Posted on 12/29/2006 3:07:52 PM PST by grandpa jones
As we bid farewell to President Gerald Ford, we should duly note that he lived squarely in the camp of those that eschewed the opinion polls and did what he thought was the best thing for the nation. With the American public overwhelmingly in favor of a public trial for former President Richard Nixon, President Ford issued a full pardon. In his address to the nation he said, “It can go on and on, or someone must write ‘The End’ to it. I have concluded that only I can do that. And if I can, I must.”
At the time of the pardon, Americans were overwhelmingly against the president’s decision.
Lawyer Richard Ben-Veniste wrote in the Washington Post on Friday, December 29, 2006, “The pardon decision was met with strident criticism by much of the media. The Post equated Ford’s pardon to another chapter in the coverup; the New York Times called it “profoundly unwise, divisive and unjust” and “a body blow to [Ford’s] credibility.” With the benefit of more than 30 years of perspective, the public’s view of Ford’s decision has softened considerably.”
This memory leaped into my consciousness while I read the words of Delaware Senator and announced presidential hopeful Joseph Biden, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Biden said Tuesday he would oppose any effort by the president to increase U.S. troop levels in Iraq.
“Absent some profound political announcement . . . I can’t imagine there being an overwhelming, even significant support for the president’s position,” he told reporters during a telephone conference call Tuesday.
Biden put the situation in Iraq into cold political terms for Republicans.
(Excerpt) Read more at johnib.wordpress.com ...
A Time article at the time said: "A Harris poll found that 53% . . . [favored] impeachment . . . and a plurality, 47% to 34%, believes that he should be convicted in the Senate and dismissed from office."
Then there was the "massive exposure to the nation of evidence and argument in the [House Judiciary Committee] committee's televised sessions" (Massive exposure is an understatement, counting all news reporting with the hearings, plus comedy and comment, there was no other news.)
After the impeachment and resignation followed by the pardon a Time article at the time said "Gallup poll [shows] 56% of the public believed that Nixon should be tried . . . 37% opposed".
I do not remember that much intense oppostion to Nixon among ordinary Jane's and Joe's. We where glad that he was gone because the MSM would finally report on something else and comics could be funny again.
My co-workers, generally colleged educated and a few years younger than me, could only repeat what the previous day and night TV had broadcast. They hated Nixon. They hated the war, they hated a lot in those days. They were the "smartest generation ever," said the MSM. Go figure.
It did not start with Nixon. The difference is none before had to cover-up. Why? Because the MSM never, never asked why did LBJ bug Barry Goldwater, for example. Thus, no need to cover up.
Abuse of power? Why did RFK detain (former) Maj Gen. Edwin Walker and have him committed for mental examinations? RFK's "charges:" seditious conspiracy, insurrection, and rebellion.
What did the former major general and commander of the 24th Infantry Division do? He organized protests and was an arden supporter of the John Birch society. He had already resigned from the Army having been targeted by the Kennedys for making Birch material available to this troops -- it was strong anti-communist and the 24th was in Germany for a reason: Soviet communism.
"if I can, I must."
You have made some very interesting observations. In my home state of Mississippi, sentiment for conviction and removal of President Nixon was NOT overwhelming, and as I recall, was the minority point of view. I also believe this chapter in American History would have concluded much differently if the internet had been in existence.
You're right -- and with regards to the polls, I doubt that Gallup, et al. in those days included people south of the Mason-Dixon Line, seriously. And Time wasn't interested in anythig west of the Hudson river until you got to the west coast, I suspect.
Supercilious liberals hate this but it's true (they have to admit that it's true) but here are the people who Watergated Nixon:
New York Times employee Pauline Kael's famous remark after Nixon's 1972 landslide (49 states to one state for whatz his name): "I don't know how Richard Nixon could have won, I don't know anybody who voted for him."
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