The unlikely bond between Mr. Carter and Mr. Ford is a rare story in the history of the American presidency and all the more unimaginable in today's polarized environment, but it transcended politics and partisanship.
Friends who commiserate on the phone over shared struggles. Friends whose wives and children become close. Friends who see a like-minded soul.
They crisscrossed the country for months, warning voters that the other one should not be trusted with power. Their campaign was as bitter as any of the era.
While he did not survive to honor his successor in person, Mr. Ford left behind a written eulogy before he died and it will be read at Mr. Carter's service.
Collection
[
|
...
]