Evidently the pardon was not for our healing…
“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 said in the interview.
That acknowledgment represents a significant shift from Ford’s previous portrayals of the pardon that absolved Nixon of any Watergate-related crimes. In earlier statements, Ford had emphasized the decision as an effort to move the country beyond the partisan divisions of the Watergate era, playing down the personal dimension.
Woodward’s article in WaPo has more on the long friendship between Nixon and Ford
Admittedly, pardoning Nixon took the possibility of a painful investigative process away. In the short term, this my have made it “nicer” on the country and kept us from displaying our dirty laundry in public.
But I can’t help but wonder, how much of the current Shrub fiasco could have been avoided if things were investigated back then?
Let’s face it, the basic argument of Shrub is the same one Nixon used – if the president does it, it isn’t illegal. And Nixon got away with it. Nixon’s cadre (such as Ollie North) just got a slap on the wrist. To use a very strong argument among conservatives, if there isn’t a penalty, then folks will do it again.
Of course, Saddam is about to be executed for actions he did as president (by definition, not illegal). Of course, the argument that the president is above the law is the root of dictatorship.
I was pissed when Tricky Dick’s pardon was given. Should’a, could’a. It makes little difference to either of them now since Nixon and Ford are both now dead, but I still feel strongly that Justice was truly not served.
But it was probably the right decision.
It will also be the right thing for President Obama to pardon Bush. 😉
And then have Bush report to The Hague.