Gerald Ford hospitalized after dizzy spell

cnn.com ^

[risk]

"...I don't believe that the Poles consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union." --Gerald Ford

Yikes. President Reagan was a true revolutionary: he dared to believe that the Cold War could be won, when wonks on the left and the right would have staked their careers betting that it would last at least three or more generations.

This article by Susan Huck seems to get more apropos every day: "Susan L.M. Huck: Vietnam Falls: it is time to establish responsibility."

Throughout the Johnson and Nixon years, meanwhile, disarmament and detente and "aid and trade" flourished. During all those years of war, we could not do enough for our Red friends. We gave them credit and shipped them computer hardware and software, airborne radar, even rifle-cleaning compounds! We fed them and buckled to them, and the C.F.R. boys who were making buckets of money through "aid and trade," such as the Watsons of I.B.M., could not have cared less about the American "peasants" getting killed in consequence.

And let us not forget the "peace talks"! The Vietnam "peace talks" went on for years, just as in Korea. That's another game we always play by the Communist rules.

We owe it to those brave soldiers who died in Korea and Vietnam despite an apparent total lack of support for their war against Stalin, Mao, and the Marxist scourge. And to leaders like Reagan who dared to imagine a a free eastern Europe.

[Young Rhino]

That reputation was a bit of a bum rap

You are 100% correct. Although I disagreed with Ford's politics (too Rockefeller Republican), he was no bumbling fool from a physical standpoint...probably the most athletic president up to that date. Few remember that Ford was a star of the University of Michigan football team. He was a superb athlete.

[capgun]

Those "dizzy spells" could be the result of playing too much football without a helmet while at the U of M. I know it effected his presidency!!

[Theodore R.]

Ford is one of those Republicans who the liberals say "grew" in office: that is became more liberal. He was originally a quite conservative congressman from Grand Rapides, MI, but how times changed him. In 1974, he was president in a fluke and chose Nelson Rockefeller for the vice presidencey: Nelson Rockefeller, the man who once joked that he did not want to be "vice president of anything." Ford, like Nixon who elevated him to vice president, is a strong supporter of "abortion rights."

[Theodore R.]

In retrospect, the most sacred thing to Gerald and Betty Ford is first and foremost "abortion rights." By the way, did you know that his birth name was "Leslie King." He was born in Omaha.

[ElkGroveDan]

I hear former President Carter sneezed last week and had no handkerchief.

What a non-story. It sounds like something from The Onion.

[ElkGroveDan]

Preceded by:

There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford administration.

[Hank Rearden]

One of the dopiest old farts ever to inhabit the White House (WIN buttons?). What a waste he is/was; collecting millions for being a complete doofus. A complete, total nonentity.

At least now that he's 159 years old he has an excuse. His idiotic "presidency" can only be attributed to early-onset dementia.

Frankly, I'd forgotten he was still alive.

[F16Fighter]

"In retrospect, the most sacred thing to Gerald and Betty Ford is first and foremost 'abortion rights.' By the way, did you know that his birth name was 'Leslie King.' He was born in Omaha."

(In Johnny Carson's voice) "Ford was once King?? I did not know that..."

Gerald Ford and his wife were the early model prototypical pandering RINO -- for their support of abortion 'rights' I despise them.

[Theodore R.]

Whenever I see Gerald or Betty on TV, I turn the set off. He has nothing to say to me. That being said, I voted for the Ford-Dole electors in Louisiana in 1976. Carter-Mondale swept LA because they promised a government as "good and caring and kind as the American people." Did they deliver?

[Reagan79]

It probably just hit him that he lost to Jimmy Carter!

[P.O.E.]

Thanks for putting a link to that article. It was an interesting read.

[Sabertooth]

They were looking for Republican blood, and Gerald Ford snatched it away from them.

The pardon of Nixon was not only wrong, it handed the Presidency to Jimmy Carter.

Still trying to polish that turd a few decades later, Ford compounded his blunder by signing a joint letter with Carter in favor of Janet Reno's preposterous "protective immunity" argument against Secret Service testimony regarding President Clinton.

It doesn't matter that the Democrats were out for Nixon's blood, the man broke the law and obstructed justice. He should have done time, just as you or I would have.

Arguing otherwise is no more principled than Clintonistas' "it's all about sex" canard.

[dfwgator]

I don't believe that the Poles consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union.

I never forgave Ford for that comment either. Too bad Reagan didn't get the nomination in 76 over Ford.

[Sabertooth]

First cat to be elected President, if memory serves me correct.

Also the last President born in a log cabin.

When you only serve a few months, you really have to reach to flesh out the resume.

[risk]

They were looking for Republican blood, and Gerald Ford snatched it away from them.

He also signed SALT 1, which neutered our ABM (national missile defense) program for a generation. He also helped us "engage" with China, enriching their arms race against us with trade.

[risk]

...meaning Nixon, and why he should be criticized.

[speedy]

Ford was captain of Michigan's football team (albeit a team that was winless!!) Kind of emblematic of his political career -- like Dole, he was perfectly happy being leader of the minority party. He seemed to always resent the Republicans who put the GOP in power. He was the Democrats ideal Republican.

[KC_Conspirator]

I'm not sure if he still is...

I believe he did a fundraiser with Hillary Klinton not 2 weeks ago.

[Sonny M]

The only reason I wasn't sure, was the tone of the interview was entirely past tense.