Bush pays respects to former president Ford
President George Bush and first lady Laura Bush briefly paid their respects Gerald Ford today, joining thousands of ordinary Americans in saying goodbye to the former president.
At mid-afternoon on a rainy, overcast day, the first couple stood at Ford’s flag-draped casket and bowed their heads. Their stay at the US Capitol, which came on the third day of mourning there for Ford, lasted just a few minutes.
Bush, who had been on holiday at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, had saluted Ford in a statement from there last week after the former president died. He also devoted his weekly Saturday radio address to Ford, who died at 93.
Two of Ford’s children stood in the Rotunda, greeting people who came to pay last respects to their father.
Michael Gerald Ford shook eight-year-old Christopher Witkowski’s hand and gave him a blue remembrance card.
“My father would have wanted you to have this,” he told Christopher, from Alexandria.
His sister, Susan Ford Bales, stood nearby, greeting others who had come to pay their respects.
Before the Bushes went to the Hill, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who this week becomes the first woman speaker of the House of Representatives, paid her respects. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, were to visit as well.
Karen Olson, 53, of Herndon, Virginia, said the rain could not dampen her determination to see him. Her mother, who is now deceased, was on his staff, she said.
“I wanted to come pay my respects. He was a big part of my life,” said Olson, who was among the people lined up before 9am to enter the Capitol building. “I have a lot of ties to his family.”
“The few times that I met him, he was just really nice,” said Olson, whose father has also passed away.
“I kind of felt like I wanted to be there for them,” she said. “There’s just an emotional connection there.”
The blue cards had the presidential, vice presidential and House of Representatives seals and a biography of Ford on one side. On the other was a photograph of the former president in the Oval Office, his head bowed.
The message on the card: “The family of Gerald R. Ford deeply appreciates your prayers and many kindnesses as together we celebrate and honour the life of a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and the 38th president of the US.”
Following the pardon of Richard Nixon for any crimes from Watergate, Ford lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter.
Former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, Ford’s running mate in that campaign, returned unannounced to pay his respects again yesterday, after being among the invited guests as an honorary pallbearer at Saturday evening’s ceremonies in the Rotunda.
Political analysts believe the pardon played a major – if not the major – role in Ford’s defeat.
Ford was out of the White House after just 2 1/2 years in office and he is the only unelected president. Nixon had appointed Ford vice president to replace Spiro Agnew, who resigned in a bribery scandal stemming from his days as Maryland governor.
Tomorrow Ford’s remains will rest outside the Senate chamber before a funeral service at Washington National Cathedral where Bush will deliver a eulogy.
