Bob Woodward: Why Ford Pardoned Nixon

[@quarf53206]

A great leader is willing to think "Yes this decision will make people mad but it is the right thing to do."

[@stephenj.schneider5185]

Ford absolutely did the right thing for the right reason. Ford was an excellent President taking us out of the mire of Watergate.

[@therootofeverything3623]

Ford was an amazing President, Nixon was one of the worst in US history for the violation of trust of the American people.

[@stephenj.schneider5185]

@@therootofeverything3623 I disagree on Nixon. Nixon was a foreign policy statesman and he did many good things -- keeping us safe from thermonuclear war with the Soviet Union, opening of markets to China (I mean where we the world economy be without China?), as well as ending the Vietnam War. True, he was a dark, demonized man inside, but he was not, in my opinion even close to the worst. Down on the bottom, I would put James Buchanan, and right above him would be Franklin Pearce, and then right above him would be Harding. At the very bottom.....way way under the bottom....Trump. Trump is and was the absolute worst US President, and in my opinion, Trump is a terrible human.

[@therootofeverything3623]

@@stephenj.schneider5185 I’d put Trump over Buchanan, but I don’t entirely disagree with your sentiment. I just think Nixon’s actions permanently hurt the country in a way that outweighs all the good. If Nixon had won in 1960 he would’ve been on of the best presidents.

[@stephenj.schneider5185]

@@therootofeverything3623 well if Nixon hurt the country, what about Trump? It's like what, Day # 400 and he hasn't conceded yet, and stirred an insurrection as well. But thank you for your fair comment.

[@therootofeverything3623]

@@stephenj.schneider5185 I think Nixon set the stage for Trump. But you are right that Trump’s actions will cause more damage down the line.

[@iamsargon]

There is also that Ford went to the Capital and testified before Congress himself about the pardon.

[@frankjrtagliareni6307]

WHAT A TRAGEDY OF BULLSHIT THRUST UPON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC! TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR NO ONE EVER WILL DO THIS AGAIN TO AMERICA! INSTEAD IT LEFT THE DOOR WIDE OPEN FOR BUSH/CHENEY, AND trump TO GET AWAY WITH THESES INJUSTICES!!! ALL SCUMBAG REPUBLICANS!

[@TnseWlms]

The day Ford pardoned Nixon, most Americans were distracted watching Evel Knievel jump the Snake River Canyon.

[@tealsquare]

Very American 😂😂😂

[@JohnRoland]

President Ford was a great president whose selfless pardon helped heal our land and redeem the situation

[@Scarcro1]

I agree wholeheartedly!

[@docmalthus]

Pardoning Nixon was the bravest thing Ford could have done......except for NOT pardoning Nixon.

[@CoopyKat]

@Doc The bravest thing he could have done? You're an idiot. Ford and Nixon were both criminals, just like you.

[@mikealvord55]

Nope, wrong. It was the right thing to do! Only s moron can’t see that!

[@bobbysands6923]

One of the arguments against Nixon's further prosecution was the bad optic of a former US president sitting in jail. Most people at the time hated the pardon, but understood it--at least in my neighborhood.

[@easyenetwork2023]

It is now the reason Trump may not go to prison.

[@tripham2850]

He had to pardon Mr Nixon because the accusation is not match the violation

[@christophergargaro959]

I get why people hated the pardon at first and some still do. Nixon 💯 committed a crime and it feels morally wrong to let someone - even a POTUS - get away with a crime without legal consequences. But it’s one of those decisions where at the time it looked bad but over history many people have realized it was the right thing to do.

[@tomloft2000]

So what ford was saying is that there are people that are above the law.

[@iamhereblossom1588]

You shouldn't give up on justice because it may (essentially) be too difficult.

[@unknownindividual1135]

I don’t think it’s an issue of it being too difficult. I think it’s an issue of realizing that pursuing it would do more harm than good to the country. I’m a liberal, and by no means do I support Nixon (or Ford for that matter) but that deserves commendation imo.

[@iamhereblossom1588]

@@unknownindividual1135 how would it do more harm in your opinion?

[@benmackay7934]

@@iamhereblossom1588 I also agree that it wasn’t worth pursuing it. 1.) It would be virtually impossible to find a jury that would be unbiased. He was the president of the United States. 2.) there were serious issues facing the US at the time including a serious economic downturn and the absolute necessity of getting out of Vietnam (including the serious tensions that came with the latter). To spend the 2-3 years necessary to prosecute Nixon during that time period would have enflamed all sides of the political spectrum, and taken the focus off of the threats the Americans were facing. 3.) While he clearly broke the law (in my view), it’s important to put it in the context of what damage his actions caused. Nobody died. Nobody got injured. (Unlike Jan. 6). And ultimately, Nixon’s political reputation and legacy was completely tarnished. Additionally, the argument can be made that imprisoning him (assuming he’d be convinced, which is a BIG assumption) would’ve made him a martyr for the right, which would’ve further enflamed tensions to the point that it’s completely feasible violence would break out. All to imprison one person. Who, even in the most extreme interpretation, wouldn’t have gotten any more than a few years in jail. So in this context - it was not worth the trouble. The better punishment was to expose Nixon and trash his legacy in the long term, which has basically been done via his presidential library now being controlled by the National Archives, and politicians and people of all political stripes wanting nothing to do with the man.

