Remembering Decency, Integrity and Honor…

As a young boy I lived through the turmoil of Vietnam, Nixon, and Watergate. I remember being glued to my parents’ one and only black and white television when former President Nixon resigned and President Ford was sworn into office. My parents are well educated and very political – my father to the right, my mother to the left. This made for some very lively dinner conversation. I was young and a sponge. I absorbed all their perspectives and got to hear both sides of every issue. When it came to President Ford, all I remember were the words in the title of this post – Decency, Integrity and Honor. My mother, left, did not believe a deal was cut to pardon President Nixon. She might have been a liberal then, but wasn’t buying the conspiracy theories anymore.

I remember a feeling of stability return to a very tumultuous time. President Ford was a man who received a lot of flack about his actions but not about his character. Unlike his recent predecessors no one could attack his honor, integrity, or dignity, though they tried. President Gerald R. Ford was a good man whatever your political posture. His decision to pardon President Nixon was political suicide and he knew it. But, it was the right thing to do at the time. Let’s remember the debacle that congress and former President Clinton went through over just a young intern. Could you imagine how long and drawn out the process would’ve been with a “real” scandal. Too long. He fixed that one Sunday afternoon, without any of his staff’s support or for that matter knowledge. One swipe of a pen and he put a country back on the road to heal, forgive, and strengthen itself. He sacrificed himself in the process. This is the definition of honor if you ask me.

“My Fellow Americans our long National nightmare is over…” (President Gerald R. Ford commenting on the Watergate Scandal)

If only recent President’s were able to speak these words.

I long for the days when Presidents’ are revered and respected. We may not like their decisions or actions – that’s okay – we can always “try” to vote them out. Remember the Presidency is term limited. They’re not Kings; they’re men doing a God’s job. I will miss you Mr. President -- May God Bless you and your family.