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165-566: Construction of the Skylon began in May 1964. The tower was opened on October 6, 1965, by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Ontario Premier John Robarts . Costing $ 7 million at the time of its construction, the Skylon Tower was owned by a private partnership called Niagara International Centre, which was financed by Hershey Foods shareholdings of Charles Richard Reese, former co-owner of

330-648: A Long Island Sound bridge from Rye, New York , to Oyster Bay, New York , in 1973 due to environmental opposition. In the area of public assistance the Rockefeller administration carried out the largest state medical care program for the needy in the United States under Medicaid ; achieved the first major decline in New York State's welfare rolls since World War II; required employable welfare recipients to take available jobs or job training; began

495-459: A deficit every year Ford was president. Despite his reservations about how the program ultimately would be funded in an era of tight public budgeting , Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, which established special education throughout the United States. Ford expressed "strong support for full educational opportunities for our handicapped children" according to

660-651: A Grand Rapids law practice with a friend, Philip W. Buchen . Following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor , Ford enlisted in the Navy. He received a commission as ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on April 13, 1942. On April 20, he reported for active duty to the V-5 instructor school at Annapolis, Maryland . After one month of training, he went to Navy Preflight School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina , where he

825-453: A bill in 1965 to abolish the death penalty except in cases involving the murder of police officers. Rockefeller was also a supporter of the " law and order " platform. On September 9, 1971, prisoners at the state penitentiary at Attica, New York, took control of a cell block and seized thirty-nine correctional officers as hostages. After four days of negotiations, Department of Correctional Services Commissioner Russell Oswald agreed to most of

990-705: A grandson of Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller , he was a noted art collector and served as an administrator of the Rockefeller Center in New York City. Rockefeller was often considered to be liberal, progressive, or moderate. In an agreement that was termed the Treaty of Fifth Avenue , he persuaded Richard Nixon to alter the Republican Party platform just before the 1960 Republican National Convention . In his time, liberals in

1155-577: A half years, on February 1, 1917, Gardner married Gerald Rudolff Ford , a salesman in a family-owned paint and varnish company. Though never formally adopted, her young son was referred to as Gerald Rudolff Ford Jr. from then on; the name change , including the anglicized spelling "Rudolph", was formalized on December 3, 1935. He was raised in what is now East Grand Rapids with his three half-brothers from his mother's second marriage: Thomas Gardner "Tom" Ford (1918–1995), Richard Addison "Dick" Ford (1924–2015), and James Francis "Jim" Ford (1927–2001). Ford

1320-454: A history of hitting his mother. In a biography of Ford, James M. Cannon wrote that the separation and divorce of Ford's parents was sparked when, a few days after Ford's birth, Leslie King took a butcher knife and threatened to kill his wife, infant son, and Ford's nursemaid. Ford later told confidants that his father had first hit his mother when she had smiled at another man during their honeymoon. After living with her parents for two and

1485-626: A negotiator and a reconciler, and the record shows it: he did not write a single piece of major legislation in his entire career." Appointed to the House Appropriations Committee two years after being elected, he was a prominent member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee . Ford described his philosophy as "a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a conservative in fiscal policy." He voted in favor of

1650-529: A new minority leader. Three members approached Ford to see if he would be willing to serve; after consulting with his family, he agreed. After a closely contested election, Ford was chosen to replace Charles Halleck of Indiana as minority leader. The members of the Republican caucus that encouraged and eventually endorsed Ford to run as the House minority leader were later known as the " Young Turks ". One of

1815-740: A number of family-related businesses, including Chase National Bank ; Rockefeller Center , Inc., joining the board of directors in 1931, serving as president, 1938–1945 and 1948–1951, and as chairman, 1945–1953 and 1956–1958; and Creole Petroleum Corporation , the Venezuelan subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey , 1935–1940. Rockefeller served as a member of the Westchester County Board of Health from 1933 to 1953. His service with Creole Petroleum led to his deep, lifelong interest in Latin America and he became fluent in

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1980-424: A personally funded part-time consultant, principally on foreign policy issues, until the appointment to his staff became full-time in late 1968. In 1969, when Kissinger entered Richard Nixon 's administration, Rockefeller paid him $ 50,000 as a severance payment. Rockefeller resigned from the federal government in 1956 to focus on New York State and on national politics. From September 1956 to April 1958, he chaired

2145-635: A portion of the text of Burdick v. United States , a 1915 U.S. Supreme Court decision which stated that a pardon indicated a presumption of guilt, and that acceptance of a pardon was tantamount to a confession of that guilt. In 2001, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award to Ford for his pardon of Nixon. In presenting the award to Ford, Senator Edward Kennedy said that he had initially been opposed to

2310-453: A program of voluntary rehabilitation for addicted convicts rather than prison time. This was approved by the legislature but by 1966 it was evident that this program was not working, as most addicts chose short prison terms rather than three years of treatment. Rockefeller then turned to a program of compulsory treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare for three years. While this program saw success in rehabilitating addicts, it did little to reduce

