Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. Quotes
-
I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your President by your ballots, so I ask you to confirm me with your prayers.
-
Never be satisfied with less than your very best effort. If you strive for the top and miss, you'll still 'beat the pack.'
-
There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe.
-
So much of what passes for public life consists of little more than candidates without ideas, hiring consultants without conviction, to stage campaigns without content. The result, increasingly, is elections without voters.
-
In the firm belief that the American public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Force, I strongly recommend that there be a committee investigation of the UFO phenomena. I think we owe it to the people to establish credibility regarding UFOs, and to produce the greatest possible enlightenment of the subject.
-
Obviously, it's a great privilege and pleasure to be here at the Yale Law School Sesquicentennial Convocation. And I defy anyone to say that and chew gum at the same time.
-
In the age-old contest between popularity and principle, only those willing to lose for their convictions are deserving of posterity's approval.
-
Our Nation has a diverse and extremely rich cultural heritage. It is a source of pride and strength to millions of Americans who look to the arts for inspiration, communication and the opportunity for creative self-expression.
-
The American dream does not come to those who fall asleep.
-
The political lesson of Watergate is this: Never again must America allow an arrogant, elite guard of political adolescents to by-pass the regular party organization and dictate the terms of a national election.
-
It feels like getting a back massage from the Grim Reaper: one must get comfortable with the most horrifying things in the world.
-
There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration.... The United States does notconcede that those countries are under the domination of the Soviet Union.
-
To me, the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency were not prizes to be won, but a duty to be done.
-
The veto is a President's Constitutional right, given to him by the drafters of the Constitution because they wanted it as a checkagainst irresponsible Congressional action. The veto forces Congress to take another look at legislation that has been passed. I think this is a responsible tool for a president of the United States, and I have sought to use it responsibly.
-
He was one of the few political leaders I have ever met whose public speeches revealed more than his private conversations. (On Ronald Reagan)
-
The harder you work, the luckier you are, and I worked like hell.
-
Ronald Regan doesn't dye his hair - he's just prematurely orange.
-
Let us put an end to self-inflicted wounds. Let us remember that our national unity is a most priceless asset. Let us deny our adversaries the satisfaction of using Vietnam to pit Americans against Americans.
-
Truth is the glue that holds government together.
-
The power and diversity of the Armed Forces, active Guard and Reserve, the resolve of our fellow citizens, the flexibility in our command to navigate international waters that remain troubled are all essential to our security.
-
My commitment to the security and future of Israel is based upon basic morality as well as enlightened self-interest. Our role in supporting Israel honors our own heritage.
-
I was dumbfounded by the stupidity of the Watergate break-in.
-
It is good to be back in the Peoples House. But this cannot be a real homecoming. Under the Constitution, I now belong to the executive branch. The Supreme Court has even ruled that I am the executive branchhead, heart, and hand.
-
I am committed to furthering the self-determination of Indian communities but without terminating the special relationship between the Federal Government and the Indian people. I am strongly opposed to termination. Self-determination means that you can decide the nature of your tribe's relationship with the Federal Government within the framework of the Self-Determination Act, which I signed in January of 1975.