Democracy Now On Ford's Death

Former President Gerald Ford died last night at the age of 93. We begin our coverage of Ford’s time in office with a look at his support for the Indonesian invasion of East Timor that killed one-third of the Timorese population. We’re joined by Brad Simpson of the National Security Archives and journalist Alan Nairn.
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Former President Gerald Ford died last night at the age of 93. He became president in 1974 following the resignation of Richard Nixon. Ford is the only person to become president that was never elected president or vice president. Some described him as the Accidental President. At his inauguration he famously declared “the long national nightmare is over." But a month later Ford granted Richard Nixon a full and absolute pardon for all federal crimes that he committed when he was in the White House – including for crimes connected to the Watergate scandal. The decision stunned the country.

Gerald Ford served as president until he lost to Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election. In 1975 He ordered the final pullout of U.S. troops from Vietnam. He later offered amnesty to Vietman era draft resisters. Gerald Ford surrounded himself by advisers who would later play key roles in the current Bush administration and in shaping Bush’s Iraq war policy. Donald Rumsfeld served first as his chief of staff and then as Secretary of Defense. Dick Cheney also served as Ford’s chief of staff. Paul Wolfowitz served in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

Less well known is President Ford involvement in East Timor. Both the New York Times and Washington Post failed to mention in their obituaries today that Ford and Henry Kissinger, his Secretary of State, offered advance approval of Indonesia’s brutal invasion of East Timor.

This is clip of the documentary "Massacre: the Story of East Timor" that I produced with journalist Alan Nairn.

* Excerpt of "Massacre: the Story of East Timor.”

* Brad Simpson. Research Fellow at the National Security Archives.

* Alan Nairn. Investigative Journalist.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/27/1638254

In the late 1970s, the Nation magazine published excerpts of Gerald Ford’s memoirs in which he revealed the idea of pardoning Richard Nixon was raised with him before Ford replaced Nixon in the White House. The Nation magazine publisher emeritus Victor Navasky talks about Ford’s account and the landmark lawsuit that ensued.
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In the late 1970s, the Nation magazine published excerpts of Gerald Ford’s memoirs in which he revealed the idea of pardoning Richard Nixon was raised with him before Ford replaced Nixon in the White House.

* Victor Navasky. Publisher Emeritus of the Nation Magazine and chairman of the Columbia University Journalism review.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/27/1647206