When the Center Held
Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the American Presidency
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- USD 15.99
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- USD 15.99
Descripción editorial
“A personal look behind the scenes” (Publishers Weekly) of the presidency of Gerald Ford as seen through the eyes of Donald Rumsfeld—New York Times bestselling author and Ford’s former Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff, and longtime personal confidant.
In the wake of Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, it seemed the United States was coming apart. America had experienced a decade of horrifying assassinations; the unprecedented resignation of first a vice president and then a president of the United States; intense cultural and social change; and a new mood of cynicism sweeping the country—a mood that, in some ways, lingers today.
Into that divided atmosphere stepped an unexpected, unelected, and largely unknown American—Gerald R. Ford. In contrast to every other individual who had ever occupied the Oval Office, he had never appeared on any ballot either for the presidency or the vice presidency. Ford simply and humbly performed his duty to the best of his considerable ability. By the end of his 895 days as president, he would in fact have restored balance to our country, steadied the ship of state, and led his fellow Americans out of the national trauma of Watergate. And yet, Gerald Ford remains one of the least studied and least understood individuals to have held the office of the President of the United States. In turn, his legacy also remains severely underappreciated.
In When the Center Held, Ford’s Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld candidly shares his personal observations of the man himself, providing a sweeping examination of his crucial years in office. It is a rare and fascinating look behind the closed doors of the Oval Office, including never-before-seen photos, memos, and anecdotes, from a unique insider’s perspective—“engrossing and informative” (Kirkus Reviews) reading for any fan of presidential history.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Rumsfeld, who served as President Ford's chief of staff and defense secretary, provides a personal look behind the scenes of his close friend's short presidency, including Ford's controversial decision to pardon Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate cover-up and his fight against Ronald Reagan for the 1976 Republican nomination. Rumsfeld, who was a congressional staffer when he first met Ford in 1958, argues that Ford the only person to lead the U.S. who was not elected either president or vice president brought the country back from "the brink of civil and political collapse." He buttresses his case with his review of the public's distrust of government following the revelations of Nixon's involvement in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. Despite Rumsfeld's acknowledged bias, he does not shy away from chronicling Ford's missteps, such as the misguided WIN (Whip Inflation Now) campaign launched in 1974 in response to a worsening economy, or the flaws of the Ford White House, such as organizational and communication deficits. While other writers with more distance may offer a more nuanced take, Rumsfeld provides a useful introduction to a brief but consequential presidency.
