As many news stories have commented, Gerald Ford did his country a great favor in taking on the presidency with calm and dignity in the wake of Richard Nixon's resignation. As I recall, there was a great sigh of relief when Nixon went, and Ford stepped up. He undid himself with his pardon of Nixon leaving the Watergate scandal unresolved, legally speaking.

The affectionate regard he is now receiving in tributes and ceremonies honors the decent man he apparently was. However, talking to people today, I was struck by the suspicion voiced (alright by New Yorkers), that it is only in contrast to the current administration that Ford should appear to be a great president, rather than simply the adequate one that he actually was.

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels is a former editor of Commonweal. 

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