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Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients, President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford
Former President Gerald Ford holds up his wife Betty's hand during day two of the Republican National
Convention held in Philadelphia Tuesday August 1, 2000. Photo by Sean Kardon/Sipa Press
Fords receive congressional gold medal
October 27, 1999
Web posted at: 5:50 p.m. EDT (2150 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Fifty-one years after being sworn in as a congressman, Former President Gerald R. Ford and his wife Betty Ford were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday for helping heal "a nation in torment."
The medal is the highest honor Congress can bestow on an American citizen. Ford became the 38th president when former president Richard Nixon resigned due to the Watergate scandal. Ford inherited a country still driven by the fallout of the Vietnam War and the trauma of the Watergate scandal.
Ford downplayed his role, both as president and as a long-time congressman from Michigan.
"I feel good that I had a small part, both in the legislative branch and in the White House, in providing that freedom and liberty would prevail against communism and Marxism," he said.
Ford took the oath of office as president August 9, 1974, saying that "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."
Before becoming president, he served from January 3, 1949 to December 6, 1973 in the House, re-elected twelve times, each time with more than 60 percent of the vote being appointed vice president by Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew, who resigned.
Speaker after speaker at the ceremony in the Capital Rotunda said that Ford, in the 2 1/2 years he was in the White House, helped heal the nation's wounds after Vietnam and Watergate.
Rep. Vernon Ehlers, the Michigan Republican who currently occupies which he called the "Jerry Ford seat" -- said Ford had a "well-earned reputation for personal integrity and principled leadership."
"You and Mrs. Ford healed a nation in torment," he said.
All the speakers noted that Mrs. Ford made many contributions to America, included her well-publicized battles with substance abuse and breast cancer, successfully battling both diseases.
House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt said doctors speak of the "Betty Ford effect," a surge in diagnosed cancers after Mrs. Ford spoke out about her battle with breast cancer and urged women to have yearly mammograms and seek out early treatment of the disease.
"Her courage was not only inspiration to women struggling with the disease, it saved the lives of countless women who would have never received the care they need had she remained silent and not led on this important issue." he said.
President Bill Clinton said Ford made many tough and controversial decisions during his administration and were criticized by people, like himself, who were caught up in the moment.
"You didn't get caught up in the moment and you were right. You were right for the controversial decisions you made the keep the country together and I thank you for that," he said to much applause.
Several speakers noted Ford's push for civility in public life and in his remarks, Ford reminded the audience of that.
"Some people equate civility with weakness and compromise with surrender. I strongly disagree," he said.
Gephardt said when he arrived in the House of Representatives clearly bore the mark of Ford's leadership where Republicans and Democrats worked together and where politics stopped at the water's edge "That legacy needs to be revived," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said Ford encouraged him to run for Congress when he was a young staff member for a Mississippi congressman who was retiring and gave him his first campaign contribution.
"Thank you, Mr. President, for what trouble you've gotten me into over all these years," Lott said to much laughter.
Lott and Gephardt both recalled Ford's first speech to the nation after he assumed the presidency in which he told Americans that he was "just a Ford, not a Lincoln."
"Well, he wasn't a Lincoln, but he was a Ford and he was just what America needed at that moment in our history. We're indebted to President Ford," Lott said. Ford took the oath of office as president August 9, 1974, stating that "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."
Barbara Walters interview with President Gerald Ford and Mrs. Betty Ford. December 4, 1976. Betty Ford - Awards and Honors Received
Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities Award - 1978
Scopus Award - Friends of Hebrew University - 1981
Hubert Humphrey Inspirational Award - The American Cancer Society - 1982
Komen Foundation Award - The Susan G. Komen Foundation - 1983 (this award, given for support of breast cancer research and education is now called the Betty Ford Award)
Harding Award - National Arthritis Foundation - 1984 (the highest award from the Foundation for volunteer services)
Commitment to Life Award - AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) - 1985
Gold Key Award - National Council on Alcoholism - 1986
Freedom of Human Spirit Award - International Center for the Disabled - 1987
McGovern Distinguished Leadership Award - College of Communication at the University of Texas - 1988
Citation of Layman for Distinguished Service - American Medical Association - 1989
Hall of Fame Award - International Women's Forum - 1991
Presidential Medal of Freedom - awarded by President Bush - 1991
National Samaritan Award - The Samaritan Institute, Denver, CO - 1995
Breast Cancer Awareness Lifetime Achievement Award - Columbia Hospital for Women, Washington, D.C. - 1995
Distinguished Service Award from the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, New York City (presented in Los Angeles) - 1995
Awardee - Bob Hope Classic Ball, Rancho Mirage, CA - 1996
American Health for Women, Women's Health Heo Award - 1997
American Institute for Public Service, Jefferson Award - 1997
The Michigan Women's Foundation, Women of Achievement & Courage - 1997
Women's International Center, Living Legacy Award - 1998
Common Wealth Award for Public Service - 1998
Ronald McDonald House Charities Award of Excellence - 1998
American Hospital Association, C. Everett Koop Health Award - 1999
Congressional Gold Medal - 1999
OTHER HONORS INCLUDE:
The Betty Ford Cancer Research Center at Cedars Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, CA - 1978
The Betty Ford Center for Comprehensive Breast Diagnosis at Columbia Hospital for Women, Washington, D.C. - 1980
The Betty Ford Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening at Blodgett Memorial Medical Center, Grand Rapids, MI - 1987
The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado - 1989
President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford are also recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal
Gerald Ford Museum
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Medal History
