IF I WERE....If I were were writing a regular diary I would have writing a note marking the fact that former President Jerry Ford had died on the day after Christmas 2006. He, being one of those people who always always seemed do appear to be younger than than their actual span of years. Ford was ninety-three at the time of his death. He holds a special place among our Presidents.
Knowing the person of quality he was; seeing the good he did and observing the influence he had on other people set some higher marks for those who might aspire to a place in The Oval Office in years and decades ahead. His steady leadership gave us a pattern of the way public life might best be lived and viewed the people. You are probably among those who, along the way, more than once had at times when that Ford factor of honesty worked to your advantage.
Critics, unable to find many actual flaws, sought, and often found element of humor his actions. He was, one might say, athletically clumsy or awkward. He was photographed bumping his head on low aircraft doors; falling down steps and from platforms, as well, plus slips and slides on slick surfaces. Specialists in politically-oriented slurry love to point out that President Jerry Ford,whom, you may recall served as Vice-President of our nation when Spiro Agnew resigned, was never elected as either Vice-President or as President!
You can't claim you voted for Jerry Ford for either of those two high offices. I wonder, at times, how many voters do so.
Andrew McCaskey Sr. amccsr@adelphia.net 12-29-06 [c285wds]
