrity represented a breath of fresh air following an era in which arrogance and abuse of power had become Washington's new trademarks.
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Sadly, Ford never served as Speaker of the House, the position to which he most aspired and for which he had the most talent. And he never served a second term. In a close election, voters sided with Jimmy Carter. So Ford never had much of a chance to build his own legacy. But he was the Rock of Gibraltar at a time when America's foundation had been rocked. He was called to serve under difficult circumstances and did so with distinction.
