--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gerald R. Ford was a decent and honorable…" description: "\"Gerald R. Ford was a decent and honorable man. Under his steady hand, the nation began the process of recovering from the terrible trauma of Watergate ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/richard-ben-veniste-23923_agencies_gerald-r-ford-was-a-decent-and-honorable_2855022.jpg" --- # Gerald R. Ford was a decent and honorable man. Under his… ![“Gerald R. Ford was a decent and honorable man. Under his steady hand, the nation began the process of recovering from the terrible trauma of Watergate - the lies, distortions, cover-ups, misuses of federal agencies to exact political revenge, illegal wiretapping, burglaries.” quote by Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/richard-ben-veniste-23923_agencies_gerald-r-ford-was-a-decent-and-honorable_2855022.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/richard-ben-veniste-23923_agencies_gerald-r-ford-was-a-decent-and-honorable_2855022.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/richard-ben-veniste-23923_agencies_gerald-r-ford-was-a-decent-and-honorable_2855022.jpg) > “Gerald R. Ford was a decent and honorable man. Under his steady hand, the nation began the process of recovering from the terrible trauma of Watergate - the lies, distortions, cover-ups, misuses of federal agencies to exact political revenge, illegal wiretapping, burglaries.” [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ford’s steady leadership helped the nation heal from Watergate’s damage. **In simple terms:** Steady leadership aids national recovery. Key Takeaway Support stable governance. Themes leadership recovery integrity Mood analytical serious Type historical political When to use this quote - government reform - crisis management - public policy - historical analysis Key Concepts political stability public trust Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions prevent future abuses? - What role does public vigilance play? A Different Perspective Recovery also required systemic reforms beyond leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agencies/) [Began](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/began/) [Decent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent/) [Exact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exact/) [Federal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal/) [Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ford/) [Gerald ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gerald-ford/) [Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Honorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honorable/) [Honorable man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honorable-man/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Recovering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovering/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) [Steady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steady/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) [Trauma Watergate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma-watergate-3820283/) [Watergate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate/) [Watergate Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate-lies-3820284/) ## Related quotes > [In Gerald Ford, the man he was in public, he was also that man in private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/in-gerald-ford-the-man-he-was-in-public-he-was-also-that-man-in/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [ I went to my first national convention in 1976, when my family supported \[Ronald\] Reagan over \[Gerald\] Ford, so we've always been Republicans, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-went-to-my-first-national-convention-in-1976-when-my-family/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I don't remember a big fight between the Republicans and Democrats in the Nixon administration or President Gerald Ford and so on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/i-don-t-remember-a-big-fight-between-the-republicans-and-democrats-in/) [Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/) > [US President Gerald Ford's golf was so bad we thought he was a 'Hitman for the PGA!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/us-president-gerald-ford-s-golf-was-so-bad-we-thought-he-was-a-hitman/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [ We want accountability. We just buried a president \[President Gerald Ford\] who did not hold another president \[President Nixon\] accountable for war crimes and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/we-want-accountability-we-just-buried-a-president-president-gerald/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [In the last 100 years only Presidents George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford lost their bids for reelection. President Lyndon Johnson did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/in-the-last-100-years-only-presidents-george-h-w-bush-jimmy-carter/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [My telephone calls and meetings and decisions were now parts of a prescribed ritual aimed at making peace with the past; his calls, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/my-telephone-calls-and-meetings-and-decisions-were-now-parts-of-a/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I met Gerald Ford. I met Richard Nixon. I met Jimmy Carter. I met Dwight Eisenhower when he was a general. George Bush senior.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-met-gerald-ford-i-met-richard-nixon-i-met-jimmy-carter-i-met-dwight/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [ “He’s \[Gerald Ford\] a nice guy but he played too much football with his helmet off.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/he-s-gerald-ford-a-nice-guy-but-he-played-too-much-football-with-his/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I'm concerned about the negative aspect of political campaigning in american nation, which is a new phenomenon. When I ran for president against Gerald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-m-concerned-about-the-negative-aspect-of-political-campaigning-in/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I had a lot of fun bantering back and forth with Kennedy. But for ease and comfort, it would be Gerald Ford. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-had-a-lot-of-fun-bantering-back-and-forth-with-kennedy-but-for-ease/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [The person I liked the best was Gerald R. Ford. He was the most decent man in politics I ever had any relationships with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/the-person-i-liked-the-best-was-gerald-r-ford-he-was-the-most-decent/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [ The presidents varied in the degree to which they cited the founders. Some, like JFK, LBJ, \[Richard\] Nixon, and \[Bill\] Clinton, cited them somewhat… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-presidents-varied-in-the-degree-to-which-they-cited-the-founders/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Now, therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/now-therefore-i-gerald-r-ford-president-of-the-united-states-pursuant/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [ I was born in 1970 and I got to see a little bit of \[Richard\] Nixon's attempts at redefining himself. I saw \[Gerald\] Ford. