next on american history tv, a program produced by the republican national committee in support of president gerald ford's 1976 presidential campaign. it aired on national tv the night before election day. president ford went on to lose to democratic challenger jimmy carter. this is about a half hour. >> hi, i'm joe garagiola. i've been traveling with an extraordinary human being, president gerald ford. i've done it because i believe in this imagine. this year, the stakes are just too high to just sit on the sidelines. so on this last night before the election, i want you to see a film about jerry ford. a documentary about his background, about his family,

about the job he's already doing, about his hopes for america. then i want you to hear from president ford himself. before you see this film or hear from the president, somebody else has something to say about this election and about this man. all america knows her and all america loves her. ms. pearl bailey. >> i've never done this before in my life. i'm not here to judgment. the bible says i am not to judge. but i do hope that you think before you vote, use all the goodness within you. don't -- just because -- some people say, well, yeah, but what happened a couple of years ago? you're right, a couple of years ago our country was truly shaken. and a man was put at the head of it named gerald ford. i really believe in his heart,

oh, he's made some mistakes, honey, you better believe he has. i wouldn't sit here and try to tell you different. i'll tell you what. if a man is trying, and a man has more than dreams, he has something called get up and go, and truth, most of all he has something i like very much in every human being, simplicity and honesty, because i really believe he's an honest man, that's why i like gerald ford. and that's why i hope -- i don't know, please think about it. it's so important. it really is. >> that's a real lady. she gives you a lump in your throat. she's talking about my kind of guy. i think he's your kind of guy too. now i would like you to take a look at a special documentary film about president ford. when it's over, president ford himself will talk to you right here from air force one.

>> i am honored by your nomination and i accept it. [ cheers and applause ] >> august 19, 1976. with the mandate of his party, president ford spoke from the heart to the heartland of america. >> you are the people who pay the taxes and obey the laws. you are the people who make our system work. you are the people who make america what it is. it is from your ranks that i come and on your side i stand. [ cheers and applause ] >> something wonderful happened to this country of ours the past two years. we all came to realize it on the fourth of july. together out of years of turmoil and tragedy, americans recaptured the spirit of 1776.

>> the pioneer spirit of the revolutionary founders and immigrant ancestors have found new expression on the fourth of july with the spirit that moved gerald ford all of his life. it was alive and flourishing in omaha, nebraska in 1913. it was a spirit of men who would reach as high as they were tall. gerald ford was born there. born to reach for the highest in personal achievement. he moved to grand rapids and grew up with a family that was loving and who taught him that there was also the obligation to serve. it showed in achieving the national honor society and in the badge of eagle scout. it showed again as captain of the high school football team. >> he played every position on the team. the more he learned, the more he helped. and jerry was 100% in whatever

he attempted to do, because he wouldn't go into anything and do it just half. when the going was toughest is when he was the best. >> it got tough at michigan where he lettered in three years. his team voted him most valuable player in 1934. >> he played at ball clubs. he earned his letters. >> and willis ward earned his letter too. in those teams some major teams would not play against black athletes. >> we played georgia tech. i was benched. it hurt jerry ford badly. a fellow on the other side of the line made a remark about him loving people like me. and his adjectives were bleep adjectives, so i won't use it.

whereupon jerry put a block on him that ended that fellow's participation in the game. so they came back that monday and told me that they dedicated that block to me. >> every time i go back to yale, i find myself almost overwhelmed by nostalgia. it's been so long and so much has happened since i first got off the train at the new haven station in 1935. >> gerald ford went on to yale to become an assistant football coach. he decided on a career in law as well. >> that made it very difficult for him. because i know very few students in the law school at that time that were doing outside activities simultaneously. it was a very rigorous schedule, a very rigorous kind of place to be.

and the excess was acute. and you couldn't do outside things and still get through law school with high standing. yet he did this and he was one of the few that did. >> besides governor scranton, this extraordinary class at yale law school was to produce supreme court justices stewart and white. the 120, 99 were phi beta kappa. gerald ford graduated in the top 30. gerald ford serves in combat in the pacific campaigns, one duty manning the aft station guns. >> lieutenant ford had the qualities to act. this requires leadership of a very high order. the day-to-day work, the maintenance, the routine, that's what you have to have, so when the crisis comes you can meet it.

