An Ordinary Man Quotes

“Yet Harlow hadn’t forgotten Dwight Eisenhower’s view of Congress as “the worst recruiting ground for presidential candidates.” Legislators were taught to value the art of compromise, said Ike, no doubt a useful political skill, but incompatible with the decisiveness required of any executive.”
― Richard Norton Smith, An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford

“The key to [the Ford Administration],” explained Bill Seidman, “was to go back to fundamentals. You deregulate the economy so you fight high inflation with competition. You reduce the government’s take so the private sector can provide growth. And by doing that you can reduce interest rates.”
― Richard Norton Smith, An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford

“A Gallup poll showed Ford leaving office with a 53 percent approval rating.”
― Richard Norton Smith, An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford

“There are no soldiers marching in the streets except in the Inaugural Parade; no public demonstrations except for some of the dancers at the Inaugural Ball; the opposition party doesn’t go underground but goes on functioning vigorously in the Congress and in the country; and our vigilant press goes right on probing and publishing our faults and our follies, confirming the wisdom of the framers of the First Amendment.”
― Richard Norton Smith, An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford

“Fulfilling a White House ambition expressed as early as 1944, Congress authorized a Strategic Petroleum Reserve with up to a billion barrels stockpiled against a national emergency; expanded powers for the executive in the event of another oil embargo; incentives for more environmentally friendly coal production; and tough new efficiency mandates for electrical appliances.”
― Richard Norton Smith, An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford