Posted on 12/31/2006 8:08:45 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Bob Woodward insists that then-White House chief of staff Al Haig offered Vice President Gerald Ford a deal to pardon Richard Nixon if he resigned the presidency.
Haig flatly denies that assertion and calls it an "insult."
Appearing on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Dec. 27, the day after Ford died, Woodward – who interviewed Ford extensively in recent years – was asked why he thought Ford pardoned Nixon.
Woodward responded: "Well, first of all, one of the things Ford told me, which I published a number of years ago, is that he believes, he, Gerald Ford, believed that Al Haig offered him a deal.
"Now, Al Haig will tell you and firmly and emphatically deny that. But Ford believed that the deal was offered and believed that he rejected it. And Ford's reasoning was essentially he wanted his own presidency. He had to get Nixon off the front page. The idea of an investigation, indictment, possible jailing of Nixon would consume the country for another two years.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Woodward has always come up with unverifiable claims that many do not believe.
How convenient that the two people who could confirm this are dead.
Woodward is to journalism what Morris is to campaigns and polls. They both are out to lunch.
What deal could be struck? President Nixon broke the law and they had the goods on him. VP Ford was going to become POTUS one way or another. Nixon knew it, Ford knew it and Haig knew it.
I'd have to mull it over about one second whether to believe General Haig or Woodward.
General Haig is a man of integrity.
Somebody should pardon Woodward.
This story doesn't even make any sense. Makes you wonder what Woodward understood about Watergate.
That "Deepthroat" business of the planter being moved or not moved was enough to convince me not to give much credence to what Woodward says.
Didn't you hear? Woodward INVENTED Watergate. He built the hotel!
Woodward makes Dan Rather look like an innocent.
That is the simple and straight of it all, and to say otherwise is to suggest that Ford himself was as dishonest as any other politician serving in government.
Ford was going to be president,and he had the authority (like it of not) to pardon anyone he wanted.
Nixon's indiscretions never were of a nature that demanded he be jailed, and history bears witness that Ford did the proper thing, by pardoning Nixon.
Woodward has always pedaled an agenda in his reporting, and history will finally prove this assertion as well.
The claim was published in Shadow: Five Presidents Under the Shadow of Watergate in a chapter on Gerald Ford's presidency written after an interview with Gerald Ford. To me, that makes Woodward's claim credible.
Haig obviously doesn't feel that there was an offer made, Ford did. Whether you believe Gerald Ford or Alexander Haig is up to you, but I personally find President Ford more credible.
The book was published in 1999, meaning that Ford was probably interviewed in early-1998. To my knowledge, Gerald Ford didn't suffer from any major medical problems until he had a stroke at the 2000 National Convention.
does allowing Judith Miller to sit in jail for months while with-holding the Armitage information enhance Woodward's credibility?
I thought the question referred to Woodward. Now THAT makes more sense. ;^)
Nice.
If Woodward had published something that Ford hadn't said, Ford would have called him on it. The fact that he didn't suggests that Ford thought that Woodward's account was accurate.
I am sure Bob Woodward was also in Sandy Bergers pants. And can prove that no documents were shoved in there. Maybe he was also in the oval office and can attest to the common liberal belief that Bills privates never entered Monica. Hey Bob can you also assure us that Vince Foster was not murdered. If you say it surely we will all believe it.
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