It’s The Party Night Of The Year!

Oh, yes. First I have to rent a tuxedo, then I need to buy flowers! So much to do before Ford’s funeral! Oooh, girl, what are you gonna wear?

Nation prepares for Ford’s funeral [AP/Camden Courier-Post]

Reason #29 To Love Philadelphia: Frank Rizzo (Either)

After Tuesday’s passing of former president Gerald Ford, the local press jumped up and interviewed anyone who may have had a connection to his short presidency.

One of those who did was City Councilman Frank Rizzo, whose dad was mayor from 1972 - 1980. Rizzo addresses his father’s relationship with both Ford and Richard Nixon:

“My father had a great relationship with the President Nixon and the Vice President Ford and they were very good to Philadelphia.”

Only in Philadelphia could you ask a politician his father’s relationship with someone, and he’d go, “Yeah, yeah, he was good buddies with him. But Nixon! Oh man, he was even closer to Nixon!” I wonder if something like this will happen when Tom Delay dies.

The Region Remembers President Gerald Ford [CBS 3]

Americans Deprived Of Exciting Carter-Ford Debate In Typical Philadelphia Turn Of Events

Now that President Ford has passed away, KYW 1060 reminds us of the famous Gerald Ford-Jimmy Carter debate held at the Walnut Street Theater. In the debate — at least according to Wikipedia — Ford cost himself the presidency by saying Eastern Europe was not under domination of the Soviet Union.

Of course, since the debate took place in Philly, it also featured a bit of a glitch. At the end of the broadcast, moderator Edwin Newman apologized:

Ahh - we much regret the technical failure that caused a twenty-eight-minute delay in the broadcast of the debate.

But, really, who needs full coverage of a debate?

Remembering the Ford-Carter Debate in Philadelphia [KYW 1060]
Earlier: Only The Good Presidents Die Young

Only The Good Presidents Die Young

Former President Gerald Ford died yesterday at 93. The only president to not be elected prez or veep, Ford was also known as the guy who pissed off hippies by pardoning Nixon and the guy who pissed off Vietnam War supporters (both of them) by pardoning draft dodgers.

Despite his death, Ford was the second story on the cover of the Daily News. That’s okay, though, as all former presidents are honored with 30 days of flags at half-staff, according to U.S. Flag Code. (Even Nixon!)

He was good enough as a center at Michigan in college to be offered contracts by several NFL teams; however, he turned these down for a far less important career in politics.

And, uh, we’ll always remember the time he visited Villanova! Or, really, not.

‘True gentleman,’ ex-President Ford dies at 93 [CNN.com]