Remembering President Gerald R. Ford Beautiful - What Were You Watching??

[monmouth]

Before posting this I checked to be sure I would not be duplicating any comments. Frankly, I'm really disappointed in the mean spiritedness and nastiness posted earlier regarding a beautiful funeral for one of our Presidents. To be honest, those negative remarks struck me as sophmoric. The POTUS did not have a smirk, and I rarely give him a compliment ever. He was totally appropriate, his eulogy was lovely and delivered perfectly. Same for GHW Bush who delivered some lighter moments. If Mrs. Ford and her children smile, it's okay with me. Good on Tom Brokaw, a personal choice of Gerald R. Ford, and a good one. He added many comments that Mrs. Ford and again, her children, enjoyed. That's the point, comfort the family. The music, orchestration and pageantry in general was beautiful and tasteful. I shall never hear "The Lord's Prayer" the same way again after the rendition from the soloist Denyce Price. She was magnificent.

I had started to watch on MSNBC but Chris Matthews just couldn help himself from talking. Keith knew when to stop narrating so the music could be appreciated but Chris had to talk on and on and on. I went to CNN and found relief. It was good to see Nancy Reagan again (wish young Ron had been there, I miss him) and those other faces we don't get to see that often. Ron is speaking with Chris now and viewed it as a beautiful service. I totally agree. Now is not the time to post juvenile nasty comments. Perhaps the old bromide is appropriate "if you can't say/post anything nice, say nothing."

[napi21]

1. NOPE! I watched the Food network. I said a prayer for G. Ford

several days ago when he died. To be honest, I'm Forded out by the darn near total Ford coverage for days now. I'm glad you enjoyed watching today, but you have no right to think everyone else should feel the same way.

[monmouth]

2. Didn't mean to imply that I thought "everyone should feel the same way"

Just pointed out that the sophmoric and juvenile comments seem small-minded. Someday we're going to bury Bill Clinton (I hope not in my time). Wonder what the reaction will be then when the right has their field day.

[napi21]

18. Unfortunately we've already had a glimpse of what the RW will

say if and when Clinton dies. When he had to undergo heart surgery they were saying "I hope he DIES!" Heck, they were saying that about the Dem Senator who had the brain surgery shortly after the election too!

I think there are some people who will always HATE some public figuresno matter who they are or what profession. I'm sorry to say, I think it's just part of human nature.

[sshan2525]

3. No Ford fan here.....

Sorry, but I think 10 days or so of nonstop suck-up, ass-kissing blather is enough for anyone, president or not. "Day of mourning"? Ridiculous. I feel for his family, but c'mon. When a 18 year old dies in Iraq (or anywhere else, for that matter) that's a tragedy. When a wealthy 93 year old who chose to be a Republican (in essence telling most people holding progressive ideals to go fuck ourselves) kicks, I'm not going to roll over for revisionist history. Ford was and is one of the reasons why this country is on it's long inexorable spiral into mediocrity.

[LittleClarkie]

5. I don't think you have to be a Ford fan

to show respect for the dead.

[Benhurst]

21. Or to show respect for the 200,000 or so in East Timor whose

murder he facilitated at Henry Kissinger's urging.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB62/

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/indonesia/index.html

Gosh, if he'd been the head of any nation other than The United States of America, he might not be considered such a good guy, at least not by BushAmerica's corporate press.

Things are not always as simple or black and white as they are portrayed BushAmerica.

[Hoosier Dem]

7. "Choosing to be a Rpublican"

In addition to being just mean-spirited, your post is a great example of historical ignorance.

The Republican Party that Geral Ford belonged to was not the same Republican Party that we are cursed with today. Back then, the Republican Party was generally seen as pro-business, pro-individualism. They were not the party of right-wing wackos, racists were mostly in the Democratic Party, and a person's private life was their business. With the rise of Ronald Reagan came the rising tide of Republican right-wing lunacy. Both Jerry and Betty Ford have gone on record as being VERY uncomfortable with what the Republican Party has evolved into.

As for "progressive ideas", I would remind you that Jerry Ford supported civil rights from the day he was elected to Congress (back then, many Southern Democrats in Congrees routinely used the "N Word" in campaign speeches). Jerry Ford also was an early supporter of gay rights and Affirmative Action. Jerry Ford was also openly pro-choice and gave us the last Liberal Republican VP in Nelson Rockefeller.

Sure, Ford did things that I didn't agree with, either. At the same time, he has proven to be a far better man than mny who have succeeded him.

[Missy M]

10. You wouldn't call Nelson Rockefeller a liberal republican if you..

had to deal with the Rockefeller drug laws in New York State. They are beyond ridiculous.

[sshan2525]

20. What a bunch of bleeding heart claptrap.......

Historical ignorance, my ass. The Republican party of today may have decomposed into a fetid, rotting cesspool of fascism, but in the preceding century it was always the favored party of the wealthy, the corporations, war-mongers and sundry elites who from time immemorial have favored and legislated for those who have against those who don't. Perhaps you might like to read about a bit of history regarding "Saint Gerry" and East Timor that isn't getting any press in the recent hagiographic coverage of his presidency. I've added another article that also explains why Gerry's actions regarding the Nixon pardon may have helped foster the current Bush "imperial presidency" attitude that we've all been suffering under for the past few years. There's plenty more dirt out there about 'ol Ger if you want to take the time to look for it. Respect the dead? Of course, but only when they deserve it.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/4273

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/4332

[Hoosier Dem]

4. I was very impressed with the funeral as well..

We watched the coverage on a TV here in the office, and everyone agreed that the service was beautiful. The military rites for former presidents always gives me chills. The music in the cathedral was very impressive.