2475-655: A proposal called "open skies" wherein the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR) would exchange blueprints of military installations and agree to mutual aerial reconnaissance. Thus, military buildups would be revealed, and the danger of surprise attacks minimized. It was a counter proposal to the Soviet proposal of universal disarmament. The feeling was that the Soviets could not refuse the proposal if they were serious about disarmament. In March 1955, Rockefeller proposed

2640-526: A resignation. And he said, 'I'm just warning you that you've got to be prepared, that things might change dramatically and you could become President.' And I said, 'Betty, I don't think we're ever going to live in the vice president's house. ' " When Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, Ford automatically assumed the presidency, taking the oath of office in the East Room of the White House. This made him

2805-499: A restoration of confidence in the democratic process and in the integrity of government." Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King Jr. ; July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was the 38th president of the United States , serving from 1974 to 1977. A member of the Republican Party , Ford assumed the presidency after President Richard Nixon resigned, under whom he had served as

2970-484: A scoreless tie in the first half. After the game, assistant coach Bennie Oosterbaan said, "When I walked into the dressing room at halftime, I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of them. Ford and [Cedric] Sweet played their hearts out. They were everywhere on defense." Ford later recalled, "During 25 years in the rough-and-tumble world of politics, I often thought of the experiences before, during, and after that game in 1934. Remembering them has helped me many times to face

3135-573: A study to assess the state of Latin America. Nixon appointed Rockefeller to direct the study. The poor relationship between the two politicians suggested that Nixon would not be that interested in the results of the study. There was a lack of interest for the region in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In April and May 1969, at the request of President Nixon, Rockefeller and a team of 23 advisors visited 20 American republics during four trips to solicit opinions of their inter-American policies and to determine

3300-427: A tough situation, take action, and make every effort possible despite adverse odds." His teammates later voted Ford their most valuable player, with one assistant coach noting, "They felt Jerry was one guy who would stay and fight in a losing cause." During Ford's senior year, a controversy developed when Georgia Tech said that it would not play a scheduled game with Michigan if a Black player named Willis Ward took

3465-553: A two-stage trial for murder cases with punishment determined in the second stage. Rockefeller was a supporter of capital punishment and oversaw 14 executions by electrocution as governor. The last execution, that of Eddie Mays in 1963, remains to date the last execution in New York and was the last execution before Furman v. Georgia in the Northeast. Despite his personal support for capital punishment, Rockefeller signed

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3630-631: A week-long meeting of experts from various disciplines to assess the United States position in the psychological aspects of the Cold War and develop proposals that could give the United States the initiative at the upcoming Summit Conference in Geneva . The meeting was held at the Marine Corps school at Quantico, Virginia , and became known as the Quantico Study. The Quantico panel developed

3795-470: The 1960 Republican Party presidential primaries ended early when then-Vice President Richard Nixon surged ahead in the polls. After quitting the campaign, Rockefeller backed Nixon and concentrated his efforts on introducing more moderate planks into Nixon's platform, partially succeeding in the Treaty of Fifth Avenue . Rockefeller, as the leader of the Republicans' Eastern Establishment , began as

3960-510: The 1976 presidential election , an observation with which Ford agreed. In an editorial at the time, The New York Times stated that the Nixon pardon was a "profoundly unwise, divisive and unjust act" that in a stroke had destroyed the new president's "credibility as a man of judgment, candor and competence". On October 17, 1974, Ford testified before Congress on the pardon. He was the first sitting president since Abraham Lincoln to testify before

4125-518: The 25th Amendment , following Ford himself. Rockefeller did not seek a full term on the 1976 Republican ticket with Ford. He retired from politics in 1977 and died two years later. As a businessman, Rockefeller was president and later chair of Rockefeller Center, Inc., and he formed the International Basic Economy Corporation in 1947. Rockefeller assembled a significant art collection and promoted public access to

4290-630: The Carter administration . When Ford assumed office, he inherited Nixon's Cabinet . During his brief administration, he replaced all members except Secretary of State Kissinger and Secretary of the Treasury William E. Simon . Political commentators have referred to Ford's dramatic reorganization of his Cabinet in the fall of 1975 as the " Halloween Massacre ". One of Ford's appointees, William Coleman —the Secretary of Transportation —was

4455-717: The Civil Rights Acts of 1957 , 1960 , 1964 , and 1968 , as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . Ford was known to his colleagues in the House as a "Congressman's Congressman". In the early 1950s, Ford declined offers to run for either the Senate or the Michigan governorship. Rather, his ambition was to become Speaker of the House , which he called "the ultimate achievement. To sit up there and be

4620-495: The Commission on Critical Choices for Americans . Rockefeller supported reform of New York's abortion laws beginning around 1968. The proposals supported by his administration would not have repealed the long-standing prohibition but would have expanded the exceptions allowed for the protection of the mother's health, or in circumstances of fetal abnormality . The reform bills did not pass; however, when an outright repeal of