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mandel/i-was-born-in-1970-and-i-got-to-see-a-little-bit-of-richard-nixon-s/) [David Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mandel/) ## More by Richard Ben-Veniste > [With respect to the FBI, they had problems communicating in a vertical way, within the FBI itself, so that information of importance could get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/with-respect-to-the-fbi-they-had-problems-communicating-in-a-vertical/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [We've had public hearings. We've had interim reports, which our statute has encouraged us to provide to the public. We have brought the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/we-ve-had-public-hearings-we-ve-had-interim-reports-which-our-statute/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [In an age when many of our citizens casually reveal information about themselves in social media wildly beyond anything imaginable only a decade ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/in-an-age-when-many-of-our-citizens-casually-reveal-information-about/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [At bottom, the decision to pardon Nixon was a political judgment properly within the bounds of Ford's constitutional authority. The specter of a former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/at-bottom-the-decision-to-pardon-nixon-was-a-political-judgment/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [Without the tape-recorded evidence demonstrating irrefutably, in Nixon's own voice, his knowledge of and active involvement in obstruction of justice, it is likely that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/without-the-tape-recorded-evidence-demonstrating-irrefutably-in-nixon/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [Only the last two planes, I think, had any shot of being intercepted and taken down on 9/11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/only-the-last-two-planes-i-think-had-any-shot-of-being-intercepted/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [We've got a daunting enough task to provide a definitive account of what happened in 9/11, without fear or favor, something that will last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/we-ve-got-a-daunting-enough-task-to-provide-a-definitive-account-of/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [Well, our concern has to do with the period prior to 9/11, up to and including the catastrophe that occurred. And thank goodness, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/well-our-concern-has-to-do-with-the-period-prior-to-9-11-up-to-and/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [When Richard M. Nixon resigned and Ford became the 38th president of the United States, the Watergate Special Prosecutor's Office, of which I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/when-richard-m-nixon-resigned-and-ford-became-the-38th-president-of/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [No connection between Iraq and the 9/11 catastrophe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/no-connection-between-iraq-and-the-9-11-catastrophe/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [You can assert a fifth amendment privilege and not testify. But if you go in and swear to tell the truth, then you better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/you-can-assert-a-fifth-amendment-privilege-and-not-testify-but-if-you/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [I like Harvey Keitel. I liked him in Mean Streets. Im a fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/i-like-harvey-keitel-i-liked-him-in-mean-streets-im-a-fan/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [Were there contacts over time between Iraq and al-Qaeda? Yes, there were efforts made to communicate. We found no evidence of collaboration in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/were-there-contacts-over-time-between-iraq-and-al-qaeda-yes-there/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [But as I said to Dr. Rice following her testimony, and I think she appreciated it, we had our job to do and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/but-as-i-said-to-dr-rice-following-her-testimony-and-i-think-she/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) > [Well, our statute provides us with authority to conduct a very broad inquiry basically to provide an investigation of 9/11 that's thorough, complete and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ben-veniste/well-our-statute-provides-us-with-authority-to-conduct-a-very-broad/) [Richard Ben-Veniste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) [Explore all 25 Richard Ben-Veniste quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ben-veniste/) ## More Agencies quotes > [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [Our covering ministry is Challenge for Christ ministries, and Travel the Road was solely our mission arm, designed to expose people to what missions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/our-covering-ministry-is-challenge-for-christ-ministries-and-travel/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [When I first went to visit different agencies in New York, a lot of them were like, 'You have to lose a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-hadid/when-i-first-went-to-visit-different-agencies-in-new-york-a-lot-of/) [Gigi Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gigi-hadid/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [The intelligence investigation under the leadership of Senator Church, which I know has helped cause this investigation by you, points out that the agencies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sherman-cooper/the-intelligence-investigation-under-the-leadership-of-senator-church/) [John Sherman Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sherman-cooper/) > [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Visit USA.gov and you'll find thousands of directorates, agencies, boards, offices, and services replete with overlapping responsibilities, ancient priorities, and divided accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/visit-usa-gov-and-you-ll-find-thousands-of-directorates-agencies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/when-comics-came-along-in-the-1930s-there-was-a-talent-pool-waiting/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [With respect to sticking accelerator pedals, we failed to connect the dots between problems in Europe and problems in the United States because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-toyoda/with-respect-to-sticking-accelerator-pedals-we-failed-to-connect-the/) [Akio Toyoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-toyoda/) > [Debt, we've learned, is the match that lights the fire of every crisis. Every crisis has its own set of villains - pick your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/debt-we-ve-learned-is-the-match-that-lights-the-fire-of-every-crisis/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [Part of my job is to advocate on my constituents' behalf to federal agencies who aren't always responsive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-horsford/part-of-my-job-is-to-advocate-on-my-constituents-behalf-to-federal/) [Steven Horsford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-horsford/) > [The Federal Reserve, the Treasury, all the regulator agencies - if there's a problem of the financial mechanism in society, the only one to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-federal-reserve-the-treasury-all-the-regulator-agencies-if-there/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [The best agencies understood the importance of routines. The worst agencies were headed by people who never thought about it, and then wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/the-best-agencies-understood-the-importance-of-routines-the-worst/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Well, you could take several stories off the buildings of most U.S. government agencies and we'd all probably be better for it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/well-you-could-take-several-stories-off-the-buildings-of-most-u-s/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) [Browse all 97 Agencies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agencies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Gerald R. Ford was a decent and honorable man. 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