Remembering Gerald Ford
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Growing up in Grand Rapids, Mich., in a Democratic family, I had the pleasure of hearing my father complain about Republican Rep. Gerald R. Ford while my mother would nod in agreement and later secretly pull the "Ford lever" in the voting booth.
That is the way it was in the 5th Congressional District. Many Democrats were closeted Ford supporters, and with good reason. Mr. Ford would try to help all of his constituents, not just those who supported him or needed his assistance during a reelection period.
I quit high school in 1972 but continued working toward my diploma through an adult education program. I invited Mr. Ford to speak to a civics class I was taking, and to my amazement he accepted. He arrived without his staff in tow to feed him answers, and he even drove himself. The students grilled him pretty hard, but he was gracious and well informed. A few days later, I received a handwritten note from him thanking me for inviting him.
I am sure hundreds of others in his district could tell similar stories. He will be greatly missed.
EDWARD J. ZIOMKOSKI
Washington
ยท
