Ford Foundation

Former President Gerald Ford is in the news. This article from YAHOO! has the story, but also a link to Kevin Sites' -- uh -- SITE which today is entitled "A Time to Heal." That was the title of Ford's autobiography written after he left the presidency.

One of my earliest datable memories is watching President Nixon walk out to the helicopter after he resigned -- 32 years ago this month -- and gave his famous wave, and then seeing Ford sworn in. I asked my mother what had happened, and she told me that "the president had to quit his job because he told a lie." Surely a condensed version of the whole Watergate episode, but enough to compel a preschooler away from mendacity for the foreseeable future.

Ronald Reagan was 93 years and 4 months old when he passed away two years ago, making him the longest-lived president up to that time (John Adams and Herbert Hoover both lived to 90). Ford turned 93 last month, so he's got about 3 months to go to surpass the Gipper. Ford has had some health issues in recent years -- as one might expect -- but he still seems pretty vigorous and hopefully this latest episode is just a temporary setback.

I do find it unusual that the media is referring to Ford as the "oldest living ex-president." This, I suppose, as compared to the "oldest dead ex-president."

Ford is also the last surviving member of the Warren Commission, achieving this distinction when Sen. John Sherman Cooper died in 1991.