REFLECTION OF A PRESIDENT

Never had any political aspirations. Never followed the political scene and couldn’t tell you the names of many key players in Washington. Have only voted in a few major elections. Yeah, guess you could call me unAmerican. As a matter of fact, my only real interest in an election was at 17--the future of my job depended on the outcome. I was secretary to Judge Sanchez who was appointed to the District Court bench by the governor of New Mexico. He had to run for re-election the following year. Although my parents were philosophically republican, I had to register my first time out as a democrat in order to vote in the primary.

Also around this same time was that well-known scandal of Watergate. Remember being plugged into the boob tube (as my dad likes to call it) watching the hearings. In August 1974 Richard Nixon resigned from the presidency and Gerald Ford became the 38th President of the United States. The following month President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon.

Gerald Ford died on December 26, 2006, at the age of 93. My mom thought it strange that I would bother writing about Ford, let alone any political figure. Really don’t know what my opinions of Ford were during his 29 months in office or what you thought of the man. Maybe you were angry about the pardon and Nixon not getting his comeuppance. Although I’m not so sure what I thought at the time, in reflecting upon Mr. Ford this week, I do admire his conviction for doing it. Ford did what he thought best for the country, and he got a lot of flack for it. That decision most assuredly cost Ford the election. The only other remembrance after watching a little of the news coverage this week, was Ford’s son, Steven--oh, yeah, an actor on The Young and the Restless way back when.