Gerald Ford: Trending quotes (page 5)

“As I rejected amnesty, so I reject revenge. I ask all Americans who ever asked for goodness and mercy in their lives, who ever sought forgiveness for their trespasses, to join in rehabilitating all the casualties of the tragic conflict of the past.”

Gerald Ford

Statement about Americans who avoided the draft during the Vietnam War, to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Chicago, Illinois (19 August 1974)
1970s

Forgiveness , Revenge , Past

“One of the most controversial issues of our time and one in which we share a keen interest is the question of abortion. I have grave concern over the serious moral questions raised by this issue. Each new life is a miracle of creation. To interfere with that creative process is a most serious act. In my view, the Government has a very special role in this regard. Specifically, the Government has a responsibility to protect life — and indeed to provide legal guarantees for the weak and unprotected. It is within this context that I have consistently opposed the 1973 decision of the Supreme Court. As President, I am sworn to uphold the laws of the land and I intend to carry out this responsibility. In my personal view, however, this court decision was unwise. I said then and I repeat today — abortion on demand is wrong.”

Gerald Ford

Letter to the Archbishop of Cincinnati (10 September 1976) http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=6320
1970s

Life , Law , Question , Decision

“It is good to be back in the People's House. But this cannot be a real homecoming. Under the Constitution, I now belong to the executive branch. The Supreme Court has even ruled that I am the executive branch — head, heart, and hand.”

Gerald Ford

Source: 1970s, Address to Congress (12 August 1974)

People , Heart , Housing

“America now is stumbling through the darkness of hatred and divisiveness. Our values, our principles, and our determination to succeed as a free and democratic people will give us a torch to light the way. And we will survive and become the stronger — not only because of a patriotism that stands for love of country, but a patriotism that stands for love of people.”

Gerald Ford

Address to the state conference of the Order of DeMolay, Grand Rapids, Michigan (7 September 1968); published in Gerald R. Ford, Selected Speeches (1973) edited by Michael V. Doyle
1960s

Love , People , Way , Light

“It is only as the temporary representatives and servants of the people that we meet here, we bring no hereditary status or gift of infallibility, and none follows us from this place.”

Gerald Ford

State of the Union Address (12 January 1977)
1970s

People

“I believe in friendly compromise. I said over in the Senate hearings that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go.”

Gerald Ford

During hearings before the US House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, on his nomination to be Vice-President (15 November 1973)
1970s

Truth

“In a political sense, there is one problem that currently underlies all of the others. That problem is making Government sufficiently responsive to the people. If we don't make government responsive to the people, we don't make it believable. And we must make government believable if we are to have a functioning democracy.”

Gerald Ford

Address at Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida (16 December 1971); published in Gerald R. Ford, Selected Speeches (1973) edited by Michael V. Doyle
1970s

People , Democracy , Problem , Sense

“An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history; conviction results from whatever offense or offenses two-thirds of the other body considers to be sufficiently serious to require removal of the accused from office.”

Gerald Ford

Remarks in the U.S. House of Representatives in an effort to impeach Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas (15 April 1970); recorded in the Congressional Record, vol. 116, p. 11913 and http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Senate_Impeachment_Role.htm.
1970s

Housing , History

“Americans are beautiful -- individually, in communities, and freely joined together by dedication to the United States of America.”

Gerald Ford

Remarks at Naturalization Ceremonies at Monticello, Virginia https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/speeches/760649.htm (5 July 1976)
1970s

Beauty , Communication

“I'm Gerald Ford, and you're not.”

Gerald Ford

To the American people in a presumably comical address
1970s