it was CARTER's pardon, not ford's, that healed a divided nation

[unblock]

ford pardoned nixon. this "spared" the nation of the spectacle of having a former president face actual justice. this did little to heal any particular wounds the nation had, it only healed the wounds the REPUBLICAN PARTY had. besides, the nation wasn't really all that divided about nixon by that point. he had terrible approval numbers, which is ultimately, duh, why he resigned.

but the nation WAS deeply divided about vietnam, and remained so as those who avoided the draft remained in the news, avoiding return to the u.s., or facing prosecution. carter's unconditional pardon for draft dodgers did FAR more toward helping the nation move past that bitterly divided era.

[cspanlovr]

1. Thank you. You are so right!

[Virginia Dare]

2. I don't buy into the notion that we were "spared" anything...

personally I think this nation was done a disservice when everything was swept under the carpet. We found out much of the details later with Dean's book, and other sources, but I don't think at the time of the pardon the nation was aware of just how close Nixon came to usurping our constitution.

The bunch in power now, that includes Dicky Cheney learned well from those days.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

3. What a compassionate move by a compassionate man.

Thanks for the reminder, I remember the joy we all felt at that news. It seemed like a return to sanity. MKJ

[Skip Intro]

4. wow - great observation! n/t

[Fridays Child]

5. Hear, hear!

[jberryhill]

6. ...which was a follow-on to...

Gerald Ford's conditional amnesty program for draft resisters.

Nixon negotiated the ABM treaty and Salt I with the Soviet Union, and opened relations with China. Yes, he was a paranoid SOB, but compared to what we have today, it is not really fair to act as if Nixon was the anti-Christ. He was WAY more liberal than the reactionary cult the GOP has become.

[Sparkly]

14. Exactly.

Neither Nixon nor Ford compare to BushCo.

[intheflow]

7. Glad to K&R this.

You are spot-on here. Thank you for helping to reframe this whole Ford discussion. When put in this way, it's obvious that that's what really healed us.

[AikidoSoul]

8. Carter is a great man. He will be remembered for his compassion

and for his courage.

The Busheviks look like toilet scum next to Carter.

[brer cat]

11. On the nose.

I've stayed out of the Ford threads because they are too emotional and not rational, imho. Regardless of ones feelings about Ford though, JC had the courage and compassion to bring our men (women were not drafted then) home.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. No shit. Ford only saved the skin of a fellow

GOP scummmer.

[theoldman]

10. Carter is the greater man.

Carter's pardon was out of compassion for his fellow man. Ford had a gun to his head by the Republicans.

[madokie]

12. The happiest day of my life was that day.

I still have a friend who still lives in Canada and wouldn't move back to the states on a bet. I was drafted so I joined the navy so I wasn't allowed to march in the streets and such but many could and did and they are the ones who won the peace for us, not us in the service. imo

[roamer65]

13. Carter has been a much better former president...

...than Ford. I don't dislike Ford, but he was mediocre at best. Jimmy is a great statesman and I would vote for him in a heartbeat if he wanted to serve another term!

[A Simple Game]

16. Ford also didn't ask for the job, and I think he didn't even want it.

I think he was more of a puppet then, than * is now. Sadly many of the puppet masters are the same today as they were yesterday.

added on edit: I really think Ford had a good heart. I feel that he really believed much of what he was doing was for the best.

Yes I did live through his Presidency, Ford was President when I was married and both of my kids were born.

[Danger Mouse]

25. Case in point:

Carter and Ford became great friends in the wake of the death of Sadat.

[ThomCat]

15. Absolutely correct!

Ford healed the powerful. Carter healed everyone.

[Stardust]

18. Beautifully put.

[pitohui]

17. i agree, nice post EOM

,

[catzies]

19. Nice.

Well said.

[Neshanic]

20. Finally someone remembers the real healing truth. Ford did shit.

Carter's action started the nation back to normalcy after the nightmare years of 1965 to 1975.

[babylonsister]

21. ...

[lumpy]

22. True

kick for a great post.

[Benhurst]

23. Carter's pardon healed the nation. Ford's pardon enabled a

continued cover-up which paved the way for the Bush Crime Family's takeover.

[Danger Mouse]

24. It's kind of funny how many people...

...are praising Carter in the same breath that they diss Ford.
Cause, you know, Carter and Ford were actually pretty good friends.
As many have said before, Nixon had some serious flaws, but his presidency actually had some redeeming qualities...he looks like a damn saint compared to Bush.

[TahitiNut]

26. I've not yet seen persuasive evidence that the "divided nation" has been "healed."

Robert Bork's "Slouching Towards Gomorrah" represents a divisive perspective that I see too often demonstrated on DU.

I have never understood why people who abdicated their citizenship did not "get in line" with others seeking citizenship.

:shrug:

[unblock]

34. consider the alternative of draft-dodging trials extending into the 80's

sure, there are the nutjobs who could never let go the hatred from that era, but then, there are also nutjobs who still cling to the hatred from the civil war.

carter's pardon was not an instant panacea for all vietnam-related issues, but it did go a long way toward helping the mainstream of the country put it in the past.

[yellerpup]

27. Amen.

I'll never forget it. Thanks. K&R! :kick:

[Rex]

28. Carter is a statesmen, I love how that pisses RWingers off to no end.

Carter walks the walk, while worthless RWingers just talk the talk. They can't stand in his shoes and it angers them. No one can fill Jimmy Carter's shoes.

[IWantAChange]

29. compare accomplishments of recently retired Presidents - Repugs/duh - Dems/wow

both in and out of office one has to only look at the facts to understand who the better leaders were for the nation and world as a whole.

post WH:

Nixon/nuff said
Reagan/chopped wood
Ford/played golf
Bush/Carlyle Fund

Carter/NKorean Crisis averted/Habitat for Humanity & Carter Center work
Clinton/amazing Foundation taking shape

[Tekla West]

32. Spare time

It is funny to place them all side by side. Nothing that is said about Ford's decision is to in anyway diss him as a person, he was a public political person, and we can take issue with his decisions, particulary at a time of reflection such as this. Wow, his most controversial decision in office is still... a hot button issue. Who knew?

[Melynn]

30. Politics were a lot more civil back in 1977

And Carter is a nice man. Since then the animals have taken over the GOP.

[Tekla West]

33. True that, I think they have pretty much taken over the other side too.

[bigmonkey]

31. He signed the amnesty almost immediately on swearing-in.

I actually recall it being said that the amnesty was literally waiting for him to sign at the bottom of the podium steps. I've always thought that was a very clever way to handle it - at the greatest possible distance in time from the next election. If only Clinton had done something similar instead of the dreadful "Don't ask, don't tell" mess.