Gerald Ford passes away.

[Frozen Sooner]

Always sad when a former president passes.

[royalfan5]

and a fellow Native Nebraskan.

[Soonerus]

That's horrible, I had not heard that...how could you not like that guy...

[Frozen Sooner]

It was just released, no links yet, but all the majors have it up as breaking news on their sites.

:(

[colleyvillesooner]

:(

[Soonerus]

Yea, I just saw it on CNN....sad .....

[royalfan5]

And he had just passed Regan last month for longest lived President.

[King Crimson]

wow.

[OUinFLA]

RIP President Ford.

[royalfan5]

I wonder what he will be remembered most for? For me it would be Pardoning Nixon, followed by the W.I.N. (Whip inflation now) buttons, followed by the football without a helmet quip, and finally the pratfalls and golfing mis-adventures. I doubt he will be remember as great, but he performed capably under difficult circumstances.

[BigRedJed]

Aw, man. The first President I remember well. I was around for two others, and vaguely remember Watergate, but he was the first one I really had a true awareness of.

He had a tough gig, coming off of Nixon's ****up, and served the country with honor, class and integrity.

R.I.P. Gerald Ford, a great American.

[Widescreen]

He was a very unnoteworthy president but always seemed like a good guy.

[Wishboned]

Sad news indeed.

He was a good man and he served his country well.

He also had a good long life.

[OUFAN29]

I was honored to have met and shaken former President Ford's hand on the tarmack at LAX when I was young. He made me feel very special for a President to take the time to do that.

Rest In Peace President. Enjoy your front row seat with Bo S. for the Rose Bowl.

[Mongo]

I was in Vail, CO in 1994 for church reasons. We entered into Beaver Creek, the neighborhood in which he spent his retirement in. We were walking in his 'hood, when the secret service put a hault on our activities. Then the SS did their patented talking into their collars and told us to move on. We saw a man standing in the window in a second or third story condo. We put 2+2 together. Pretty cool to get that close to an ex-POTUS.

RIP President

[BigRedJed]

He was a very unnoteworthy president but always seemed like a good guy.
I disagree. He was noteworthy for leading the country through recovery from the greatest presidential scandal ever, from the first ever president to resign. It was also at the end of the Vietnam war. People didn't trust government. He restored dignity to the office. And he made an incredibly difficult decision to pardon Nixon, which surely cost him political capital and election to office (remember, not re-election, as he ascended to Veep through appointment and POTUS through Nixon's resignation--in fact, he never ran on a national ticket until running against Carter for the presidency).

When he was inaugurated, Carter started his speech by saying "for myself and for our nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land."

Ford was dealt a hand tougher than perhaps any incoming president, at the very least any other besides Truman, and he didn't wilt.

He was noteworthy for that reason alone.

[Soonerus]

The re-occuring statement I am hearing now on the news shows tonight, which I think is accurate and a great honor is he was "a great American"...

[Octavian]

The pardon was the immediate conclusion of the Nixon saga, and for that (even if America survives for a thousand years) he'll never be forgotten.

The USA got lucky again in Ford...he was the right man at the right time. RIP.

[olevetonahill]

Ya im cynical but here goes my thoughts .
1 . One less burden on the Tax payers .
2. He will always be remembered By me as the fool that dayum near fell off the steps of Air Force 1
3. He was hand picked by Nixon to Paron nixon after tricky dick resigned :mad:
All in all he still would have been a better Pres than Billies Bro .

[olevetonahill]

Oh and RIP Pres Ford
You did well with the hand you were dealt

[Sooner98]

He was the only President not to win a presidential election. He was also the longest living President (93 years old).

R.I.P.

[Octavian]

The clumsiness and verbal misteps will be forgotten.

The pardon will not....and I think it will probably be universally viewed as the right decision once the Baby Boom generation joins him in the afterlife.

jmo

[Soonerus]

Ya im cynical but here goes my thoughts .
1 . One less burden on the Tax payers .
2. He will always be remembered By me as the fool that dayum near fell off the steps of Air Force 1
3. He was hand picked by Nixon to Paron nixon after tricky dick resigned :mad:
All in all he still would have been a better Pres than Billies Bro .

That's weak, insensitive ****....

[olevetonahill]

That's weak, insensitive ****....
those are facts ******* .
Ive been leaving you alone cause im tired of having a battle of wits , with an unarmed foe
Go back to your ivory tower .

[GrapevineSooner]

Might want to rephrase or even recant bullet point one, Olevaton.

