as you know, he was not born gerald ford. he was born wesley king jr one of the things that sets this book apart are discoveries. president ford could have destroyed the papers with his mother's divorce case, and when read them, i could see why he might have been tempted to. it was a disastrous marriage, dorothy gardener. king had one of those honeymoons where before it was half over, she obviously was thinking. what did i get myself? her husband was abusive physically, emotionally, verbally and the marriage was basically over almost as soon as it began. but a woman in 1913 had very, very limited options and dorothy gardner king is an extraordinary i mean, gerald ford credited her, among other things, with his lifelong habit of seeing the good in everyone, which some people more cynical types took as a form of naivete. in any event, one of the things that i saw for the first time was gerald ford's baby book, very poignant entry, baby's first automobile ride turns out to have been taken two weeks after his birth, two days after

falling down as gerald ford. that is part of the collective memory. it turns out to be superseded by the reality. susan: you served as director of the national library, and you also gave a eulogy at the president and first lady's funeral. you right at the end of the book that you had some hesitations about being able to be distant enough in doing this project. richard: i'm glad that you asked that. i never doubted my capacity to be objective. i have written about a lot of people. critics, whatever they thought of what i was doing have tended to acknowledge that i was quote, objective. my concern was that other people would not accept me as an objective. i remember the great pulitzer prize winning photographer who really became a member of the ford family, and knew them a lot better than i did. he said, if you are not criticu are not credible. the thing about that is that i knew the ford' enough that they would share that view. i brought this up. i had lunch with david mccullough. i described the situation. other

i think we have some trustees from the gerald ford presidential foundation to recognize. i think i see bob hooker and i think j.c. rising is here. we have one of the ford president ford's family members, greg ford, a nephew of president. mrs. ford, welcome. glad you're always glad you're here. so, yeah, go ahead and applaud. absolutely absolutely. now, those of you who have been to this gig before know that i have tried every which way possible humanly possible to introduce bill in a new way. so one year, in fact, we used his haiku poetry. remember that year? haiku poetry to. introduce him because he's the author of a lot of haiku poetry that ended up in a book. another year we looked at, oh, this was this was rich. we looked at his student evaluate options. and i had never managed the two decades i've known bill to embarrass him in a good natured way until i read the last student evaluation from a young woman who said, and you know, the best thing besides the great storytelling. he's hot. right? so i've run out of ideas for introducing him. so here's what i'd like to do.

you credit this woman with -- responsible for the gerald ford transformation. chard: her terminology. the words jerry brown and supermodel do not seem to long in the same sentence. --erald ford. pb brown for perfect body brown was a knockout. and a really smart, cosmopolitan. she took the ac, they went to broadway shows, she introduced him to skiing. a whole lot of things. interview that he did that has not been available until now, he talked about she was quite a gal and, thank god i didn't marry her. she would go on to have three husbands. the wonderful sequel to all of this is jim gannon, who did an earlier book about ford and watergate, told me the story. he didn't use it, but figured someday i would. he was working on his book in the president said, you want to talk to phyllis. he went to reno. where she lived. and got roses on the way. knocked on the door and said, president ford wanted you to have these. she said, no he didn't, he never gave me flowers. they established immediate trusting relationship. at the end of the day, she said to jim, would you min

person to replace richard nixon as president in a very simple way that i think touches on gerald ford'senduring contribution to our understanding of historycs d politics and the way it can and should work. jerry ford did not become president because he had that fire in the that drives most people to endure what they have to endure. he didn't have this insatiable need to reach the top. he was quite unlike lyndon johnson or richard nixon to and some very basic way their lives were failures and they had reached the top and they have achieved that political -- jerry ford was not like at all. jerry ford was comfortable in his own skin and he was a very solid citizen a very solid member off congress. he had been for several years the minority leader in the house of representatives. the height of what he hoped for in his political career was to become speaker of the house. that depended on a lot because the republicans would have to win the majority of the house are republicans which they had done for decades and in fact he was on the verge of retirement when nixon lost an nixon and vice presi