4785-459: The Democratic candidate, Jimmy Carter . Ford remains the only person to serve as president without winning an election for president or vice president. Following his years as president, Ford remained active in the Republican Party, but his moderate views on various social issues increasingly put him at odds with conservative members of the party in the 1990s and early 2000s. He also set aside

4950-472: The Democratic Party ticket in 1968 but the latter refused to switch parties. Upon President Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, Vice President Gerald Ford assumed the presidency. On August 20, Ford nominated Rockefeller to be the next vice president of the United States . In considering potential nominees, Rockefeller was one of three primary candidates. The other two were Donald Rumsfeld ,

5115-870: The Gilbert Islands , Bismarck Archipelago , Marshall Islands, Asiatic and Pacific carrier raids, Hollandia , Marianas, Western Carolines, Western New Guinea, and the Leyte Operation), the Philippine Liberation Medal with two 3 ⁄ 16 " bronze stars (for Leyte and Mindoro), and the World War II Victory Medal . He was honorably discharged in February 1946. After Ford returned to Grand Rapids in 1946, he became active in local Republican politics, and supporters urged him to challenge Bartel J. Jonkman ,

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5280-707: The H. B. Reese Candy Company of Hershey, Pennsylvania . Canadian Pacific Hotels (CPH) was hired to operate the tower restaurants and lounges. On October 1, 1975, CPH purchased the tower from Mr. Reese and his partners for $ 11 million. The tower's summit features a verdigris-green copper roof similar to CPH's other properties, including the Château Frontenac in Quebec City and the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta . CPH owned and operated

5445-454: The House elections , taking 49 seats from the Republican Party, increasing their majority to 291 of the 435 seats. This was one more than the number needed (290) for a two-thirds majority, the number necessary to override a presidential veto or to propose a constitutional amendment. Perhaps due in part to this fact, the 94th Congress overrode the highest percentage of vetoes since Andrew Johnson

5610-546: The House of Representatives . In the months following the pardon, Ford often declined to mention President Nixon by name, referring to him in public as "my predecessor" or "the former president." When Ford was pressed on the matter on a 1974 trip to California, White House correspondent Fred Barnes recalled that he replied "I just can't bring myself to do it." After Ford left the White House in January 1977, he privately justified his pardon of Nixon by carrying in his wallet

5775-809: The Inco Superstack in Sudbury , and the CN Tower in Toronto . The tower features three outside-mounted "Yellow Bug" elevators. At the time of their construction, they were the first such elevators in Canada. They were designed, engineered and maintained by a division of the Otis Elevator Company from Hamilton, Ontario and can carry passengers to the top of the tower in 52 seconds. Unlike conventional elevators that are guided by side rails,

5940-554: The Lincoln School in Manhattan, an experimental school administered by Teachers College of Columbia University and funded by the Rockefeller family. Nelson was known to disappear on the way to school and was once found exploring the city's sewer system. As a child, he was the "indisputable leader" of his brothers, becoming particularly close to Laurance. Although his parents saw potential for Nelson to succeed in life, he

6105-687: The Marianas , Western Carolines , and northern New Guinea, as well as in the Battle of the Philippine Sea . After an overhaul, from September to November 1944, aircraft from the Monterey launched strikes against Wake Island , participated in strikes in the Philippines and Ryukyus , and supported the landings at Leyte and Mindoro . Although the ship was not damaged by Japanese forces,

6270-422: The Monterey was one of several ships damaged by Typhoon Cobra that hit Admiral William Halsey's Third Fleet on December 18–19, 1944. The Third Fleet lost three destroyers and over 800 men during the typhoon. The Monterey was damaged by a fire, which was started by several of the ship's aircraft tearing loose from their cables and colliding on the hangar deck . Ford was serving as General Quarters Officer of

6435-616: The National Environmental Policy Act and the Tax Reform Act of 1969 . Another high-profile victory for the Republican minority was the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act. Passed in 1972, the act established a revenue sharing program for state and local governments. Ford's leadership was instrumental in shepherding revenue sharing through Congress, and resulted in a bipartisan coalition that supported

6600-711: The New Hampshire primary in March, behind write-in Henry Cabot Lodge II (from neighboring Massachusetts) and Goldwater. He then endured poor showings in several more of the party primaries before winning an upset in Oregon in May. Rockefeller took a strong lead in the California primary, and his team seemed so assured of his victory that it cut advertising funds in the last days of his campaign; however,

6765-513: The New York State Parks system and improvement of park facilities. He persuaded voters to approve three major bond acts to raise more than $ 300 million for acquisition of park and forest preserve land, and he built or started 55 new state parks. Rockefeller initiated studies of environmental issues, such as loss of agricultural land through development—an issue now characterized as " sprawl ". In September 1968, Rockefeller appointed

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6930-637: The Office of Parks and Recreation . During his 15 years as governor, Rockefeller doubled the size of the state police, established the New York State Police Academy, adopted the " stop and frisk " and " no-knock " laws to strengthen police powers, and authorized 228 additional state judgeships to reduce court congestion. New York was the last state to have a mandatory death penalty for premeditated first degree murder. In 1963, Rockefeller signed legislation abandoning that and establishing

