Ever since rejecting the petty, power-mongering King George III of England during the war for independence, Americans have seemed to miss having royals to coddle. But whenever we give kingly treatment to a president upon his death, we cheat history.
- Editorial on the death of Gerald R.Ford, Boulder Daily Camera, 28.12.06
The memorial tour for the 38th US President will roll over the next few days. With Ford being an Episcopalian by religion, the Episcopal News Service has details on his funeral and his Episcopalian background.
The superb Poynter Online has an extensive page of links to resources about Gerald Ford, including a number of video clips.
Ford's controversial (and I believe, damaging) pardon of Richard M Nixon has occupied a lot of column space over the past day or so, but his endorsement of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975 has gone almost unreported in the mainstream media. Democracy Now - compulsory on-line viewing if you want a non-mainstream take on world events - devoted most of its program on Tuesday to Ford's legacy, particularly relating to his meeting with President Suharto in December 1975.
Christopher Hitchens has a lot more to say about Ford's foreign policy legacy as part of an obituary in the Daily Mirror.
Chris Floyd has more on the dark side of the Ford legacy. The Australian media, who this time one year ago were waxing lyrical over the passing of Kerry Packer, haven't given up their holidays yet to bring up the Timorese angle.
- Log in to post comments