on gerald ford. i'm going to explain why, if someone were to write a book on american politics on foreign policy 1970 it might be a smart idea to centered on gerald ford. he is right in the middle of some really momentous stuff. and maybe if i do decide to write this book maybe ford will play a central role. but at the moment here's what i'm thinking. i'm thinking the title i have in mind is the great unraveling. and i can tell you a little bit at the time. but certainly as a historic looking backward as to the 1970 as a. i do not want it to specific within the 1970s. while the title for the talk tonight with watergate, right? when 70s really began. i am going to talk about watergate. because right in the middle of the story. historians sometimes argue about was the 1970s more important than the 1960s? there is a silly argument. events don't pay any attention to the calendar, they just happen. but what did happen in the 1970s as a whole serve as a time when an attitude toward politics and government

i'll bring it back to gerald ford in future installments but gerald ford was the ideal person and richardpresident in the central way and the understanding of history and politics in the way it should gerald ford not become president because of that fire in the belt that drives most people to endure what they have tond indor to become that. he didn't have this need to reach the top of that receipt pull. so and if they hadn't reached the top he was not like that at all and he seemed to be pretty comfortable. he was a solid citizen, a solid member ofss congress, he had ben for several years the minority leader in the house of representatives. the height of what he hoped for in his political career was to become speaker of the house and republicansse if they had not bn for decades and he was on the verge of retiring when nixon lost resigned because unrelated to getting swept up into the whole thing so nixon is looking for someone, the publican party for someone honesty and devotion to the national interest cannot be questioned and part of the appeal is the united states because it's awkward

ford. i'm gleaves whitney executive director of the gerald r. dation, and on behalf of the foundation of what to express our warm appreciation to susannt ford bails, ann compton, bing goei, jonathan pliska and nicole ripley for the insights and stories. >> weekend on c-span2 are an intellectual feast. every saturday american history tv documents america's stories, and onundays booktv brings you the latest nonfiction books and authors. funding for c-span2 comes from these television companies and more including midco. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> midco along with of these television companies supports c-span2 as a public service. >> order your copy of the 118th congressional directory now available as c-spanshop.org. it's your accesso

i'm pleased with the executive director of the gerald ford presidential foundation and on behalf of theation i want to express b our warm appreciatn to susan ford and jonathan for their insights and stories. >> be up-to-date in the latest in publishing with booktv's podcast about books with current nonfiction book releases plus bestseller lists as well as industry news and trends three insider interviews. you can find us on c-span now free app or wherever you get your podcast.

i was there for gerald ford's dog liberty who i think got one of the first splashes into the gerald ford pool -- >> and liberty's puppies, of course. [laughter] >> but dogs and some cats were -- and i think some of the kids had a gerbil or two. but that also shows how the white house, although it's a tribute to the glory of the united states, it's the centerpiece of our civic society, it's also a home. do you think, well, do you have any favorite pets back in the archives of presidential history? >> oh, absolutely. so putting aside the dogs and the cats for the purposes of this, i would, well, i should confess before i say anything else, i'm originally from the state of wisconsin k if i'm a little biased because of that. but my personal favorite presidential pet of all time was a dairy cow named paulene wayne, also probably t greatest pet name in all of presidential history that was also theroud pet of president taft. anene wayne grazed on the white house grounds as well as the grounds of thizingen hour executive -- the eisenhower executive office building. and she was something of a loc

i was there for gerald ford dog liberty. why think that one of the first lashes in the gerald ford pool. >> and liberty studies of course. >> with the dogs and some cats, were think some of the kids had a dribbler to but that also shows us although it is a distributed to the glory of the united states and a centerpiece of her civic society, it is also a home. do you have any favorite at back in the archives of the presidential history to make absolutely. putting aside the dogs and cats, for the purposes, well i should confess before see anything else from i am originally from the state of wisconsin and a little biased because of that. my personal favorite presidential head of all time, the dairy cattle named falling rain possibly the greatest pet name and all the presidential history that was also proud that have president taft and pauline lane, grayson the white house grounds as well as the grounds of the white house or executive building and she was something of a local celebrity and interviewed by members as much and it w