I really enjoyed the speakers (except for Dumbya, who I just can't stand to listen to). Poppy Bush and Kissinger payed their respects well. Tom Brokaw, however, is just amazing. His words were so eloquent and so apt. Seeing Betty Ford smile at the words was wonderful.

The site of all of the former presidents and all but one of the former first ladies together was a ture historical moment. (Only Lady Bird Johnson, 94 years old and in poor health, was absent.) I was struck by how age has caught up with some of them, though. Poppy Bush seeming to stuggle to mount the stairs to the pulpit, Bill Clinton suddenly looking all of his 60 years. I was also struck by how much Nancy Reagan has aged since her husband's funeral 18 months ago. Only the Carters seem to have this almost "ageless" quality about them.

All during this period of ceremony and mourning, I have been so impressed by the Ford family. I'm amazed by the stamina of Betty Ford. For a woman a few months shy of 89, she has born up with remarkable stamina. The way her children have never been away from her side has also shown the deep love this family feels for each other. This weekend, when the Ford children went to the US Captiol to greet the "average Joes" who came to pay their respects, I realized something about this family: they are like us. They are a middle-american family called to the presidency by an accident of history who were determined to do a good job. (at the risk of being catty, can anyone honestly picture the Bush twins taking time to stand and shake hands with hundreds of total strangers at a lying-in-state?)

After work today, my sons and I are driving up to Grand Rapids (about 3 hours away) to pay our respects to President Ford at they ling-in at the Ford Library. Part of the reason we are going is that this is history and we will not have another presidential funeral in our region for some time. Another reason is for this small-town, Midwestern boy to say "Thank You" to another small-town, Midwestern boy for the example he set.

:patriot:

[Connie_Corleone]

6. I watched Snakes on a Plane.

No offense to Gerald Ford, but my only memories of him was Chevy Chase making fun of him for tripping and falling in public. I was two when he became president.

There's been nothing but death and funerals on the Cable news networks since Christmas. I had to take a break.

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Thank you.

I want my children and grandchildren to have respect for the dead and the grieving, private or public. If not that--what?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. I'm at work

but I've reviewed the various comments here. Nil nisi bonum, folks. Besides, Ford was a decent man, even though I didn't agree with him pardoning Nixon. And Betty Ford is a woman to be admired for her courage in fighting cancer and addiction and being public for both. Since funerals are for the living, let's remember that we're showing respect for Betty and her children by our comments.

[charlyvi]

16. I was shocked to see how frail she looks,

Today is the first day I actually tuned in to the funeral; in my mind, I still envisioned her as the fiesty ex dancer she was during the Ford years. I always liked her and hope her family comforts her during these days, though her husband's term in office was less than stellar in my opinion. But that isn't what this day is about.

[PurityOfEssence]

11. Far too much Jesus

Today's celebration at the National Cathedral would have one believe that Ford was motivated in every action by the lord god jesus himself, with no question about it. The wall-to-wall evocation of the supernatural was ridiculous and untrue. The man actually made some decisions that weren't guided by his divine guess and faith.

The hijacking of our country's history and present by those who will stop at nothing to cram their beliefs down our throats is not just "ceremonial deism" or "passing innocent faith", it's deliberate and deceptive, leading us to the conclusion that to not believe in the only true faith is to make us unwelcome. This was said over and over ad nauseum in this presentation this morning, and done in such a way as to remind Jews, Muslims and other unenlightened no-accounts that they simply don't belong.

This was a disgusting bit of opportunism from the spiritually exclusive and it should be denounced.

What crap.

[Hoosier Dem]

13. Oh, boo-friggin-hoo

For <insert your being of choice here> Sake!!!

Ford was an Episcopalian and, hence, was given a Christian funeral!! If Ford had been Jewish, I as a Christian would not be raising cain because he has a Jewish funeral!

What needs to be denounced are people who see every display of faith, even at a funeral, has somehow an insult to them. The world does not revolve around you. GET OVER IT!!!!!!

[Mad_Dem_X]

22. HA! Great post!

Totally agree. :thumbsup:

[Gloria]

12. I've been working in my garden...very relaxing, and I need to relax.

3 dogs and a brutal Bushbot mother recovering from double hernia surgery makes it mandatory...

[PresidentObama]

14. I watched the funeral....

I tried sitting through 20 seconds of George W's speech and had to change the channel. He seemed like he didn't want to there, and had to be. It kind of seemed disrespectful how W just seemed not to care, like this was just another speech he didn't want to give. Thats our President for you!

[Buzz Clik]

15. Great post.

[radfringe]

17. my company is unpatriotic

I was forced to work today

[watercolors]

19. Thank you for your words of wisdom

I am sometimes appalled at some of the post. I have admirered of Mrs Ford, and thought the President was right in his pardon. I was in my 30's at that time , The country was in a bad situation.
The funeral was for the family, and a very wonderful family, The love and concerned of their mother showed what a great mother she has been. In all I found it a great tribute, I see no need to pick it all apart and make disparaging remaks. You did not have to watch it if it offened you! There are times when politics should be put aside out of respect for others!