this particular occasion, we were attacked by japanese torpedo bombers. two of them penetrated the destroyer screen. the torpedos missed. ford didn't miss. he fired and they went down. >> in 1948, lieutenant commander ford leaves the campaigns of war for the campaigns of politics. congressman ford wins reelection 12 times. politics and marriage began together for jerry ford. he married betty during his first campaign. >> when you're a congressman and dedicated to your work, you work hard at the job. and every two years, you work hard to keep it by campaigning. when he was home -- >> but jerry ford found time for family. he had grown up in a loving environment. together, he and betty created

another. >> jerry ford, as i knew him in 19 years in the house, was one of the most decent, honorable guys with whom i've ever had the privilege of working. he was selected by his peers as the minority leader of his party. one of the toughest in the world. when he was selected as vice president of the united states and there were 300 fbi people looking at everything he had done or said from i guess the day he was born. a thorough investigation was made by an overwhelmingly democratic congress. and he came through with flying colors. the people in the house and in the senate have confidence in not only jerry ford the man, but in the way that they believed he would conduct the government responsibilities as the vice

president and later as the president, as the leader of the country. >> it was an hour in our history that troubled our minds and tore at our hearts. anger and hatred had risen to dangerous levels, dividing friends and families. the polarization of our political order had aroused unworthy passions of reprisal and revenge. our governmental system was closer to stalemate than at any time since abraham lincoln took that same oath of office. >> in those troubled times, a distressed nation was stirred by a new and candid voice. >> i am acutely aware that you

have not elected me at your president by your ballots. so i ask you to confirm me as your president, with your prayers. my fellow americans, our long nightmare is over. >> and so he began. without seeking the job, he had been preparing for it with virtually a lifetime of leadership and achievement. now from the start, his administration would reflect his decency, his openness. >> when i came to this oval office, i tried to get people to speak up to me, even though they disagreed. i tried to make the atmosphere in the oval office more relaxed rather than austere. i just wouldn't be comfortable making people snap to, just

because i'm president. >> he sits back and listens and relaxes and at the end of that he feels he's much closer to the issue that must be decided than if he were to merely look at a piece of paper. being in and out of the office as frequently as i am, i had an opportunity to see that a number of times. >> there is one issue i disagreed on, the issue of bussing. my feeling is different from that of the other people in the administration. once again, i had the feeling that the president has taken my views into full consideration and weighing them, i can't say that his conclusion is wrong. >> while he is willing to listen to contrary points of view and listen to a debate, he's also extremely aware that there comes a point when the debate has to cease. >> i think we ought to go to the public, tell the public who is

causing the problem. the congress is just plain negligent in this case. i think we ought to hit them very hard. >> do you want to do that this morning? >> i think we should. >> the administration of gerald ford had begun its steady course. the spiral of government spending had seemed unstoppable. taxes, inflation, had risen relentlessly. no one before had had the courage to say no to an ever-increasing number of government programs. >> we don't cancel a single contract or project. >> president ford cuts spending by over $9 billion. he cut inflation in half. our confidence was coming back. america started back to work with meaningful, proud jobs, not dependent on government handouts. while extending and improving benefits for those without work, president ford unshackled the private sector, providing an

unparalleled 4 million new jobs in 1 1/2 years. >> over 1/2 of the grain moving across international boundaries is grown by you, the american farmer. it's imperative that you maintain the freedom to market crops and find customers wherever you can. >> unfetterred by government restraints, the productive capacity of the american farmer has been turned loose. farm income has risen dramatically. america is the granary for a hungry world. >> america has learned we can't fill every empty bowl. we can be an immense influence for reason and peace in this world in which we live. i would rather travel a thousand miles for peace than take a single step for war.

>> in two years of office, president ford travels over 200,000 miles in pursuit of world peace and economic progress. he visits 14 foreign nations , has 121 meetings with foreign leaders. >> when i start talking about foreign policy, i'm talking about people like me who represent people like you. when i'm at a negotiating table with a foreign leader, i'm not looking across the table at a nation. i'm looking at another person. the differences between nations that keep us apart are less important than the similarities that bring us together as people. this is the lesson of our common humanity.

>> the lines of communication are kept open. small wars must not become big wars. step by step, war averted is peace preserved. in the middle east, the seemingly insolvable conflicts yield for the first time to negotiation. it is the united states effort that brings about a turning point in egypt. >> the agreement reached this past week needs time to be able to work for concluding a lasting peace agreement in the middle east. america can be very proud of its role as peacemaker in these negotiations. >> a nation at peace must be a nation prepared. under president ford's leadership, congress enlarges the military budget, reversing the ten-year downward trend. the qualitative superiority of american weapons is assured.

cords of steel can best bind the accords of peace. president ford has no fear for the future of this country. the america of gerald ford is secure, idealistic and mature. his view of tomorrow is as close as his own children. gerald ford sees the future as something his children will inherit. he sees their present very much like fourth parent. >> my parents won't say anything until it's all over with. i'll sit there and beg them, what do you think, what do you think? never says a word. then when it's all over, they

tell me what they really thought. we've been taught to be independent and make our own decisions. they don't want to be hovering over us 24 hours a day, which is really very nice. i wouldn't trade them for anything. they're my best friends. >> i try to communicate to as many people as possible, we have a man that we know has a family. >> it's so easy to talk off the top of your head and tell people about you, because we know you, rather than having notes thrown in your face. that's formal. we're not formal. >> that's for sure. >> one of the most impressive things about the family is each one of the kids is an individual. certainly mrs. ford is an individual. and has expressed her opinions quite candidly, as has jack, as have the other kids. the president, to his credit, although he may not like on certain occasions what they say,

