The President

I had heard about this book from someone interviewed on CSPAN after President Ford had passed away. The book itself is as much about the process that is being President of the United States. People may change, but interestingly enough, issues remain the same, as does the decision making process. John Hersey was given the opportunity to follow President Ford's daily routine... with some exceptions, i.e. conversations with Henry Kissinger.... and what we see is a President trying to deal with the after effects of Watergate, trying to address issues that come across his desk, all the while in a very suspicious environment in DC.... sound familiar? What struck me is how little time the President actually has to decide, delegate then execute on whatever the issue is. As he is doing this, he has to consider the political ramifications. Aside from a few references, there is no real discussion of President Nixon's pardon. What we do see is a President trying to position himself in debates like high gas prices, minimum wage hikes, Cambodian funding, windfall profits, and the US economy. Of course, many in the cast of characters are household names... Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Alan Greenspan to name a few. Hersey also covers not so momentous occasions as meeting such dignataries as Ms. American, Actor Richard Falk, and the barbershop quartet, The Winning Hand. We also get a glimpse into his exercise routine, his standard lunch (Cottage Cheese cover in A-1 Steak Sauce), and his close marraige to Betty Ford. Finally, at the end, when Hersey gets a chance to sit down with the President and ask him a series of questions, there is this nugget - When asked what he would like to be remembered for as President, he replied - ..if I can be remembered for restoring public confidence in the Presidency, for handling all these transitional problems responsibly and effectively, for acheiving decent results domestically as well as internationally, regardless of how long I serve, whether it's two and a half years or six and a half years, I think thats what I'd like on my tombstone.... Anyhow, a nice little read for someone looking for insight into the Ford presidency. It tells well of the man, despite Hersey concerns about the Presidents politics, and certainly gives a good glimpse of one of the most complex jobs in the world.