7095-608: The United States Congress . Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1908, in Bar Harbor, Maine . Named Nelson Aldrich after his maternal grandfather Nelson W. Aldrich , he was the second son and third child of financier and philanthropist John Davison Rockefeller Jr. and philanthropist and socialite Abigail "Abby" Aldrich . He had two older siblings— Abby and John III —as well as three younger brothers: Laurance , Winthrop , and David . Their father, John Jr.,

7260-546: The University of Michigan , where he played center and linebacker for the school's football team and helped the Wolverines to two undefeated seasons and national titles in 1932 and 1933 . In his senior year of 1934 , the team suffered a steep decline and won only one game, but Ford was still the team's star player. In one of those games, Michigan held heavily favored Minnesota —the eventual national champion—to

7425-608: The assassination of President John F. Kennedy . Ford was assigned to prepare a biography of accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald . He and Earl Warren also interviewed Jack Ruby , Oswald's killer. According to a 1963 FBI memo that was released to the public in 2008, Ford was in contact with the FBI throughout his time on the Warren Commission and relayed information to the deputy director, Cartha DeLoach , about

7590-588: The 1939 Neutrality Act . The petition was circulated nationally and was the inspiration for the America First Committee , a group determined to keep the U.S. out of World War II . His introduction into politics was in the summer of 1940 when he worked for the Republican presidential campaign of Wendell Willkie . Ford graduated in the top third of his class in 1941, and was admitted to the Michigan bar shortly thereafter. In May 1941, he opened

7755-577: The 40th vice president from 1973 to 1974. Prior to that, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1973. Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan . He attended the University of Michigan , where he played for the school's football team , before eventually attending Yale Law School . Afterward, he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1942 to 1946. Ford began his political career in 1949 as

7920-621: The Deck and was ordered to go below to assess the raging fire. He did so safely, and reported his findings back to the ship's commanding officer, Captain Stuart H. Ingersoll . The ship's crew was able to contain the fire, and the ship got underway again. After the fire, the Monterey was declared unfit for service. Ford was detached from the ship and sent to the Navy Pre-Flight School at Saint Mary's College of California , where he

8085-419: The Eastern Establishment. 'You are looking at it, buddy,' Rockefeller told Spencer, 'I am all that is left. ' " Although Rockefeller exaggerated, the collapse of his wing of the party was underway. At the Republican National Convention in San Francisco in July, Rockefeller was given five minutes to speak before the convention in defense of five amendments to the party platform put forth by the moderate wing of

8250-448: The Empire State Plaza, in 1966 Rockefeller proposed the construction of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem. The building was ultimately completed in 1973. While in office he supported the construction of the World Trade Center . Rockefeller achieved virtual total prohibition of discrimination in housing and places of public accommodation. He outlawed job discrimination based on sex or age; increased by nearly 50%

8415-399: The House and Senate. Some, including Barry Goldwater , voted against him. On September 8, 1974, Ford issued Proclamation 4311 , which gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he might have committed against the United States while president. In a televised broadcast to the nation, Ford explained that he felt the pardon was in the best interests of the country, and that

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8580-420: The Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace in 1945. The conference produced the Act of Chapultepec , which provided the framework for economic, social and defense cooperation among the nations of the Americas and set the principle that an attack on one of these nations would be regarded as an attack on all and jointly resisted. Rockefeller signed the Act on behalf of the United States. Rockefeller

8745-410: The National Commission on Water Quality. The commission was charged with determining the technological, economic, social and environmental implications of meeting water quality standards mandated by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. The commission issued its report in March 1976 and he testified before Congress on its findings. On February 17, 1969, President Nixon commissioned

8910-455: The Nixon family's situation "is a tragedy in which we all have played a part. It could go on and on and on, or someone must write the end to it. I have concluded that only I can do that, and if I can, I must." Ford's decision to pardon Nixon was highly controversial. Critics derided the move and said a " corrupt bargain " had been struck between the two men, in which Ford's pardon was granted in exchange for Nixon's resignation, elevating Ford to

9075-437: The President's Advisory Committee on Government Organization to recommend ways of improving efficiency and effectiveness of the executive branch of the federal government. Rockefeller recommended thirteen reorganization plans, all of which were implemented. The plans implemented organizational changes in the Department of Defense, the Office of Defense Mobilization and the Department of Agriculture. His recommendations also led to

9240-413: The Republican presidential nomination in 1960 , 1964 , and 1968 , Rockefeller was appointed vice president of the United States under President Gerald Ford , who was appointed Vice President by President Nixon after the resignation of Spiro Agnew , and who ascended to the presidency following Nixon's resignation in August 1974. Rockefeller was the second vice president appointed to the position under

