The Healer?

Former President Gerald Ford died this week. He was the first President who was not elected to office, having taken over first for Vice President Spiro Agnew and then a year later for President Richard Nixon after their respective scandals forced them out of office.

The media and politicians are both quick to say that "he healed a troubled nation" as President, but I have to seriously question that assertion.

YES Ford said that our long running "nightmare" was over, meaning the abomination that was the Nixon White House. There was a lot that Nixon did that really pissed just about everyone off, and getting out before he could be actually impeached was probably the best thing he ever did.

But did Ford REALLY "heal" a nation simply by saying it was over with? Or did he take part in one final insult, one final slap in the face on the American people, by pardoning Nixon for his actions?

I happen to think that it was a mistake for Ford to pardon Nixon, and although we'll never really know the truth, I wouldn't be the least surprised if that pardon was part of some agreement to allow Nixon to step down instead of being impeached and facing possible criminal charges. It certainly beats the current assertion that Nixon gave up "for the good of the nation".

Or maybe that's just the political cynic in me.

Anyway, aside from him pardoning Nixon, there's really only one other thing that Gerald Ford was known for… and that was to give Chevy Chase plenty of comedic material for a brand new show at the time called "Saturday Night Live". Given the number of headaches caused by that position by both Ford's predecessors and his successors, if all you're really known for is giving some comedian some pratfall material, then you're pretty much ahead of the curve.

It's just a pity we couldn't get a chance to see what Ford could do with four years as an elected President. (Then again, maybe we would have if he didn't let Nixon walk.)