Editorial note: Opinions expressed here are solely those of the blogger
Let me just get some biases out of the way. I’m a Democrat and a long-time admirer of President Biden. Sure, like any public figure Joe Biden certainly has his flaws and I haven’t agreed with every decision he’s made as President. But I’ve always believed Joe Biden is a good, decent man and an incredibly underrated politiican. And since he was elected almost exactly two years ago, the President I always wonderd if he’d emulate was Gerald Ford, our 38th President who served from 1974-1977,
Now, I’m too young to have truly experienced the brief Ford administration. Growing up, I knew President Ford mostly from the way he was portrayed in popular culture – as something of a sweet, slightly dim, accident-prone ex-jock. But as I grew older, I came to appreicate the unique role President Ford played in our country’s history.
President Ford was sworn in on August 9, 1974 right after President Nixon resigned. It was a time of deep cynicsm and mistrust in our country. Upon his swearing in, President Ford said “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here, the people rule. But there is a higher Power, by whatever name we honor Him, who ordains not only righteousness but love, not only justice, but mercy. … let us restore the golden rule to our political process, and let brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and hate.”
A month later, President Ford pardoned Nixon, believing it was in the best interests of the country. A large portion of the country clearly didn’t agree with him. President Ford lost re-election to Jimmy Carter in 1976, becoming the only president never to have been elected to the office of president or vice president.
President Biden’s ultimate political fortunes remain to be seen. Yet I believe our current political climate is similar, almost eerily so, to when President Ford took office. President Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, has built his poltiical career on doubt, fear, cynicism and lies. And, although I’ve thought this countless times before, only to be proven wrong, I believe the days of Trumpism are numbered.
As of this writing, it seems likely the the GOP will take control of the House of Representatives and, perhaps the Senate. But all throught the country, Trump-backed candidates failed. Doubt, fear, cynicism and lies lost.
I’ve never been in politics myself but I always assume politicians, regardless of their poltiical stripes, have giant egos. President Biden likely wants to be remembered as a transformative figure. I believe he’ll be remembered as a transitional one. And I mean that as a compliment.
Image credit: geraldfordfoundation.org
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