9405-427: The Republican Party , and to counter the Goldwater plank. He was booed and heckled for sixteen minutes while he stood firmly at the podium insisting on his right to speak. Goldwater supporters claimed that the booing was from not the convention floor but the gallery. Rockefeller was reluctant to support Goldwater in the general election. Rockefeller's stump speeches often used the phrase "the brotherhood of man, under

9570-440: The Republican Party were called " Rockefeller Republicans ". As governor of New York from 1959 to 1973, Rockefeller's achievements included the expansion of the State University of New York (SUNY), efforts to protect the environment, the construction of the Empire State Plaza in Albany , increased facilities and personnel for medical care, and the creation of the New York State Council on the Arts . After unsuccessfully seeking

9735-509: The Republican convention, Rockefeller finally let it be known that he was available to be the nominee, and he sought to round up uncommitted delegates and woo reluctant Nixon delegates to his banner, armed with public opinion polls that showed him doing better among voters than either Nixon or Reagan against Democrat Hubert Humphrey . Despite Rockefeller's efforts, Nixon won the nomination on the first ballot. Humphrey revealed in 1976 that he tried to convince Rockefeller to be his running mate in

9900-545: The Rockefeller administration had completed or started over 88,000 units of housing for limited income families and the aging. Rockefeller worked with the legislature and unions to create generous pension programs for many public workers, such as teachers, professors, firefighters, police officers, and prison guards. He proposed the first statewide minimum wage law in the country; it was increased five times during his administration. Additional accomplishments of Rockefeller's fifteen years as governor of New York include initiating

10065-413: The Skylon Tower will revert to total ownership by the heirs of Milicent Gruyich. While much redevelopment has taken place in the surrounding city, the Skylon Tower complex still retains much of its look and feel from the 1970s and 1980s. However the property has recently been expanded to include a 3D/4D Theatre, a Starbucks franchise, other quick-service franchises and a bridge connecting the complex with

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10230-402: The Skylon elevators operate with a guide rail on the backside only. Special equipment is employed to prevent the cables from becoming tangled in the wind or impeded by snow and ice in the winter. A curtain wall on the outside of the tower behind each elevator protects the counterweight and travelling cables from the elements. The tower has two restaurants at its top, the Revolving Dining Room and

10395-433: The Spanish language. In 1940, after he expressed his concern to President Franklin D. Roosevelt over Nazi influence in Latin America, the President appointed Rockfeller to the new position of Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (CIAA) in the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (OCIAA). Rockefeller was charged with overseeing a program of U.S. cooperation with the nations of Latin America to help raise

10560-637: The Special Studies Project he led 15 years earlier. It was made up of a nationally representative, bipartisan group of 42 prominent Americans drawn from far-ranging fields of interest who served on a voluntary basis. Members included the majority and minority leaders of both houses of Congress. Rockefeller resigned as New York's governor in December 1973 in order to devote himself full-time to the commission's work as its chairman. He continued in that position after being sworn in as vice president, serving until February 28, 1975. Consistent with his personal interest in design and planning, Rockefeller began expansion of

10725-402: The Temporary State Commission on the Constitutional Convention. That was followed by his chairmanship of the Special Legislative Committee on the Revision and Simplification of the Constitution. In the 1958 New York state election , he was elected governor of New York by over 570,000 votes, defeating incumbent W. Averell Harriman , even though 1958 was a banner year for Democrats elsewhere in

10890-473: The Temporary Study Commission on the Future of the Adirondacks . This led to his introduction to the Legislature in 1971 of a bill to create the controversial Adirondack Park Agency , which was designed to protect the Adirondack State Park from encroaching development. He also launched the Pure Waters Program, the first state bond issue to end water pollution; created the Department of Environmental Conservation; banned DDT and other pesticides ; and established

11055-410: The U.S. Constitution. He outlawed " block-busting " as a means of artificially depressing housing values and banned discrimination in the sale of all forms of insurance. In 1973, Rockefeller worked with former Delaware Governor Russell W. Peterson to establish the Commission on Critical Choices for Americans . The commission was a private study project on national and international policy similar to

11220-545: The U.S. State Department, establishing the Junior Chamber International after its first Inter-American Congress in December 1944 at Mexico City. After coming back from the Inter-American Congress, Rockefeller convinced his father, John D. Rockefeller Jr., to donate the land to the city of New York to build the foundations of what would later become the United Nations Headquarters. In 1944, President Roosevelt appointed Rockefeller Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs. As assistant secretary of state, he initiated

11385-420: The U.S. representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district , serving in this capacity for nearly 25 years, the final nine of them as the House minority leader . In December 1973, two months after Spiro Agnew 's resignation, Ford became the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment . After the subsequent resignation of Nixon in August 1974, Ford immediately assumed

11550-759: The Undersecretary of State, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the director of the Foreign Operations Administration, and the Central Intelligence Agency director. The OCB's purpose was to oversee coordinated execution of security policy and plans, including clandestine operations. Rockefeller broadly interpreted his directive and became an advocate for foreign economic aid as indispensable to national security. Most of Rockefeller's initiatives were blocked by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and his Under Secretary, Herbert Hoover Jr. , both traditionalists who resented what they perceived as outside interference from Rockefeller, and by Treasury Secretary George M. Humphrey for financial reasons. In June 1955, Rockefeller convened