, gerald ford, very good quality. the university of michigan. the first newspaper as far as dwight eisenhower, in 1912 i believe, profiling him as a future all-american at west point. to complete the baseball story, he probably didn't play it seriously but accepting money for any kind of game 1909-1910 was an example, gerald ford, was potentially a problem. the man by the name of red patterson invented the tape measure home run in baseball, great pr guy for the giants, somebody who concluded his career with the california angels. we used to go to california a lot in the late 70s. the giants in 1947 he was assigned to a company for a game and he said that he confronted general eisenhower, for several years, we understand you played under the alias of wilson. our records show two wilson's, which one are you? he said the one who can hit. and look at the camper state league there were two wilson's in that league, what was the first baseman, 285 in the first year and 340 the second year. they are great athletes and that ho

his decade long look into the life of president gerald ford in his assessment of the man and his presidencyploring the american story, watch american history tv saturday on c-span2 and find a full schedule on your program guide and watch online anytime, c-span.org/history.

it is entitled in ordinary men, the surprising life and historic residency of gerald ford. it took about a decade for him to write this book. another book coming out is called letters to trump. this is donald trump's book and in this book he puts some of the letters that were written to him prior to becoming president. he makes editorial comments as well. it's a brand-new book published by a price that is run by his son, donald trump, jr.. those are two books that are coming out. another program is called about books. and that we look at the bids -- business of publishing. one interview we did was with michael knowles, the book reviewer for prager university. we talked him about some of the books that he looks at. here is a snippet of that interview. >> recently on about books, michael knowles discussed his program the book club. it is on the books that have shaped western civilization. >> michael knowles, is it a fair critique to say that the book club focuses on dead, white, european males? >> [laughter] i suppose so. the greatest writers in history in our civilization te

addressing a west michigan audience, you have any observations, comparisons, of dwight eisenhower and gerald ford? >> there's always a strong comparison. i've been around politicians a lot. ford is the one who reminds me most of dwight eisenhower, i remember meeting him for the first time in 1965, at my grandfather's behest, and hosting and exchange and going to do washington and we had an audience with gerald ford and he was minority leader and my reaction was formidable, attractive, nothing but positives. that impressed people is a character. one of the things we haven't talked about is athletics. we were talking about the finest athletes in presidential history as well. dwight eisenhower played professional baseball for two seasons, this was all concealed. gerald ford -- at the university of michigan. >> the first newspaper, in 1912, profiling him as a future all-american. to complete the baseball story, he didn't play it seriously but accepting money for any kind of game with the example, jim ford was potentially a problem. and the tape measure home run, and he concluded his career but califo

gerald r ford we are to two of the finest athletes in presidential history as well but dwight eisenhowerobably played professional baseball we think for two seasons before he went to west point. so gerald r ford, the university of michigan? >> that is right. the first newspaper served dwight eisenhower's they follow him in 1912 i believe. as a future all-american. at west point. two kind of complete the baseball story he probably did not play it very seriously but accepting money for any kind of togame was an example jim was potentially a problem. he wanted to play athletics at west point. a man who invented the tape measure home right in baseball is a great pr guy for the giants, dodgers, the yankees. was somebody who concluded his career with the california angels. we escorted california angels games a lot in the late 70s i got to know patterson. he told me stories when is with the giants in 1947 was assigned to a company and he said he confronted general eisenhower with rumors he played class of the ball for several years. he said emily understand you plate under the alias of wilson.

