Foundation Chairman Red Cavaney’s opening remarks touched on the 40th Anniversary of President Gerald R. Ford’s Swearing-In Ceremony on August 9, 1974. Cavaney stated that the next 2.5 years would include events dedicated to highlighting President Ford’s role in restoring the public confidence during the turbulent times of the early 1970s. The Boy Scouts of the Gerald R. Ford Council presented the colors as Grand Rapids Public Safety Officer Wally Tett sang the national anthem. Salvation Army Major Claire Grainger provided the Invocation.
In a special tribute, Newport News Shipbuilding joined with the 5,000 men and women building the aircraft carrier honoring Gerald R. Ford in sending Ship Sponsor Susan Ford Bales a special message on the 101st anniversary of his birthday and providing the Foundation with the construction update on CVN 78.
Susan Ford Bales, daughter of Gerald and Betty Ford and Foundation Trustee, introduced James Baker. During her remarks, she spoke of her father’s reflection on his legacy. She spoke on how her father was proud to guide the country through the Constitutional Crisis of Watergate, but that her father was must proud of the men and women at the core of his Administration and who served the American people with exceptional and distinguished service. James Baker would go on to be a close advisor of President Gerald R. Ford throughout his time in the White House but Baker also accomplished much afterward, as Susan said “the rest is history”.
Baker began his remarks speaking of his friend President Gerald R. Ford. When Ford took office, Baker stated the nation was weary of war and Watergate, inflation was high, and the economy was not doing well. And at his moment in American history, a Midwestern became President, a President of character, trustworthy, honor and integrity. Ford’s selflessness was his greatest trait Baker believed, for example as his advisors warned him that pardoning Richard Nixon would hurt Ford in the 1976 Election but he did it because he wanted the nation to move forward from the troubling time it was going through. Ford’s trait of bi-partisanship meant he knew how to disagree with others while not being disagreeable which shown through his ability to compromise to do what was best for the country.
Baker believed that the tragedy of President Ford service was that he was not elected to a full term in office. Had he won the 1976 Campaign, Ford’s footprint would have been even larger today than it was with only his two and half years as President.
Baker spoke of current challenges of out nation. Baker felt that the Trans-Pacific Partnership needed movement to be fast-tracked by Congressman. Developing regional stability in the Middle East, where America leads in front not behind, with a plan that must have a global solution and include all countries in the region. Baker feels American needs the international community to view the USA to mean what it says and says what it means, along with having a clear message of where it stands. Following his remarks, Baker answered a few questions from the audience, one on the collapse of the Soviet Union during his time in the George H.W. Bush Administration and another on being the Chief of Staff of the White House.
The event concluded when Gleaves Whitney presented Baker with the COL Ralph W. Hauenstein Fellowship.
