Gerald Ford

Course you do…just as long as you dont mind someone else having a different one ? “(IMHO…This is an example of how people without a detailed knowledge of events or history can be misled by a seemingly fair news article).”…bit rude dont you think?

I wasn’t necessarily referring to you…I was thinking more about people who may not know the story. The presented quote alone would give them a incorrect view of Ford..or at least not give the generally accepted reason behind the pardon.

Quote; “Gee, I was living in the U.S at the time as well.
Do I get to have an opinion? “

Course you do…just as long as you dont mind someone else having a different one ? “(IMHO…This is an example of how people without a detailed knowledge of events or history can be misled by a seemingly fair news article).”…bit rude dont you think?

Quote; ” Since you claim to be an expert on American political history, you should know it’s nothing I made up! “

sorry old son never claimed to be something i aint…unlike some i could mention 😀

Nixon should have done time….the punishment should have fitted the crime ..even if he was the unlucky one that got caught!!

IMHO how much knowledge do you want?

Nixon was a crook. Nixon used the ultimate position of power in what was then the shining light of Democracy for his own personal benefit and that of his party.

Gee, I was living in the U.S at the time as well. 😀
Do I get to have an opinion?

I’m just reporting the generally accepted reason for the pardon.
That reason was also echoed recently in the media coverage of Ford’s death. Since you claim to be an expert on American political history, you should know it’s nothing I made up!

I’d disagree that Nixon used it for personal benefit…other than getting re-elected.
A lot of people thought he got caught doing nothing worse than politicians of both parties had done for years. There was as much cynacism towards the “system” as there was anger towards Nixon. Indeed, an English acquaintance at the time said a lot of people in the UK were wondering what the fuss was about.

Sure the American people were dismayed…but the country continued on. It wasn’t exactly Pearl Harbor.

An accurate quote taken out of context.
What isn’t said is his generally acknowledged (and accepted) reason for the pardon.
(IMHO…This is an example of how people without a detailed knowledge of events or history can be misled by a seemingly fair news article).

A Nixon trial would have brought the legislative and executive branches of government to a vitual halt.
Ask a democrat how the more recent Clinton affair (no pun intended) with its impeachment vote disrupted the government.
Some charge it was enough of a distraction to let the forming terrorist threat slip under the table.

What would putting Nixon in jail for 6 months do?
Sending him home in disgrace was enough.

IMHO how much knowledge do you want?

Nixon was a crook. Nixon used the ultimate position of power in what was then the shining light of Democracy for his own personal benefit and that of his party. i know , i was domiciled in the US at the time and know what the fury of the people was like, the feeling of betrayal was unreal.

America deserved better and deserved justice.Nixon deserved jail and i doubt very much if the country would have ground to a halt !!

Might i suggest , sir, that before you continue making assumptions on other’s knowledge that YOU get your facts right.

I for one happen to think that President Ford served his nation admirably, and from what i know was a genuinely good man.

The most intriguing thing about his presidency is that he was never elected to the post of vice President or President, yet he held both jobs. I bet some of his rivals were green with envy! :diablo:

“I looked upon him as my personal friend. And I had no hesitancy about granting the pardon because I felt that we had this relationship and I didn’t want to see my real friend have the stigma,” Ford, who died on Tuesday at age 93, told journalist Bob Woodward in a 2005 interview.

with thanks to Reuters Washington.

An accurate quote taken out of context.
What isn’t said is his generally acknowledged (and accepted) reason for the pardon.
(IMHO…This is an example of how people without a detailed knowledge of events or history can be misled by a seemingly fair news article).

A Nixon trial would have brought the legislative and executive branches of government to a vitual halt.
Ask a democrat how the more recent Clinton affair (no pun intended) with its impeachment vote disrupted the government.
Some charge it was enough of a distraction to let the forming terrorist threat slip under the table.

What would putting Nixon in jail for 6 months do?
Sending him home in disgrace was enough.

Unforgiven?

Maybe people here , as was the case at the time and to a certain extent since, find it hard to forgive him for stopping the course of justice that would have left Nixon with a much deserved criminal prosecution .

Yes he was i am sure a good man , did his duty and meant well, but he should never have let his old pal away with his arrogance. His motovation?

“I looked upon him as my personal friend. And I had no hesitancy about granting the pardon because I felt that we had this relationship and I didn’t want to see my real friend have the stigma,” Ford, who died on Tuesday at age 93, told journalist Bob Woodward in a 2005 interview.

with thanks to Reuters Washington.

Not much to say.
By all accounts he was a good, honest man.
Served 26 years in the House and two years as president.
No scandal or real controversy.
Died of old age at 93.
Not too bad I’d say.:D

As there are no replies to this thread i figure no one has forgiven him for pardoning Richard Nixon