[olevetonahill]

Might want to rephrase or even recant bullet point one, Olevaton.
Why Bud ? I said I was cynical :eek:
The American Taxpayers spend More Every year on ex Pres. than they do on . Take your pick

[OUFAN29]

Immediately after the passing of a President is not the time to bring out the negative about him. Even if you dont like or believed in his politics, but out of respect. Thats just me though.

[Soonerus]

those are facts ******* .
Ive been leaving you alone cause im tired of having a battle of wits , with an unarmed foe
Go back to your ivory tower .

Your class is shining through, why don't you go out and spit on his grave, terd...btw, if you have wits that's news to many.....

[olevetonahill]

Immediately after the passing of a President is not the time to bring out the negative about him. Even if you dont like or believed in his politics, but out of respect. Thats just me though.
Wait till klinton croakes ! if Im still above ground .
I lived thru those yrs . I voted for Him over the peanut dude .
Talk from experience .
Back then ALL Candiates where Lying *******s . Oh wait they still are , My bad

[Soonerus]

Immediately after the passing of a President is not the time to bring out the negative about him. Even if you dont like or believed in his politics, but out of respect. Thats just me though.

So true, some of these guys chips on their shoulder clouds their common decency....unbelievable....

[olevetonahill]

Your class is shining through, why don't you go out and spit on his grave, terd...btw, if you have wits that's news to many.....
Cause Im classically cynical , :P

[GrapevineSooner]

Somebody, and I don't know where I read this, mentioned that when famous people die, we have a way of damn near elevating them to sainthood or see their life through rose colored glasses.

I don't like that philosophy. And if you think Gerald Ford was a lousy President, I'm not going to lambast you for feeling that way.

Just don't make ridiculously insensitive comments like 'one less burden for taxpayers.'

Even I, who regards the last two Democrats to hold the office of POTUS as lousy Presidents, wouldn't stoop that low the day that either one of them passes on to the next plane.

[Soonerus]

You are a classic ******* to attack a man within minutes of his death...

[OUFAN29]

Wait till klinton croakes ! if Im still above ground .
I lived thru those yrs . I voted for Him over the peanut dude .
Talk from experience .
Back then ALL Candiates where Lying *******s . Oh wait they still are , My bad


I have lived through those years as well. Just my belief that when a U.S. President passes on, that is not the time to bring up the negative things about him. One can find fault in every President. Just a time and a place for everything. Now is not the time.

[Soonerus]

I have lived through those years as well. Just my belief that when a U.S. President passes on, that is not the time to bring up the negative things about him. One can find fault in every President. Just a time and a place for everything. Now is not the time.

Ditto....

[olevetonahill]

Read My second Post . to see how I felt
But then Dispute My 3 statements .
Ya cant
Sorry if Ive offened anyone but russell :D l

[1stTimeCaller]

I had no idea that President Ford's family posted on here. That's cool.

[Soonerus]

Read My second Post . to see how I felt
But then Dispute My 3 statements .
Ya cant
Sorry if Ive offened anyone but russell :D l


HEH....

[olevetonahill]

Ok on the advice of My SO advisor . Ill tame it down ;)
Rest In Peace , Former Pres Ford . I will Pray for your Family .

[Soonerus]

Ok on the advice of My SO advisor . Ill tame it down ;)
Rest In Peace , Former Pres Ford . I will Pray for your Family .

Thank you, there is plenty of time for petty political posturing....

[Blue]

It was Senseless...

http://www.danacarvey.net/images/brokaw.jpg

Damn Wolves.

[Okla-homey]

Chevy Chase better send flowers. His impression of Gerald Ford on early SNL episodes propelled Chevy into stardom.

Also, Gerald Ford played college football at Michigan during the leather helmet days and by all accounts was good enough to go pro.

[StoopTroup]

I'm just glad that he never shot anyone while hunting....

RIP Gerald...

[jk the sooner fan]

taxpayer burden? they're presidents, and should be treated as such till death...think of the alternative, not good for our country at all

RIP President Ford - you were a good man

[12]

http://www.sageventure.com/scoutingcentury/eagle/TheMedal.jpg

Rest in peace and God bless.

[royalfan5]

Ford was also part of one of my favorite Simpson's episodes. The one where President Bush moved in next to the Simpsons, and developed a feud with them. The episode ended with Ford moving in, and asking Homer if he like football and nachos.

[royalfan5]

Another interesting bit of Ford trivia is that he nearly became President of the University of Nebraska upon leaving office.

[picasso]

I'm just glad that he never shot anyone while hunting....

RIP Gerald...
OR let his date drown in a car wreck.

