Nixon & Ford

I have to say up front that I have a special relationship with Richard Nixon. We share a birthday. He's also the first President I remember. Telling my age just a bit, what I first remember about President Nixon was that the evening news would NOT shut up about something called Watergate. Why do they keep only talking about that, I begged my parents.

Mom and Dad were wise. "The President told a lie, then told some more lies to cover up the first one. See why we tell you not to tell lies?"

You can spend days arguing with me about what my parents told me, but it's the truth. Honesty is the best policy. Add or subtract all the political intrigue you want, but to a young child this was just the right answer. Even presidents can get into trouble if they lie. No matter how high you climb, you can always be knocked down. No matter how smart you think you are, there is always someone smarter. Skeletons in the closet always come to light. Dirt will eventually be dished.

Concentrate on being the most honest, best person you can be and you will be all right most of the time. Once again this falls back to my summation of What Jesus Said: stay busy being good and you don't have time to be bad.

The American news industry tells us "what really happened", as they see it. With great glee they told me what a terrible man Richard Nixon was for telling lies. I've never forgotten this point: Don't tell lies. Now, I'm sure you will pardon me when I don't feel very forgiving when I discover that some news personality told a lie. Weren't you supposed to know better? Don't we have the marvelous example of "what can happen to even a president" to supposedly have learned from? What the heck were you learning in journalism school anyway?

Since President Nixon was the first president I recall, of course it follows that President Ford was the second president of my experience.

I remember Bob Hope's jokes about President Ford's golf game. I also remember watching video of President Ford stumbling down the steps of Air Force One. We were supposed to believe this quiet, firm, honest man was a bumbling fool that couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time. I was shocked that anyone would want to kill him, let alone have two women try to shoot him. When we heard how the would-be assassin pulled the trigger and nothing happened, my mother turned to us and said, "God doesn't want that man to die. It's not his time." I guess Mom was right. I wonder if Gerald Ford is playing golf in Heaven with Bob Hope yet.

Remind me some other time to talk more about Heaven. I've got a few weird dreams to pass along if you are interested. I'll just say for now, some dreams are real.