the concession statement she delivered on behalf of a horse of president gerald ford and the 1976 campaignas not the end of her own political life. sheiv continued her work to improve the lives of those facing a breast cancer and substance abuse. focusing a a spotlight on once taboo topics. she built a friendship impulsive partnership withhe the will pick who followed her into the white house rosalynn carter, and advocate for the mentally ill. and she revealed she lobbied her husband to name a woman to the supremee court and to his 1976 reelection ticket. betty ford was fond of saying she was known to have an opinion or two. you will hear directly from her patient footage from c-span's vide' library. let's listen to her now and her own words. >> the equal rights amendment went ratified the instant solution to women's problems. i will not alter the fabric of the constitution forced women away from their families. it will help knock down thosese restrictions that have locked women in to the old stereotypes of behavior and opportunity. it will help open up more options for women. but it is on

gerald ford is not in the pacific, he actually always belonged to the atlantic squadron to the atlanticeresting the most, and now let's move on to what is really positive now, from what you started with me, by the way, next year we will celebrate the tenth anniversary of this organization, because it was created on the twenty- ninth. may fourteenth. replaced the eurasian economic community, and before that there were two customs unions, and nothing flew. here, in essence. nothing flew. and the fact that now this great progress is because of the actual successful integration. it has two impulses. the first impulse is, of course, such a creation. here are networks, very common close ties at the level of the grassroots grassroots structure of the economy between the enterprise of the company and the like, we have a unique case, we used to have this whole space, the so-called soviet one, was a single economic complex. why not one integration project on ours? the space did not fire because there was no second impulse. the second impulse is the political will, which is quite right now. perhap

gerald ford and betty ford.eagan was divorced and then we tolerated clinton because as james carville said, it is only sex. and then here is trump with wife number 3 or 4 -- our last count -- and all these accusations made against him. i am not supporting him in the next election. i want somebody younger and with better character. >> cal thomas with his book sunday night at 8:00 use turn on c-span q&a. you can listen to q&a and all of our podcasts on our free c-span now a. >> new york republican representative george santos spoke to reporters in new york after pleading not guilty to an indictment of 13 counts. representative santos who is facing charges of money laundering and wire fraud denied the charges and said he would still seek reelection in 2024. do you want to address them, too. >> don't >> we made it here. look at this. i know you all have questions. i know you all have questions. i know everyone has been waiting for the moment for me to come out and talk to you guys. this is the beginning for me to ad

a close relationship that neared the one when their husbands jimmy carter gerald ford. nd she will talk about her legacy. betty ford with my friends. i am honored to be here today. to help celebrate the life of the truly remarkable woman. i never imagined my first met 40 years ago that we would develop such a close personal friendship. wife is a vice president of the united states but should dance with the dance company performed in carnegie hall proved too as a leader in the fight for women's rights. she hadad come to georgia a project taking six cars and filled c with art to rule committees across the country. jimmy was governor was invited to set the governor's mansion i was nervous. she is the most distinguished guests we had ever had. but when she arrived she was so warm and friendly that she immediately put me at ease. we had a good time together. of course i did not tell her then my husband was thinking about running for president. [laughter] that xmi met that it was at the white house shortly after the 1976 election. it might have been a very awkward moment, i kn

richard norton smith hospice latest book an ordinary man for a decade-long book is like a president gerald fordssment of the man and his presidency by exploiting the american story, watch american history tv saturdays on seek to find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime at c-span.org/history. quoth healthy democracy does not just look like this. it looks like this where americans can see democracy at work. citizens are truly a republic thrives. get informed straight from the source heard on c-span unfiltered, unbiased, word for word. the nation to whatever you are the opinion that matters most is your own. this is what democracy looks like. c-span powered by cable. park's been over in the making.

's decade-long look at the life of president gerald ford in his assessment of the man and his presidency. exploring the american story, watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2. find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online any time, c-span.org/history. >> booktv every sunday on dirksen senate office building features leading authors discussing their latest nonfiction books. at 2 p.m. eastern pm eastern, designmom.com founder gabriel blair shares her book ejaculate responsibly where she argues the abortion debate should focus more on lack of accountability by men and preventing unwanted pregnancies. at 8:00 pm fox news columnist bethany mandel, author of stolen youth contends that leftist ideology passed along to today's young people through education, entertainment and culture. watch booktv every sunday on c-span2 and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime, booktv.org. >> we are joined by george kroner, national security program senior fellow at the foreign policy research institute, talking about the reauthorization debate around section 7

