Gerald Ford: Turning 90 features an exclusive interview with Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Mr. Ford's White House Chief of Staff. In his interview, Mr. Cheney says that Mr. Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon was a key reason for the President's defeat in the 1976 election. 'He was right on the pardon, and it may well have cost him the presidency,' Cheney said. 'He showed great courage and determination in doing what he believed was right for the country even at considerable political cost to himself.'
Also featured in the program are interviews with former presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush. L. William Seidman, who served as White House Economic Advisor from 1974-77 (and later as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) weighs in with observations about Ford's Grand Rapids values and their effect on his presidency. Two journalists who covered Mr. Ford's career -- Tom DeFrank of Newsweek and Werner Veit of the Grand Rapids Press -- provide insight into Ford's unique relationship with the media.
The program draws on the resources of the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids and the archives at the Gerald R. Ford Library at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and includes interviews and photos -- some of which are being aired for the first time.
Gerald Ford: Turning 90 is an exclusive production of WGVU-TV. It is hosted by Matt McLogan and produced by Michael Grass; videographer is WGVU-TV's Rob Byrd. McLogan and Grass know their subject well; both covered Mr. Ford as congressman, vice president and president while on the news staff at WOOD-TV in the 1970's. They were among the select few journalists to be in the East Room of the White House on August 9, 1974 when Gerald Ford took the oath as President of the United States.
