Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the only president of the United States not elected president or vice president, has died at the age of 93.Ford, a Republican, is seen here, while serving as House Minority Leader in 1973. He became vice president in Oct. 1973, upon the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew who was indicted in a bribery scandal. When Richard M. Nixon resigned Aug. 9, 1974, during the Watergate scandal, Ford was sworn in as the 38th president.
“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over,“ Ford said, in his speech, after being sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger.
He is seen here, upper right of the group of senators and congressmen escorting Nixon to his second inauguration Jan. 20, 1973. Ford was best known for having pardoned Nixon.
He was elected 12 times as a congressman from Michigan’s 5th District -- Grand Rapids, first in 1948, with more than 60 percent of the vote; the lowest percentage of his long career.
During his 895-day term, the Vietnam war ended in an American defeat and two women attempted to assassinate him in a period of 17 days, both in California.
He ran for reelection and was defeated by former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter.
Ford had a New Mexico connection; his daughter, Susan Ford Bales, is a Corrales resident.
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