and richard talks about his latest book and ordinary man is a long look at the life of president gerald ford the assessments of man and his presidency exploring and story, saturdays on c-span2 fight off schedule on your program guide or anytime and c-span.org/history. >> book tv every sunday features leading authors discussing their latest nonfiction books 2 pm eastern design mom.com founder gabrielle blair shares her book ejaculate responsibly where she argues that they should focus more on the e and in preventing unwanted season p.m. fox news column is that the man now offers leftist ideology pass along to today's young people through education, entertainment and culture. what book tv every sunday on c-span tv or watch online anytime and booktv.org. >> where back on washington journal. we want to get to your calls on democrats 20 274-8000, republicans 202 748-8000 one hundred two 48 8002 there's a lot of news going on today in addition to the debt limit we know that florida governor ron desantis expected to make his presidential bid official today and an evening chat with elon musk on his

's decade-long look at the life of president gerald ford in his assessment of the man and his presidency. exploring the american story, watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2. find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online any time, c-span.org/history. >> booktv every sunday on dirksen senate office building features leading authors discussing their latest nonfiction books. at 2 p.m. eastern pm eastern, designmom.com founder gabriel blair shares her book ejaculate responsibly where she argues the abortion debate should focus more on lack of accountability by men and preventing unwanted pregnancies. at 8:00 pm fox news columnist bethany

gerald ford and betty ford.gan was divorced and then we tolerated clinton because as james carville said, it is only sex. and then here is trump with wife number 3 or 4 -- our last count -- and all these accusations made against him. i am not supporting him in the next election. i want somebody younger and with better character. >>

when he and gerald ford, don't leave gerald ford out of this, basically gave the approval to the dictatorthere was a genocidal slaughter of 200,000 people. okay, we can understand someone going into a 7-eleven in shooting up 20 people. killing 200,000 people because you believe the americans will let you get away with that is something i think is very difficult for a lot of people to get their heads around. and i think it's also, you know, henry kissinger's guilt is our collective guilt as a nation. and so if you don't want to face that, if you don't want to face an american who's done some of the most brutal foreign policy decision making, you don't want to hold henry kissinger accountable. so i think there's a lot of interest in the foreign policy elite to, give him a pass and to hail him for the positive accomplishments that are rather obvious. >> and as you are speaking, i'm sure our viewers thought of bill clinton chuckling away standing next to kissinger. you are right to say the almost unfathomable crimes. on the one hand i think to myself, i think of that line misattributed to sta

mike has met his latest book, an ordinary man from his decade-long book the life of the president gerald ford in discussing the demands of his presidency. explain the emergent story, watching her in history tv, saturdays on "c-span2" full schedule newroam guide, or watch online, anytime at cspan.org/history. >> 2024, presidential candidateh arkansas thank you for being here. >> it is always good to be back on c-span and remember when c-span came to arkansas while i was governor and especially near 5050 say tour to host you and is good to be back. >> thank you very much and let's talk about the latest candidate who is entered the race and this is from cnn and i, glitches and echoes ml think the servers, plasty santos campaign launch, on twitter and your reaction. >> it was upper vacant patio that ron is probably disappointed that he did not get more the message out yesterday but is the very beginning parts of the campaign is going to be a long slog for all of us and so, you pick up and you move on and i'm excited that this phase right now is to have candidates entering the race we entered abou

his decade-long look into president gerald ford and his assessment as a man and presidency. exploring the american story watch "american history tv" saturdays on c-span2 and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime at c-span.org/history. >> c-span now is a free mobile app featuring your unfiltered view of what's happening in washington live and on demand. keep up the day's biggest events with live streaming on floor proceedings, white house events, courts, campaigns and more from the world of politics all at your fingertips. you can also stay current with the latest episodes of "washington journal" and find scheduling information for c-span's tv networks and c-span radio, plus a variety of compelling podcasts. c-span now is available at the apple store and google play. download it for free today. c-span now, your front-row seat to washington anytime anywhere. >> coming up, president biden announces the nomination of general charles c.q. brown jr. to be the next chair of the chair of the joint chiefs of staff. he replaces