[picasso]

Another interesting bit of Ford trivia is that he nearly killed 37 people while playing golf throughout his lifetime.

and he was better than Hairy.

[Widescreen]

How many holes-in-one did he have?

[picasso]

How many headshots-in-one did he have?

37! read my post.;)

[BudSooner]

RIP Mr President.

[BeetDigger]

Another interesting bit of Ford trivia is that he nearly became President of the University of Nebraska upon leaving office.


You mean trivial, not trivia. :D

[BigRedJed]

Ya im cynical but here goes my thoughts .
1 . One less burden on the Tax payers .
2. He will always be remembered By me as the fool that dayum near fell off the steps of Air Force 1
3. He was hand picked by Nixon to Paron nixon after tricky dick resigned :mad:
All in all he still would have been a better Pres than Billies Bro .
Man, gotta part company with you on that one, vet.

I think you probably just posted this for shock value. But the reasonable extension of your logic is that every president (and member of congress, who all get healthy pensions and healthcare, etc.) be executed upon leaving office. Also, maybe war veterans shouldn't get healthcare benefits after leaving the armed services, by that reasoning. Surely not what you meant. President Ford served his country with honor and dignity for not just the 2 1/2 years he was in office, but also for the year or so that he was VP, and 25 years before that in congress. He was also a military reservist, and even a National Parks worker when he was just out of college. He served our country nearly his entire life, and well. He deserved to be taken care of, as does anyone who served as President. BTW, recent legislation has actually changed it to where former presidents now shoulder the burden for Secret Service protection after, I want to say, 10 years. They will be far less of a financial burden due to this.
Every President has something that the media and comedians latch onto to bring them down to a human level, and even to insult. With Ford, it was the perception that he was a clumsy oaf, thanks to a couple of well-publicized incidents. The man was the MVP of the Michigan football team his senior year, and turned down a chance at the NFL to go to law school. He was NOT a physically limited buffoon.
Absolutely untrue. He was hand picked by Oklahoma DEMOCRATIC Speaker of the House Carl Albert to fill the VP spot left open by departing, scandal-ridden Spiro Agnew. From the U.S. Senate website (http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Gerald_Ford.htm):

Nixon knew that Democrats felt apprehensive about confirming someone who might be a strong contender for the presidency in 1976 and that they preferred "a caretaker Vice President who would simply fill out Agnew's unexpired term." Nixon wanted to appoint his Treasury Secretary, John Connally, but after meeting with the Democratic congressional leadership he concluded that Connally would have a difficult time being confirmed. At Camp David, Nixon prepared an announcement speech with four endings, one each for Nelson Rockefeller, Ronald Reagan, Connally, and Ford. Looking through the names that Republican party leaders had suggested, he found that Rockefeller and Reagan had tied, Connally was third, and Ford last. However, among members of Congress, including such Democrats as Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and House Speaker Carl Albert, Ford's name came in first and, as Nixon noted, "they were the ones who would have to approve the man I nominated." As Speaker Albert later asserted, "We gave Nixon no choice but Ford."As for the Nixon pardon, Ford did that because he believed with conviction that it was the best thing for the country, Nixon or anyone else be damned. He did it probably knowing it would all but ruin his chances of being elected President in 1976. Doing this, IMO, elevated him from the level of a politician to the level of "statesman." He put the needs of the country above those of his own political career. For doing this, he won the 2001 Profiles in Courage Award, considered the "Nobel of government." Senator Ted Kennedy, who was one of the most vocal critics of Ford's decision at the time, has since said:

Gerald Ford saw our nation through one of its darkest hours and his straightforward leadership helped steady the country. His foresight and determination to follow his convictions earned him the Profiles in Courage Award in 2001. At that ceremony I remarked, ‘Unlike many of us at the time, President Ford recognized that the nation had to move forward, and could not do so if there was a continuing effort to prosecute former President Nixon. His courage and dedication to our country made it possible for us to begin the process of healing and put the tragedy of Watergate behind us.’ President Ford will always be remembered for his courage. And his life was a tribute to public service.I'm not fond of quoting one of the most partisan, avowed haters of conservative values in congress. But when Ted Kennedy acknowledges that not prosecuting the most prominent Republican lawbreaker of all time was, in retrospect, the right thing to do, it's significant.

[BigRedJed]

To say that he "made a deal" with Nixon, the Presidency for a pardon, disrespects the memory of a man who ultimately sacrificed his own career for the good of our country.

[olevetonahill]

BRJ is all good
When I croak I will ONE less burden On the American tax payer .;)
If you read the other posts a lot ofr my statements were tounge in cheek:eek:
I hope he truly Rests IN Peace