Virgie Bell's View

It is strange for me to recall so very little about the presidency of Gerald Ford. I suppose it had to do more with being immersed in the scandal of Watergate than anything.

There's a post office here in my hometown with his name on the front. It's just a small plaque mentioning him as being president at the time of its construction. I learned more about his time as our nation’s leader yesterday than I've ever known before.

I also remember the convention where he was running for office, but what stayed in my mind then was his wife dancing quite inappropriately. We found out later she'd been under the influence of alcohol or medication. She went on to become one of the most influential and positive forces in that regard than we've ever known, and the United States is indebted to her for the positive position she retains as her legacy to a grateful nation. Mrs. Ford was also a great force in bringing breast cancer to the forefront. That too is positive, but in reading about President Ford's assessment of the battle of terror being fought in the killing fields of Iraq (an interview with the writer Bob Woodward that was captured on a four hour tape), he made the remark that had he been President at the time of the tragedy, he would have avoided going to war.

We did not go to war. War came to us in the most chilling un-unexpected way. We reacted to this attack in the only way possible--to take a war to the enemy. My God, the former president was in favor of sanctions. OK, we were all for that. Instead we were being bilked in the oil for food program. The UN has helped to make us a laughing stock around the world.

Saddam Hussein was a monster. He is a monster. Will be until he swings on the gallows. I only have a minute to post today as I am scheduled for surgery, but I will say this much: I am glad Gerald Ford was not president on the day war was declared on us and we answered in kind. I'm glad Jimmy Carter wasn’t either. I'm relieved we had, and have, a president who SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS.