Did Ford do the Right thing in his Pardon of Nixon?

I was brought up in a house that despised Lyndon Johnson. In 1968 when Nixon won the Presidency, he seemed to be the right person for the right time. He had promised to get out of Vietnam, calm the racial tensions in the cities, improve the economy, and most of all, build a structure of peace. By 1972, when I could vote, he seemed to have done a decent job, so I voted for him. While in the service, I got a chance to shake his hand, so in general, I admired the man. At first I thought the Watergate stuff to be another media liberal stunt. As time went on, the character became apparant. It was quite a shock and a bout of anger to think the nation had been manipulated so cleverly, and so much power abused.

With that background, I felt what Ford did was wrong. What escaped me was the fact of his inner motives, Fords that is. I now believe the act not to be political wheeling and dealing, but showing Christian forgiveness. It was not so much for Nixon, but for the good of the nation, putting the situation to rest. Otherwise, it would have been a media spectacle for months, a former President on trial, and possibly in jail. The nation did not need it.

To answer your question, yes, without a doubt Ford did the right thing. I wish I could change my vote.

I snapped these pictures with a brownie camera right before shaking his hand. In fact, the head shot is at that moment. (May 73)