Embassy Events 2006

President Gerald R. Ford

America Mourns Gerald Ford

Gerald R. Ford, the 38th President of the United States, and the man charged with upholding the nation’s democratic traditions and soothing its sharp partisan divides in the aftermath of Richard M. Nixon’s resignation from the presidency, died December 26 at his home in California at the age of 93. U.S. President George W. Bush praised Ford as “a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country.” President Bush issued a statement expressing his sympathies, “On August 9, 1974, after a long career in the House of Representatives and service as Vice President, he assumed the Presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division. With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the Presidency. The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character, and the honorable conduct of his administration. We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th President will always have a special place in our nation's memory.”