When the center held : Gerald Ford and the rescue of the American presidency
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-309) and index.

"In the wake of the Watergate scandal, the United States was coming apart. America had experienced a decade of tragic assassinations, followed by the unexpected resignation of first a Vice President and then a President of the United States. A new and dangerous cynicism swept the country--a mood that, in some ways, lingers today. Into that divide stepped an unexpected, unelected, and largely unknown American--Gerald R. Ford. Before taking office as the nation's 38th President, he had never appeared on any ballot, either for the presidency or the vice presidency. He had issued no policy statements. He had never even run for national office. Yet he was suddenly thrust into a chaotic environment in which our future as a functioning democracy was being seriously tested in an unprecedented fashion. Gerald Ford performed his duty to the best of his considerable ability. By the end of his 895 days as President, he had in fact restored balance to our country, steadied the ship of state, and led his fellow Americans out of the national trauma of Watergate. And yet, Gerald Ford remains one of the least studied and least understood individuals to have held the office of President. In turn, his legacy of stability, integrity, and steadfast leadership remains gravely underappreciated. In [this book], Ford's Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld seeks to correct this injustice. He candidly shares his personal observations of the President, his team, and his times, providing a sweeping review of those crucial years as well as insights into other historic figures of the day, such as Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Alan Greenspan, Nelson Rockefeller, and Betty Ford. It is a rare and fascinating look behind the closed doors of the Oval Office, including never-before-seen photos and contemporaneous memos and documents from a unique insider's perspective--essential reading for any student of presidential history. When the Center Held is a revealing political memoir about one of the country's most divisive times, revealing Ford as an honest, compassionate, intelligent, morally sound leader whom the country desperately needed to guide it through tumultuous times. America's "long national nightmare" was indeed over, thanks in no small measure to the man at the center."--Dust jacket.