11715-462: The United States and serve two years working in a public service job or a total of two years service for those who had served less than two years of honorable service in the military. The program for the Return of Vietnam Era Draft Evaders and Military Deserters established a Clemency Board to review the records and make recommendations for receiving a presidential pardon and a change in military discharge status. Full pardon for draft dodgers came in

11880-419: The administration and broaden the ticket's appeal if they ran in 1976, given Rockefeller's ability to attract support from constituencies that did not typically support Republicans, including organized labor, African Americans, Hispanics, and city dwellers. Ford also felt he could demonstrate his own self-confidence by selecting a strong personality like Rockefeller for the number two spot. Although he had said he

12045-483: The administration of the largest methadone maintenance program in the United States. Rockefeller was the driving force in turning the State University of New York (SUNY) into the largest system of public higher education in the United States. Under his governorship it grew from 29 campuses and 38,000 full-time students to 72 campuses and 232,000 full-time students. Rockefeller championed the acquisition of

12210-651: The arts. He served as trustee, treasurer, and president of the Museum of Modern Art and founded the Museum of Primitive Art in 1954. In the area of philanthropy, he founded the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in 1940 with his four brothers and established the American International Association for Economic and Social Development in 1946. As of 2024, Rockefeller is the most recent Vice President who did not previously serve in

12375-532: The assault, including ten of the hostages, nine of whom were killed by the State Police and National Guard soldiers. An additional eighty people were wounded in what was called "a turkey shoot " by state prosecutor Malcolm Bell. A later investigation showed all but three of the deaths were caused by the gunfire of the National Guard and police. The other three were inmates killed by other inmates at

12540-406: The beginning of the riot. Opponents blamed Rockefeller for these deaths in part because of his refusal to go to the prison and negotiate with the inmates, while his supporters, including many conservatives who had often vocally differed with him in the past, defended his actions as being necessary to the preservation of law and order. Rockefeller later said: "I was trying to do the best I could to save

12705-539: The bill with 223 votes in favor (compared with 185 against). During the eight years (1965–1973) that Ford served as minority leader, he received many friends in the House because of his fair leadership and inoffensive personality. For the past decade, Ford had been unsuccessfully working to help Republicans across the country get a majority in the chamber so that he could become House Speaker . He promised his wife that he would try again in 1974 then retire in 1976. However, on October 10, 1973, Spiro Agnew resigned from

12870-464: The birth of Rockefeller's child three days before the California primary put the divorce and remarriage issue back in the minds of voters. On primary election day, Rockefeller narrowly lost the California primary and dropped out of the race. At a discouraging point in the 1964 California primary campaign against Goldwater, his top political aide Stuart Spencer called on Rockefeller to "summon that fabled nexus of money, influence, and condescension known as

13035-558: The blessing of the Ford family, it was placed back into circulation in 2012 as part of the Michigan Football Legends program and issued to sophomore linebacker Desmond Morgan before a home game against Illinois on October 13. Throughout life, Ford remained interested in his school and football; he occasionally attended games. Ford also visited with players and coaches during practices; at one point, he asked to join

13200-415: The bottom of the falls, the tower required approval from both Canadian and United States air transport authorities, due to its proximity to the international boundary. It was the second tower to be built using the slipform method, in which concrete is continuously poured into a form moving slowly up the tower. It was built by Pigott Construction of Hamilton, Ontario. The same methods were also used to build

13365-451: The boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach at Yale University and applied to its law school. Ford hoped to attend Yale Law School beginning in 1935. Yale officials at first denied his admission to the law school because of his full-time coaching responsibilities. He spent the summer of 1937 as a student at the University of Michigan Law School and was eventually admitted in the spring of 1938 to Yale Law School . That year he

13530-628: The carrier participated in many actions in the Pacific Theater with the Third and Fifth Fleets in late 1943 and 1944. In 1943, the carrier helped secure Makin Island in the Gilberts, and participated in carrier strikes against Kavieng , Papua New Guinea in 1943. During the spring of 1944, the Monterey supported landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok and participated in carrier strikes in

13695-684: The construction of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Spa State Park. He supported the bill, enacted in June 1966, which acquired Olana , home of Hudson River School artist Frederic Edwin Church , as a state historic site. Rockefeller engaged in massive building projects that left a profound mark on the state of New York. (Some of his detractors claimed that he had an "Edifice Complex".) He

13860-468: The creation of a new sort of bond—what came to be called "moral obligation" bonds. They were not backed by the full faith and credit of the state but the quasi-public arrangements were meant to, and did, convey the impression that the state would not let them fail. Rockefeller is criticized in some quarters for having contributed to the " Too big to fail " phenomenon in American finance in general. By 1973,