[@gordonwaugh2815]

It might have been courageous, but it could still have been the wrong decision. Ford said Nixon's criminal trial and conviction would be a distraction for Congress and the country. There are many things that are far more distracting, like impeachment trials and major congressional investigations. It would be crazy to eliminate all distractions like that. The pardon makes it easier for future presidents to decide to commit crimes because they think they might get pardoned, too. It also damages the ideal that justice should be blind.

[@kissmy_butt1302]

What Nixon did compared to Bush, Obama and Biden is like popping a zit compared to chopping someone's arms off. Bush's illegal war in Iraq, Obama using drones and killing multiple US civilians illegally and Biden taking money for favors from a foreign government These are ALL major crimes the founders warned of yet the outrage is nothing compared to political espionage. Example: We know Biden was caught red handed taking bribes. We are almost in the same conditions again. Would you blame the next President pardoning Biden for his crimes over the problems of the nation on top of a potential Spanish style Civil War?

[@johnwest7463]

a president makes tough decisions some like it some don't I think it was the best thing to do

[@Frisbieinstein]

Correction: Why Ford said he pardoned Nixon.

[@markpiersall9815]

Gerald Ford was on the Warren Commission as a Committee member so he will carry the taint.

[@markpiersall9815]

Congressional member of Defense Subcommittee so he would have been briefed on Bay of Pigs.

[@easyenetwork2023]

He was Speaker at the time, right?

[@markpiersall9815]

@@easyenetwork2023 He was minority leader. The Democrats held the House.

[@dr3putt62]

@@easyenetwork2023minority leader

[@freedomnews5221]

Nixon should have gone to jail period 🥰🥰😇😇😇

[@alwillk]

Rich people look after each other. That’s why ford pardoned Nixon. Poor people fight amongst themselves.

[@IanP1963]

Nixon - Nixon - Ford - Carter - Reagan - Raegan - Bush - Clinton - Clinton - Bush [jr] - Bush [jr] - Obama - Obama - Trump

[@thebohemiancowboy2805]

-Biden

[@IanP1963]

@@thebohemiancowboy2805 Spot on - top of the class for you !!!

[@chauncybrukshut9279]

- Bruce DeWaiter

[@williamdonahue6617]

Well, if Caroline and Ted Kennedy and Bob Woodward approve of the pardon, it must be right.

[@memyselfeyetallent7149]

Good one

[@derlenx1097]

the public handed him the rifle and he didn't pull the trigger because looking in his eyes he could see himself staring back.

[@allyncooper]

He was a Ford not a Chevy

[@billdewrell8436]

President Ford was a good man. He paid the price with the pardon and we ended up with Carter. Well, we all know how that went. Truth be told, I would rather have Carter back today in his 90s than this goofball we have now. And I'm a Republican!

[@CoopyKat]

Bill Dewrell I'm surprised you get an internet connection in your trailer park. I'll bet you have a picture of Trump in your trailer that you kiss every night.

[@rickydunn3921]

I know today this is a joke if we told our youngerselves what's going on we would laugh and think it's a movie

[@memyselfeyetallent7149]

Yes Biden is a joke

[@pointsoflightradio9785]

#BringBackTrump

[@elk9414]

Why pardon someone who wasn't charged with a crime? Ah, the consumate Yes Man, Gerald Ford.

[@darrenspohn8376]

ELK The pardon however was still an admission of guilt.

[@elk9414]

I concur. No need to pardon someone if they weren't guilty and the only reason to pardon someone who wasn't charged with a crime.

[@simonlilley]

By accepting the pardon Nixon was admitting his guilt. Thats how the law works.

[@williamwingo4740]

The Nixon holdovers in his cabinet, especially Haig, talked him into pardoning Nixon. Then they talked him into running for president, hoping they could continue to manipulate him. But they all underestimated the public backlash to the pardon, just like Ted Kennedy and his entourage underestimated the long-term effects of Chappaquiddick.

[@easyenetwork2023]

The pardon was the most corrupt aspect of the entire Watergate scandal.

[@williamwatson4625]

I think Ford issued the pardon independently of Watergate. The purpose of him being president at that moment was to heal and get the country to move past Watergate.

[@chuckselvage3157]

Is bitch a dirty word lol

[@bbodinefan11]

He had to.

[@ShangHighRoller]

Smarmy bullshit. No one is above the law. If the trial is messy, so be it.

[@winkyledford3979]

what about twin towers I got the book George Bush

[@brunogandolfi403]

Ford = military industrial complex

[@bobnagel6449]

Woodward's books should be displayed in the fiction aisle of a bookstore.

[@royrowland5763]

Путин гордится тобой.

[@Robert_St-Preux]

So should the Bible.

[@annguyendoan7189]

Chi thuy o my ve tham pue / an ninh nói ve lam chi / lan xe tong chi thùy

[@rambo212234]

so it looks like Pence will get to pardon Trump

[@kaymuldoon3575]

Ramjitti Indaraprasirt not if Pence himself is indicted.

[@nickjw88]

No. Failure of the impeachment will eventually come back to haunt Trump. After he loses this election the U S Attorney for the southern district of New York will convict Trump of many crimes. Trump has to win this election to keep from going to prison.

[@loydkline]

Hopefully president Joe Biden will do it after if he win or lose the 2024 elections

[@henrylicious]

​@@nickjw88LOL. This post is aging poorly.

[@tesla4002]

F Ford.

[@marcuskliminski6484]

Bob... get a life.