strongly believes they should be able to do what they want to do and say what they want to do. i've never heard one instance of him saying, cool it a little bit, or that was a little rough. never. >> as unspoken issues carry, betty ford has been loving wife, mother, and campaigner. gerald ford has cherished her and cherished her independent spirit. gerald and betty ford are a love story. together they had a family united, able to accept the blessings that life brings and the anguish. >> we learned about this thursday, about 7:00 p.m. and we decided that we would carry on today as though nothing

had happened. and then we would hope for the very best on saturday, which we have great faith will be the case. >> the candor about betty ford's operation for breast cancer lifted once and for all a veil of shame and secrecy for all women. the nation rejoiced with the president and his family on her recovery. >> the greatest source of streng strength. the one person i love, respect, and am darned proud to have. [ cheers and applause ] >> thank you, mr. president. [ laughter ] >> i truly appreciate you all turning out. and i just can't tell you how

much we appreciate the support that you have given the president. i sort of like him too. [ cheers and applause ] >> idealism, responsibility, and strength. these principles guide president ford. >> it seems to me that this is important, when an individual is going to make decisions affecting the world. if he's a mean guy, if he carries on a vendetta, if he's vindicti vindictive, i would be really worried how he might treat some crisis in another part of the world. i think that you need that calm, careful, deliberate consideration of issues and put all petty passions aside. >> sometimes we get the idea that to succeed you have to be expedient and you can't afford

to be a man of principle. he's such a contradiction to that prevailing attitude and image that had been coming up in the last few years. i think it's good for people to see that you can stick by your principles and still be very successful. traditionally it was always the office rubbed off on the man. i think just the reverse has happened, where the man with these tremendous principles has rubbed off on the office. and we've seen the office start to rise in prestige. ♪ ♪ >> there is a new drive in the nation. america has found itself again. he promised no more than he could deliver. he delivered all that he promised.

gerald ford. a man of strength. a decent man. a man america can trust. >> you are the people who pay the taxes and obey the laws. you are the people who make our system work. you are the people who make america what it is. it is from your ranks that i come and on your side that i stand. [ cheers and applause ] >> tomorrow is a very crucial election. tonight america is strong. america is free. america is on the move.

two careers ago, america was in deep trouble. when i became president, inflation was over 12%. we were on the brink of a serious recession, the worst in 40 years. there had been a loss of trust in the white house itself. we were still involved in vietnam. when i took the oath of office in august of 1974, i said i have not been elected by your ballots, but i ask that you confirm me by your prayers. those prayers really helped. in the meantime, america has turned around. i put the ship of state on an even keel. i held a firm hand on the tiller for a steady course. and today, we're doing much, much better.

the rate of inflation has been cut by more than 50%. the job picture is getting better. we've added 4 million more jobs in the last 18 months. 88 million people are working today. we've restored confidence and trust in the white house itself. and america is at peace. not a single young american is fighting or dying on any foreign soil tonight. i want to keep it that way for the next four years. we have two mainly problems. we want to keep america strong, to meet the challenge of any adversary, to strengthen our alliances. and i pledge to you that the united states will remain number one. our army, navy, air force and marines will be the best as they

are today. some people have wanted to cut the defense budgets. that would be a big gamble. i believe that the way to keep the peace is to keep strong. but in order to keep our domestic economy strong, we need additional tax reduction. last january, i told the congress they should cut your personal taxes. i think the best tax reform is tax reduction. i recommended the personal exemption be increased from 750 to $1,000. congress didn't do its job. but on january 3rd, when congress comes back, i'll have a tax reduction proposal on their desk so that they can give the middle income taxpayer who has

been short changed the kind of a tax reduction that our society so badly needs. we have some other problems. we'll do a better job in the next four years in making certain that the victims of crime are protected and that the criminal goes to jail. we'll do a better job help our older people who have earned our respect and our support. we'll do a better job in meeting some of the major problems of our major metropolitan areas. we have a lot of things to do. but we're in shape to do it, now that we're over the hump of the last two years. so we've come to the final round in this election. i read your prayers as you gave them to me two years ago.

i would hope you would confirm me this time by your ballots. i promise you, i pledge you, that i will not let you down. thank you and good night. ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good about america ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good about america ♪ ♪ i feel it everywhere i go ♪ i'm feeling good about america ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good about america ♪ ♪ it's something great to see ♪ i'm feeling good about america ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good about me manner history tv continues

with a look at victory and concession speeches at past presidential elections. our lineup includes ronald reagan and jimmy carter in 1980, bill clinton and george h.w. bush in 1992, and the contested election in 2000 between george bush and al gore. watch starting on tuesday night eastern here on c-span3. election night on c-span. watch the results and be part of a national conversation about the outcome. be on location at the hillary clinton and donald trump election night headquarters. and watch victory and concession speeches in key senate, house, and governor races, starting live at 8:00 p.m. eastern and throughout the following 24 hours. watch live on c-span, on demand at c-span.org, or listen using the free c-span radio app. in the latest edition of "time"