Memories of the Ford Administration

[jlh]

Wasn't it nice, last week, to have a national day of mourning for a president we can all agree was a good man we kind of liked? No one had to make parody icons saying "today is a national day of mourning … for James Brown," after all. Gerald Ford is the first president I remember. When I was born, Nixon was president, but I don't remember him; I only remember my father being Very Grouchy Indeed. But Ford, him I remember.

His opening sentence after his inauguration, "Our long national nightmare is over" is a stock sarcastic phrase of mine. The title of this entry, which I often mangle by changing the president for my own ridiculous ends, is from a John Updike novel about a historian who spent those years writing a biography of President Buchanan while trying in vain not to be a complete fuckwit.

As he was president for just two and a half years, Ford was known for only a few things:

1. Ford was the only President to not have been in a national election; it's a sign of the Nixon administration that the elected Vice President, Spiro Agnew, resigned from office because he was under indictment on felony charges completely unrelated to the Watergate scandal. So Ford, then the minority leader in the House, was appointed in his stead, and then later became President.
   
2. In an attempt to beat the economic crisis known as "stagflation" (inflation coupled with stagnant growth) Ford asked the country to "Whip Inflation Now" by wearing buttons that said "WIN" and by doing random bullshit things as if the ordinary consumer or businessman could really have an effect on monetary policy. I was five and even I thought it was sort of silly.
   
3. When New York City faced bankruptcy in the mid 70s, Ford opposed a federal bail out; his decision led to one of the most famous tabloid headlines ever: "Ford to City: Drop Dead." The Daily News has an article on the creation of the headline; note that Ford eventually did give the city $2.8 billion.
   
4. He pardoned Nixon. Some suspected a deal; he swore it was just to get the Watergate mess off his desk so he could deal with Brezhnev. It didn't heal fuck all, and the lack of satisfaction likely worsened the liberal/conservative divide.
   
5. You do the math, but either the end of the post-WWII boom economy, the loss of New York thanks to the headline, or the loss of the liberals thanks to the pardon, lost him the White House in 1976.

Ford's son, Stephen, is an actor who had a major role on The Young and the Restless in the 1980s and was Joe, the man who didn't want to marry Sally, in When Harry Met Sally. But his most famous relative was his wife, Betty, whose sparkling personality somewhat outshone her husband. She fought breast cancer while First Lady and helped start National Breast Cancer Awareness so you can thank her for the pink ribbons and the fundraising. She also fought alcohol addiction, which led her to found The Betty Ford Center, which has only the Malibu-based Promises as a rival for celebs trying to kick their habit du jour.

So follow this circle. In June 1975, President Ford slips on the steps getting off Air Force One in Egypt. In October 1975, Saturday Night Live premieres on NBC. Cast member Chevy Chase, who bore no real resemblance to President Ford, nevertheless gets the job of impersonating him, which mostly entails a lot of pratfalls, referencing the slip down the steps. Ford, who had been a top football player and probably the most athletic president, gets an unwarranted reputation as a klutz. Years later, Chevy Chase admits that he has an addiction to painkillers, because he hurt his back during all those falls playing Gerald Ford. And where does Chase seek treatment? Yep, the Betty Ford Clinic.

Comments

[aome.livejournal.com]

Joe, the man who didn't want to marry Sally

Whoa, I didn't know that. I'll have to go watch it again, now.

The first president I remember is Carter, so I actually learned quite a lot about Ford in all the media after his death. One of the things I was wondering - everyone hailed him in memory, of course, even though he wasn't so popular during his presidency. It made me wonder what positive things people will find to say about the Shrub when his time comes. "He stuck to his ideals"? That's really the only positive thing I can think of. :P

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was that he wasn't popular per se, but that he pissed off so many people with the pardon and he never recovered from that. I think everyone felt he was a good, upstanding man who possibly wasn't up to being president. I mean, look at Nixon and what happened when he died. It was very controversial, and yet, the stories all led with Watergate, no matter what else he accomplished in his life. So I think Bush will always be, he led us into an unpopular war, no matter what else people might say.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I know it's the superficial response but...Joe was Ford's son? OMG! I didn't know that! That's great to know!

He was the first president I remember too--and I remember all that about Chevy Chase. I mean, I remember occasionally being able to catch the actual show and then I remember the addiction from the pratfalls. I remember it being referenced recently when they talked about how SNL now always so relies on make-up when back then I used to be almost confused at the Chevy Chase thing because he was so obviously not Gerald Ford.

I remember seeing Assassins when it was revived at Studio 54 and Ford appeared for about 10 seconds...to fall down. The poor guy. It's not like Bush Sr. is only known for puking!

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Awww, Assassins, that's so mean. Esp since he had attempts of his own, two really lame ones, and one from a Manson Family member!

I watched Y&R when Stephen Ford was on it, so I was very aware of him as an actor. But yeah, they made no attempt whatsoever in makeup or voice to make Chevy look like Ford—unlike Akroyd's impersonation of Nixon, which at least included a wig, a facial expression, and the voice. At least Ford had a good sense of humor about it; I believe he referred to Chase as "a very funny suburb."

What is Bush Sr known for, though? Read my lips, I guess.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Awww, Assassins, that's so mean. Esp since he had attempts of his own, two really lame ones, and one from a Manson Family member!

LOL! That's where he did his fall. Which is how there was no doubt which president it was. Then one of the women said, "Aren't you President Ford?" and he had to look to the Secret Security Guard for how he should response. He was helping them pick up the bullets they'd dropped. Likeable, but clueless.

At least Ford had a good sense of humor about it; I believe he referred to Chase as "a very funny suburb."

Now that's cool!

[ali-wildgoose.livejournal.com]

Proving once again that American history can be educational AND entertaining.

Seriously.

:D

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks sweetie.

Hey, free this week? I'll send an email. I think I'm not free lancing this month, as I have other things to do and if I'm good I have enough money.

[ali-wildgoose.livejournal.com]

I THINK I'm free wednesday and maybe friday...or any day during the afternoon if I have warning :)

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

Meeeeemmmmm-ries! :)

"Our long national nightmare is over." -- My father was a police officer, and the day Nixon resigned he was called back to work from a family vacation "in case of public disorder." I can remember sitting in the back seat of the car with my little sister, wondering why our time at the beach had been interrupted, and we listened to the car radio and rumors were swirling all day about Nixon's upcoming speech that evening. Strange times.

And of course, somewhere, that same night, Brad and Janet were getting lost in the rain. :)

Ford was always a good sport about Chevy Chase and SNL. Chase used to refer to him on Weekend Update as "alleged President Ford," and Ford called Chase "a very funny suburb." Ford's Press Secretary was the guest host on SNL once and Ford filmed a clip introducing him, where he stood in the Oval Office and said: "Ladies and Gentlemen: the Press Secretary to the President of the United States." On the other hand, Chevy Chase once said that he had despised Ford at the time, and was eventually really embarassed that he had felt that way.

I used to have a Whip Inflation Now button! I probably still have it, in a box somewhere.

I had no idea Stephen Ford was an actor. Cool to know!

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe I stumped you, BD!

God, that resignation speech from Nixon is ENDLESS, but I had forgotten about the Rocky Horror reference; I so often miss the beginning of that film. Nixon, so full of self-pity. He just couldn't win for shooting himself in the foot.

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

If you get me really drunk, I will tell you my theory of how RHPS is an allegory of the Nixon administration. In some versions, Gerald Ford is Rocky . . . :)

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Oh BD, you tempt me so. I have a jones for allegories, I admit.