people that's normally expected of but to today, if you look at the main stream establishment, gerald ford affairs, the major journal, you actually find a range of critical commentary. actually not all the different from things i say, well, a duplex years, you didn't as it just marching it up or it virtually notice it. but of course, in se brittany, they banned c g t and the dry news channel from broadcasting r t. a famously. why is it that you think russia thinks it's fine? i think it's like a level of this week giving a press conference allowing west and reporters accreditation. whereas in the united states, they obviously don't ban media in the us because of the 1st amendment setting in europe. obviously, there's mass binding of journalists and journalism. what's behind that? and that truly does depart from what from manufacturing consent, where they didn't want to ban anything. they just knew that the low selling outlets would fail to engage the populace in, in decisions opinion is it, 1st of all that's going to uh, you look through the say is take a more recent event, the erac or not

and richard talks about his latest book and ordinary man is a long look at the life of president gerald fordthe assessments of man and his presidency exploring and story, saturdays on c-span2 fight off schedule on your program guide or anytime and c-span.org/history. >> book tv every sunday features leading authors discussing

his decade-long look into the life of president gerald ford and his assessment of the man and his presidency. exploring the american story, watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2 and find a full schedule under program guide or watch online any time at c-span.org/history.

gerald ford was a terrific president and a terrific man. that was my last vote for a democratic president. that was how i was raised. i believe that the republicans are for the big guy and democrats are for the little guy. one sentence that shows you you don't even need five minutes, you can change a persons mind in one sentence. the ronald reagan line government is the problem, not the solution. i realize, of course, that is it. this country was founded to have small government. and then because i had studied communism, that was my field of study at columbia university, i learned russia, i went to communist countries regularly. and they of course were the genocidal -- except for the nazis, they were the genocides of the 20th century. 100 million civilians. and then i realized they were all done by big government. all of them. you cannot have horrors without big government. the only exception would be the massacre in rwanda. everything else necessitated big government. so that was a conversion. but the first one was when i was in high schoo

a close relationship that married the one between her husband jimmy carter and gerald ford and she willtalk about her legacy. betty ford with my friend and i'm proud to be here to celebrate the life of this truly remarkable woman. i never imagined when they first met 40 years ago that we would develop such a close personal friendship. at that time that he was the wife of the vice president of the united states. anshe advanced with the martha graham dance company and performed at carnegie hall. she was the leader in the fight forig women's rights and she had come to georgia with the project taking great art to remote communities across the country. we invited betty to state the governor's mansion. i was nervous. she was the most distinguished guest we had ever had. when she arrived she was so warm and friendly she immediately put me at ease and we had a good time together. of course i didn't tell her then that my husband was thinking about running for president. [laughter] the next time i met betty was at the white house shortly after the 1976 election. it might have been a very moment.

talks about his latest book an ordinary man come his decade-long look into the light of president gerald ford and his assessment of the man and his presidency. exploring the american story,, watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2, find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online any time at c-span.org/history. >> live sunday, june 4 on, author and journalist david will be our guest to talk and take calls about natural history and origins of deadly viruses like a bold and hiv. he is a a contributor writer d national geographic has written many books including the reluctant mr. darwin and spillover. his latest is breathless about the race to identify and defeat the virus that caused the covid-19 pandemic. join in a conversation with your phone calls, facebook, is, texts and tweets. in-depth with david quammen live sunday, june 4 at noon eastern on booktv on c-span2. >> host: good morning. where back with representative greg murphy, a republican from north carolina, a member of the house ways and means committee and will be discussing a stalemate over raising the debt ceiling a

his decade-long look into the life of gerald ford in the assessment of the man in his presidency.he american story. watch american history tv saturday on c-span2. find a full schede on your program guide or watch online any time at c-span.org/history. ♪♪ weekends on c-span2 are an intellectual feast. every saturday american history tv documents america's story and on sunday, book tv brings you the latest in nonfiction books and authors. funding for c-span2 comes from these television companies and more. including comcast. >> comcast is partnering to enable wi-fi are in —-dash wi-fi enabled list.