The Unelected President
As the only person to serve as President without having been elected to either the vice presidency or the presidency, Gerald Ford followed a unique path to the highest office in the land. This December marks the anniversary of Ford’s confirmation as Vice President over 50 years ago. Let's take a look at his legacy from his early days on the football field to his steady leadership during a turbulent presidency.
Star Athlete
Although often parodied as clumsy during his presidency, Ford was an exceptional athlete in his youth. At the University of Michigan, he was a key part of football teams that won national championships in 1932 and 1933 and earned All-American honors. Ford later enrolled at Yale Law School, where he was junior varsity head football coach. While serving in the Navy during World War II, he coached all nine sports that were offered, including swimming, boxing, and football.
Congressional Career
In 1948, Ford won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 5th District. Over the next 25 years, he became a respected figure in Congress, known for his bipartisan approach. He served as a member of the Appropriations Committee and was the House Minority Leader from 1965 to 1973.
The Path to the Presidency
Ford's ascension to the presidency was unprecedented. When Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 amid a bribery scandal, President Richard Nixon chose Ford as Vice President under the Vice-Presidential vacancy provision of the 25th Amendment. On December 6, the House of Representatives confirmed Ford by a vote of 387 to 35.
Less than a year later, Nixon himself resigned amid the Watergate scandal, making Ford the 38th President of the United States on August 9, 1974. His swearing-in, without the pomp and circumstance of an official inauguration ceremony, marked the first time a president had taken office without being elected to either the presidency or vice presidency.
In his inaugural address, Ford declared, “Our long national nightmare is over,” signaling his intent to move past years of distrust in the nation’s leadership.
Presidential Accomplishments
Ford's presidency was defined by efforts to restore trust in government and stabilize the country during a period of upheaval. Although sometimes controversial and often hindered by the competing economic threats of inflation and recession, his short administration was filled with milestones across a range of policy areas. Here are just a few.
September 2, 1974
On Labor Day, Ford signs the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), guaranteeing the pension rights of 23 million Americans.
September 8, 1974
In an effort to move the country forward after the scandals of the Nixon administration, Ford issued Proclamation 4311, which gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he might have committed against the United States while President.
Presidential Proclamation 4311 by President Gerald R. Ford granting a pardon to Richard M. Nixon, 1974
November 17, 1974
Ford becomes the first sitting American President to visit Japan.
December 31, 1974
Ford signed the Privacy Act of 1974, ensuring the right of Americans to individual privacy.
April 23, 1975
In a speech at Tulane University in New Orleans, the President announces the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. In September of the previous year, he had announced a conditional amnesty program for those who had evaded the draft or deserted during the Vietnam War.
President Gerald R. Ford speaking at a Tulane University Convocation Ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana
August 1, 1975
In efforts to ease Cold War tensions, signed the Helsinki Accords in 1975, which advanced human rights and improved relations between the West and the Soviet bloc.
December 22, 1975
Ford signs the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA) with goals to increase energy production and supply, reduce energy demand, provide energy efficiency, and give the executive branch additional powers to respond to disruptions in energy supply.
July 4, 1976
The president oversees the nation’s Bicentennial, complete with a visit to the National Archives in Washington!
Bicentennial Ceremonies at the National Archives
July 21, 1976
As a previous member of the House Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration, Ford celebrates NASA’s Viking I at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, which was the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Dedication of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian
July - August, 1976
Ford achieved one of his biggest economic goals when the inflation rate dropped from 12.2 in the latter months of 1974 to 4.6 in the first six months of 1976. Simultaneously, employment rose by 3.8 million people since March 1975.
Post-White House Years
After narrowly losing the 1976 presidential election to Jimmy Carter, Ford retired from politics but remained an influential political figure. In 1980, he was offered the vice presidential role by candidate Ronald Reagan, but refused. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 93. His unconventional rise to the presidency and leadership during a tumultuous era helped shape the future of American history. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum are housed in Michigan where he grew up.
