Why Ford Pardoned Nixon

Why did the late President Gerald Ford pardon Dick Nixon? Was it for the good of the country?

Despite Nixon’s opinion, Ford told The Washington Post last year that his long personal friendship with Nixon played a role in his decision to issue the pardon for Watergate wrongdoing.

“I looked upon him as my personal friend. And I always treasured our relationship. And I had no hesitancy about granting the pardon, because I felt that we had this relationship and that I didn’t want to see my real friend have the stigma,” Ford told Post reporter Bob Woodward.

Awwww… the magic of friendship. That, folks, is why George W. Bush and the gang have no shame. Ford set a precedent – the president won’t be held accountable for any crimes he commits in office. We’re talking about war criminals – and while we’re at it, how is breaking the law on wiretapping any different from breaking into the Watergate hotel? They’re listening in on Americans talking domestically to other Americans, and no one has the power to review whether they’re listening to terror suspects or just political opponents – we’re supposed to just trust their judgement. Cheney would pardon Bush, Bush would pardon Cheney – even if we managed to get either of them out of office, they will never pay for their crimes.

Ford may have been the least awful Republican president sinced Eisenhower, but his pardon reinforced the concept of the “unitary executive”, AKA President-as-Emperor. Any student of history knows that hubris is the death of every empire.