14025-595: The creation of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare . Rockefeller was appointed Under-Secretary of this new department in 1953. Rockefeller was active in HEW 's legislative program and implemented measures that added ten million people under the Social Security program. In 1954, Rockefeller was appointed special assistant to the president for foreign affairs, sometimes referred to as special assistant to

14190-751: The creation of the Planning Coordination Group , a small high-level group that would plan and develop national security operations, both overt and covert. The group consisted of the Undersecretary of State, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the director the CIA , and special assistant Rockefeller as chairman. The group's purpose was to oversee CIA operation and other anti-Communist actions; however, State Department officials and CIA director Allen Dulles refused to cooperate with

14355-468: The enmity he had felt towards Carter following the 1976 election and the two former presidents developed a close friendship. After experiencing a series of health problems, he died in Rancho Mirage, California in 2006. Surveys of historians and political scientists have ranked Ford as a below-average president, though retrospective public polls on his time in office were more positive. Ford

14520-509: The factories where they worked. Ford also visited local farms where, in one instance, a wager resulted in Ford spending two weeks milking cows following his election victory. Ford was a member of the House of Representatives for 25 years, holding Michigan's 5th congressional district seat from 1949 to 1973. It was a tenure largely notable for its modesty. As an editorial in The New York Times described him, Ford "saw himself as

14685-467: The failure of their own governments to meet their needs ... demonstrations that began over grievances were taken over and exacerbated by anti-US and subversive elements which sought to weaken the United States, and their own governments in the process. A major part of the Rockefeller report suggested a reduction of American involvement, stating that "we, in the United States, cannot determine the internal political structure of any other nation". Because there

14850-446: The fatherhood of God"; reporters covering his campaign came to abbreviate the expression as BOMFOG. Rockefeller again sought the presidential nomination in the 1968 Republican Party presidential primaries . His opponents were Nixon and Governor Ronald Reagan of California. In the contest, Rockefeller again represented the liberals, Reagan representing the conservatives, and Nixon representing moderates and conservatives. Shortly before

15015-404: The field. Students, players and alumni protested, but university officials capitulated and kept Ward out of the game. Ford was Ward's best friend on the team, and they roomed together while on road trips. Ford reportedly threatened to quit the team in response to the university's decision, but he eventually agreed to play against Georgia Tech when Ward personally asked him to play. In 1934, Ford

15180-501: The first politician to win such a battle with the master builder Moses in decades. Under the New York MTA, toll revenue collected from the bridges and tunnels, which had previously been used to build more bridges, tunnels, and highways, now went to support mass transportation operations, thus shifting costs from general state funds to the motorist. In one controversial move, Rockefeller abandoned one of Moses's most desired projects,

15345-671: The first session of the Eighty-ninth Congress alone, the Johnson Administration submitted 87 bills to Congress, and Johnson signed 84, or 96%, arguably the most successful legislative agenda in Congressional history. In 1966, criticism over the Johnson Administration's handling of the Vietnam War began to grow, with Ford and Congressional Republicans expressing concern that the United States

15510-672: The first state financial support for educational television; and requiring special education for children with disabilities in public schools. To create more low-income housing, Rockefeller created the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC), later known as the Empire State Development Corporation , with unprecedented powers to override local zoning , condemn property , and create financing schemes to carry out desired development. The financing involved

15675-552: The first time the vice-presidential vacancy provision of the 25th Amendment had been implemented. The United States Senate voted 92 to 3 to confirm Ford on November 27. On December 6, the House confirmed Ford by a vote of 387 to 35. After the confirmation vote in the House, Ford took the oath of office as vice president. Ford became vice president as the Watergate scandal was unfolding. On August 1, 1974, Chief of Staff Alexander Haig contacted Ford to tell him to prepare for

15840-457: The floor of the House and questioned whether the White House had a clear plan to bring the war to a successful conclusion. The speech angered President Johnson, who accused Ford of having played "too much football without a helmet". As minority leader in the House, Ford appeared in a popular series of televised press conferences with Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen , in which they proposed Republican alternatives to Johnson's policies. Many in

16005-556: The front-runner for the 1964 Republican Party presidential primaries against conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, who led the conservative wing of the Republican Party . In 1963, a year after Rockefeller's divorce from his first wife, he married Margaretta "Happy" Murphy , a divorcee with four children, which alienated many Republican married women. The divorce was widely condemned by politicians, including Senator Prescott Bush of Connecticut, who condemned his infidelity, divorce, and remarriage. Rockefeller finished third in

16170-674: The group and its initiatives were stymied or ignored. In September 1955, Rockefeller recommended the abolishment of the PCG, and in December of the same year he resigned as special assistant to the president. In 1956, Rockefeller created the Special Studies Project , a major seven-panel planning group directed by Henry Kissinger and funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, of which he was then president. It

16335-472: The head honcho of 434 other people and have the responsibility, aside from the achievement, of trying to run the greatest legislative body in the history of mankind ... I think I got that ambition within a year or two after I was in the House of Representatives". On November 29, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Ford to the Warren Commission , a special task force set up to investigate

