A Down-to-Earth Leader

President Ford helped restore Americans’ faith in our political institutions at a critical moment in our history.  His overwhelming decency and steady hand restored trust to the Office of the President, even while he made many difficult decisions.  President Ford loved the House of Representatives, and his service to that body will be remembered along with its greatest leaders.  An All-American football player at the University of Michigan, the American people could easily identify with his down-to-earth, common-sense demeanor, and he used this approach to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle.  We can all learn from his bipartisan example, and I expect that the appreciation for President Ford’s efforts will grow significantly in the future.  I offer my thanks and condolences to his family.