Ann Arbor – Gerald R. Ford Library

Tuesday, April 16, 2002

Thank you, President White.

President Arias, welcome to Michigan. An especially enthusiastic welcome since you come bearing a great gift to Michigan – Costa Rican weather in April.

President Ford, welcome back to the University of Michigan. Rumor has it there is a campaign afoot to bring you out of retirement and make you President of the University. You’d have my vote – so long as you promise not to coach the football team.

Dean Blank, regents, and friends: It is good to see you all again, especially on this august occasion. My having the opportunity to share this podium with President Arias and President Ford brings to mind a story from the early days of our Republic. In 1785, Thomas Jefferson arrived in Paris to represent the U.S. government. He presented himself to the French minister of foreign affairs. "You replace Monsieur Franklin?" the foreign minister asked. "No," said Jefferson. "No one can replace Benjamin Franklin. I merely succeed him."

I merely precede two highly distinguished men, both of whom have been compelling instruments of peace – President Arias for the "Peace Plan" he drew up in 1987 to end the fighting in Central America; and President Ford for the calm he restored to our deeply divided nation in the mid 1970s. Their perseverance proved the cynics and naysayers wrong. We certainly need their wisdom today – especially in places like the West Bank.

I am told by Dennis Daellenbach, director of the Ford Library and Museum, that the public’s interest in President Ford has clearly and unmistakably grown since September 11^th. Interest has also grown because of increasing recognition of the achievements of the Ford administration. The museum in Grand Rapids is expanding, and more U of M students are enrolling in the course on the Ford presidency.

Allow me briefly to venture 3 characteristics of President Ford that offer valuable lessons in leadership.

First, President Ford has an attribute that is absolutely indispensable in public service: courage. Last year he received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, primarily for pardoning President Nixon when he knew it would cost him many votes. He puts doing the right thing ahead of personal gain.

Second, President Ford has an awesome talent for picking good people who make an enduring impact. Consider Ford’s staff and see if these names don’t sound familiar today:

• Dick Cheney – chief of staff;
• Don Rumsfeld – secretary of defense;
• Allan Greenspan – the top economic advisor;
• Paul O’Neill – deputy director of OMB;
• Brent Scowcroft – national security advisor.

The ability to surround yourself with that kind of talent is a sure mark of leadership, and President Ford has it in spades.

Third, President Ford has a keen instinct for the origins, the roots, of American greatness. At the Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, the first thing most people go see is the exact replica of the Oval Office reconstructed there. It looks exactly as it did when our 38^th President occupied it. And what do they find? Among other things, a picture of George Washington. Scenes of the first White House. A porcelain figurine of George Washington on horseback when he was commander of the Continental Army. These objects reminded President Ford of the precedents set by the Father of Our Country.

It is no exaggeration to say that President Ford revered the Office of the President. For him it was more important than the person occupying it. That was the view of George Washington, too, which is why our first president didn’t run for a third term. Washington presided over a peaceful, bloodless transfer of power in Philadelphia in 1797. Ford was also part of a momentous and peaceful transfer of power, in August 1974 when his predecessor resigned.

These are worthy things in the life of a man, of a president, and of a nation. Mr. President, you make us proud.

And I am honored, once again, to welcome you back to Michigan.