Public Figure Profiles

Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( JERR-əld; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977, and was the only president never to have been elected to the office of president or vice president. He previously served as the leader of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, and as the 40th vice president of the United States from 1973 to 1974. When President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, Ford succeeded to the presidency, but was defeated for election to a full term in 1976.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ford attended the University of Michigan, where he was a member of the school's football team, winning two National Championships. Following his senior year, he turned down offers from the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, instead opting to go to Yale Law School. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving from 1942 to 1946; he left as a lieutenant commander. Ford began his political career in 1949 as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district. He served in this capacity for nearly 25 years, the final nine of them as the House minority leader. In December 1973, two months after the resignation of Spiro Agnew, Ford became the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment. After the subsequent resignation of President Nixon in August 1974, Ford immediately assumed the presidency. To date, this was the last intra-term U.S. presidential succession.

As president, Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, which marked a move toward détente in the Cold War. With the collapse of South Vietnam nine months into his presidency, US involvement in the Vietnam War essentially ended. Domestically, Ford presided over the worst economy in the four decades since the Great Depression, with growing inflation and a recession during his tenure. In one of his most controversial acts, he granted a presidential pardon to Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal. During Ford's presidency, foreign policy was characterized in procedural terms by the increased role Congress began to play, and by the corresponding curb on the powers of the president. In the 1976 Republican presidential primary campaign, Ford defeated former California Governor Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination, but narrowly lost the presidential election to the Democratic challenger, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Surveys of historians and political scientists have ranked Ford as a below-average president.Following his years as president, Ford remained active in the Republican Party. His moderate views on various social issues increasingly put him at odds with conservative members of the party in the 1990s and early 2000s. In retirement, Ford set aside the enmity he had felt towards Carter following the 1976 election, and the two former presidents developed a close friendship. After experiencing a series of health problems, he died at home on December 26, 2006.

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Some of their strengths

Gerald Ford has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Compassionate, Independent, Intuitive, Imaginative, Creative, Loyal, and Caring.

Intuitive and Imaginative

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Gerald Ford is someone who is a highly intuitive, creative and imaginative person who is very loyal, caring and compassionate to others. A person who is known for being a good communicator.

Passionate and Intense

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Gerald Ford well know them as someone who can be passionate, proud, and intense, like the sun or a blazing fire.

Active and Ambitious

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Gerald Ford as someone who is active, ambitious, bold, and courageous.

A person who is driven and organized, is wise with money, who knows how to tell a good story, likes physical activity, and who loves learning.

Exacting and Achievement-oriented

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Gerald Ford is someone who has very high expectations for people, and who can be extremely focused on achieving goals and objectives.

They are also someone who is balanced, stable, and energetic, who likes the idea of home and family, and who is very comfortable being the person in charge.

Traditional and Patient

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Gerald Ford tends to be someone who is a patient person that is very emotional, has a very sharp memory, has an ability to understand people, and who tends to be traditional and frugal.

Some of Gerald Ford's challenges

While Gerald Ford has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Gerald Ford can be Impulsive, Stubborn, Unrealistic, Emotional, Standoffish, Careless, and Idle.

Emotional and Standoffish

One of Gerald Ford's key challenges is that they are someone who can be emotional and standoffish.

Gerald Ford must also exercise caution as they can be excessive and unrealistic.

Impulsive and Aggressive

Gerald Ford is someone who can be impulsive, aggressive, and confrontational, can have difficulty listening to others, be moody and high strung, have conflict with authority figures, be too judgmental of others, and who can be overindulgent and extravagant.

Sensitive and Money-oriented

Finally, Gerald Ford also can have mood swings, be overly sensititive, and be a bit rigid and materialistic.

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