Jim, I objected when they selected Ford for the CVN 21 class ships for just that reason.
Jerry Ford’s service in WWII was undeniably heroic, but I still think it is totally gauche to name ships after living politicians.
As another poster said, I’ll make an exception for Reagan because no President in living memory was more beloved than the Gipper.
I sympathize, but if you do, you are going to have to accept a future CVN USS Obama. Obama, after his second term, will be at least as great (to the communists) as Reagan is to real Americans.
It's a bad business which never should have been started. If I were king, I'd go back to famous battles.
Reagan was the only POTUS namesake of modern POTUS who was worthy of the namesake while living. It can also be reasonably said he would not have been in a condition too really have appreciate the honor. Reagan achieved a lot as POTUS defense wise. He turned not just the Navy but the entire military around and restored morale & pride back too the services. Under Reagan the Navy was at a height of readiness unseen since the end of WW2. He came within a couple of ships of the 600 ship Navy and they were combat fit ships & crew. Reagan walked the walk of his talk in support of all services. We had not had such a POTUS since WW2 nor have we had one since.
As for the former living presidents named too follow? None earned it. Poppy nor Ford were good military supporting presidents while in office. Actually Ford's term began the Carter decline. Poppy along with the DEMs began dismantling the Reagan Navy even as the Gulf War as underway. By early 1994 things were coming apart literally on some ships.
FORD got the new CVN class namesake simply because of Senator John Warner {Ford's SECNAV} and some dirty politics. In spite of several Carrier Veterans Groups of previous carriers trying to obtain that namesake Warner went behind their backs to Sec of Navy for the naming.