Gerald R. Ford August 9, January 20, 1977 The only president not elected as either Vice-President or President Created & edited by Steve Armstrong SHS,

President Gerald R. Ford  Gerald Ford was sworn in as President on August 9, 1974  Ford retained a few of Nixon’s cabinet, including Henry Kissinger  Appointed Don Rumsfeld as Chief of Staff Dick Cheney was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff

Vice-President Rockefeller  Liberal New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller was appointed vice- president  Democrats threatened to not confirm Rockefeller  Rumsfeld strived to keep Rockefeller from having a voice in the Ford administration

Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ford

Ford with CIA Director George Bush

President Bush with former President Ford, April 23, 2006

Ford pardoned Nixon  September 8, 1974, a month after Nixon’s resignation, Ford granted Nixon a full pardon  President Ford’s approval rating slipped from 71% to 39% overnight  Ford believed a pardon would end Watergate

President Ford’s early actions  President Ford issued a clemency order to those who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War Clemency order issued September 16, 1974 Clemency order issued September 16, 1974  Draft evaders and military deserters could now return to the USA and perform alternative (community) service

President Ford’s early actions  Freedom of Information Act was passed by the Democratically controlled Congress Ford vetoed the law Ford vetoed the law Veto overridden on November 21, 1974 Veto overridden on November 21, 1974  The FOIA allowed for more public access to alleged government secrets

President Ford’s veto pen  President Ford vetoed 39 bills in the first few months of his administration 56 total vetoes were issued by President Ford 56 total vetoes were issued by President Ford  Most vetoes were against spending increases proposed by the Democratically controlled Congress Ford vetoed a 1976 $6.1 billion spending proposal, which he viewed as an election ploy Ford vetoed a 1976 $6.1 billion spending proposal, which he viewed as an election ploy The veto was upheld by the U.S. Senate The veto was upheld by the U.S. Senate  President Ford wanted to control federal spending

Sen. Frank Church’s Committee  Sen. Church’s Committee investigated abuses of the national government since the start of the Cold War  Recommended that restrictions be placed on government covert operations and domestic spying

Ford’s economic dilemma  American economy began to falter in 1971  President Nixon removed USA from the gold standard  Post-war inflation rose from 5.9% in 1970 to 9.1% in 1975  President Ford advocated his Whip Inflation Now (WIN) program in 1975 The public viewed Ford as ineffective The public viewed Ford as ineffective  Chicago & Detroit lost half of their manufacturing jobs

Role of the Twin Towers  New York’s World Trade Center twin towers were completed in 1977  Signified a shift in the American economy

New energy policies  Alaska Pipeline was first proposed in 1968 completed in 1977  The pipeline transported oil from Alaska’s north slope to the port at Valdez

Prudhoe Bay pump station

Beginning of the Pipeline

Pipeline critics

Other regulations  55-mph speed limit forced on all states This was the second most disobeyed law since prohibition This was the second most disobeyed law since prohibition

Expansion of coal mining

Ford’s Foreign Policy  Ford met with Brezhnev in 1974 to lay the groundwork for a new SALT II agreement  Kissinger continued his shuttle diplomacy, laying the groundwork for a future peace agreement between Israel and Egypt

Fall of Saigon, 1975

Angolan Civil War

Helsinki Accords, August 1975  Helsinki Accords were a series of agreements between the USA, Russia and several other nations  USA & USSR agreed to the post-WW II division of Europe  Signatory nations agreed to respect the human rights of citizens The may have led to more anti-communist agitation in eastern Europe The may have led to more anti-communist agitation in eastern Europe

Ford signed Helsinki Accords

Squeaky Fromm, Sept 5, 1975  President Ford is hustled away to safety after Squeaky Fromm attempted to shoot him

Sarah Moore, Sept 22, 1975  President Ford grimaces as a shot is fired at him by Sarah Jane Moore in San Francisco, CA

Ford sought re-election in 1976

Ford selected Bob Dole  Sen. Bob Dole appealed to the conservative wing of the Republican Party  Favored by Rumsfeld

The campaign  Vice-President Rockefeller, campaigning for Bob Dole, reacted to college students heckling them

Carter’s Playboy interview

Ford-Carter Debate  President Ford suggested that Russia did not control eastern Europe

Carter defeated Ford