Kennedy. He later co-authored the book, Portrait of an Assassin (1965), which documented the Commission’s conclusions.

Ford was a loyal supporter of Richard Nixon. In 1973, Spiro Agnew resigned the office of vice president. President Nixon, authorized by the 25th Amendment, appointed Ford to the post. Ford served as vice president for nine months, until Nixon was forced to withdraw from office following the Watergate scandal. In August 1974, Ford took the oath of office as president of the United States. In the first few weeks of his administration, Ford granted a full pardon to Nixon, which shielded him from criminal charges. The public was outraged at the decision and began to question Ford’s qualifications. The Ford administration faced a discouraged nation that was overwhelmed by Vietnam, unemployment, inflation and energy shortages. In his attempts to reestablish credibility, Ford only further isolated the American public. In September of 1975, he became the target of two assassination attempts by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme and Sara Jane Moore. In 1976, Ford ran for election alongside running mate Senator Bob Dole. Ford was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter. After leaving office, the former president set up residence in California with his wife, Betty, and their four children. Ford continues to remain active in the political process. In August of 1999, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom in recognition of his contributions during the tumultuous aftermath of Watergate and Vietnam.

During the 2000 Republican National Convention, held in August 2000 in Philadelphia, Ford was hospitalized after suffering two small strokes. Doctors expected him to recover without any serious permanent damage. .