Earlierthis week, I finished reading Donald Rumsfeld’s wonderful biography of GeraldFord, titled ”When the Center Held.” It was written in 2018. The bookclearlyarticulates that President Ford was a thoroughly good man, aspecial American, and a greatly underrated President. HOWEVER, there was astory in the book that was startling.
In 1975, President Ford was left to manage the difficultending of the Vietnam War. As North Vietnam seized on the opportunity to testAmerican resolve following President Nixon’s resignation.
PresidentFord went to Congress to ask for a relief package to push backon the North Vietnamese to allow American personnel and our allies to evacuate.However, there was one US Senator who opposed any such support. Theresult was the embarrassing and hurried evacuation from the roof of theAmerican embassy in Saigon. This senator reviled in the embarrassment and dideverything he could to leverage it politically against Ford.
Despite the efforts of this U.S .Senator--President Fordmanaged to rescue 1,500 South Vietnamese allies prior to the country’s fall.Had President Ford not acted quickly, these people would havebeen targeted and slaughtered for their support for America. Saving themwas a moral obligation.
When they arrived in America, President Ford askedCongress for a package to assist these refugees integrate into Americansociety. But that troublesome US Senator showed up again and torpedoed anysupport for these shell shocked refugees. Instead, President Ford had torecruit Christian organizations to offer assistance on a voluntary basis. As hedid so, the aforementioned Senator belittled those efforts.
What kind of person would oppose President Ford’stireless work to do the right and humanitarian thing? Who would want to playpolitics with the well-being of innocent people who stood by America in thetragic Vietnam War?
ThatUS Senator? Joe Biden.
