Time Passes

Holiday break is over and son will be back to the routine tomorrow. Which means I will, too. Husband had today off, too, so we had two long weekends in a row and it was nice to relax. This has been the least stressful holiday in a while.

I watched the service for President Ford today in the National Cathedral. What a class act his family is and loved by so many. This children reflect well on him and Mrs. Ford. They took care to shake hands with people coming to pay respects in the Rotunda and with the honorary pall bearers today at Andrews Air Force base as they prepared to take the President back to his home in Michigan for the last time.

I couldn't help but think of the last funeral of a President, that of President Reagan some three years ago. It's a shame his two youngest children are such a disgrace. The son he and his first wife adopted is a respectable person. His daughter, Maureen, was a terrific, groundbreaking woman in politics.

I have a photo, autographed, of the last four Republican presidents. At least at the time. The photo was a thank you memento for a monetary contribution to the party. Standing together in the photo are President Nixon, President Ford, President Reagan and President Bush (41). Their signatures are below each. All gone now, except for 41.

The eulogies were touching at the National Cathedral. I find it more than a bit ironic that in life, President Ford was so vilified by the press and the Democrats, yet in death you would never know that, except for the constant reference to the pardon of Nixon being the big reason for him losing his election. Turns out not to be as commonly noted that it was a very close election even with the troubles of the time. Carter squeeked by, unfortunately for the country.

The same behavior was given to President Reagan. Time has shown him to be way ahead of his time in so many political theories and he was a prolific, thoughtful writer. He was a good man. He was a great president. He received the usual treatment by the press and the opposition party for a Republican president - he's stupid, a fascist, not a "thinker", etc.

I think the East Germans would disagree.

I don't think all the women that the declaration signed by President Ford to allow them into the schools of the armed services think President Ford was stupid or an anti-woman Republican.

He was a good man and a great President.

Can the last two Democrat presidents living say the same?

And the statement from Chevy Chase, a legend in his own mind about how President Ford came to be friendly with him? Well, that speaks volumes about the character of President Ford, nothing about Chase. He claimed Ford was not the right man in the White House and he was justified to do what he could to get him out. What an ego for so little talent.

I didn't see any camera shots of him at any of the funeral services. Hmm.