16500-469: The hostages, save the prisoners, restore order, and preserve our system without undertaking actions which could set a precedent which would go across this country like wildfire." In a telephone call with President Nixon, Rockefeller explained the deaths by saying "that's life". What became known as the " Rockefeller drug laws " were a product of Rockefeller's attempt to deal with the rapid increase in narcotics addiction and related crime. In 1962, he proposed

16665-425: The incumbent Republican congressman. Military service had changed his view of the world. "I came back a converted internationalist ", Ford wrote, "and of course our congressman at that time was an avowed, dedicated isolationist . And I thought he ought to be replaced. Nobody thought I could win. I ended up winning two to one." During his first campaign in 1948, Ford visited voters at their doorsteps and as they left

16830-424: The infant Ford with her to Oak Park, Illinois , where her sister Tannisse and brother-in-law, Clarence Haskins James lived. From there, she moved to the home of her parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan . Gardner and King divorced in December 1913, and she gained full custody of her son. Ford's paternal grandfather paid child support until shortly before his death in 1930. Ford later said that his biological father had

16995-408: The inmates' demands for various reforms but refused to grant complete amnesty to the rioters, with passage out of the country and removal of the prison's superintendent. When negotiations stalled and the hostages appeared to be in imminent danger, Rockefeller ordered New York State Police and National Guard troops to restore order and take back the prison on September 13. Thirty-nine people died in

17160-656: The largest state bond issue at the time ($ 2.5 billion) for the coordinated development of mass transportation, highways, and airports. He initiated the creation or expansion of over 22,000 miles (35,000 km) of highway, including the Long Island Expressway , the Southern Tier Expressway , the Adirondack Northway , and Interstate 81 , which vastly improved road transportation in the state of New York. Rockefeller introduced

17325-500: The legislature in 1973, the new drug laws included mandatory life sentences without the possibility of plea-bargaining or parole for all drug users, dealers, and those convicted of drug-related violent crimes; a $ 1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of drug pushers; and removing less harsh penalties for youthful offenders. Public support for the measures was mixed, as were the results. They did not lead more addicts to seek rehabilitation as hoped, and ultimately did not solve

17490-796: The local economy. Rockefeller established model farms in Venezuela , Ecuador , and Brazil . He maintained a home at Monte Sacro, the farm in Venezuela. Rockefeller returned to public service in 1950 when President Harry S. Truman appointed him chairman of the International Development Advisory Board. The Board was charged with developing a plan for implementing the President's Point IV program of providing foreign technical assistance. In 1952, President-Elect Dwight D. Eisenhower asked Rockefeller to chair

17655-484: The members of the Young Turks was congressman Donald H. Rumsfeld from Illinois's 13th congressional district , who later on would serve in Ford's administration as the chief of staff and secretary of defense . With a Democratic majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Johnson Administration proposed and passed a series of programs that was called by Johnson the " Great Society ". During

17820-583: The movie Down Argentine Way (1940) because it was considered offensive to Argentines. It was much more popular in the United States than in Latin America. Charlie Chaplin 's satirical The Great Dictator (1940) was banned in several countries. In the spring of 1943, Rockefeller supported extensive negotiations and mission of North American members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce to Latin America as Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs of

17985-401: The narcotics trade and associated crime. Rockefeller was also frustrated by his belief that the federal government was not doing anything significant to address the problem. Feeling that existing laws and the way they were being implemented did not solve the problem of the "drug pusher", and pressured by voters angry about the drug problem, Rockefeller proposed a hard-line approach. As approved by

18150-453: The nation. Rockefeller was re-elected in the three subsequent elections in 1962 , 1966 , and 1970 , increasing the state's role in education, environmental protection, transportation, housing, welfare, medical aid, civil rights, and the arts. To pay for the increased government spending, Rockefeller increased taxation; for example, a sales tax was introduced in New York in 1965. He resigned three years into his fourth term and began to work at

18315-573: The need for regional pacts within the framework of the UN. Rockefeller was also instrumental in persuading the UN to establish its headquarters in New York City. President Truman fired Rockefeller, reversed his policies, and shut down the OCIAA. Reich says that in official Washington, Rockefeller had become "a discredited figure, a pariah". He returned to New York. Rockefeller formed the International Basic Economy Corporation (IBEC) in 1947 to jointly continue

18480-408: The needs and conditions of each country. Most of the trips turned out to be an embarrassment. Among the recommendations in Rockefeller's report to the President were preferential trade agreements with Latin American countries, refinancing the region's foreign debt, and removing bureaucratic impediments that prevented the efficient use of United States aid. The Nixon administration did little to implement

18645-466: The newly completed Fallsview Casino . In August and September 2008 the roof of Skylon was restored to its original bright copper colour. In recent years, the lights that shine up the tower at night have gone from being the typical white lights to a selection of colours that interchange. This is done in a similar fashion to the lights that shine on the falls themselves. Standing at 160 metres (520 ft) from street level and 236 metres (775 ft) from

18810-596: The newly created MTA Bus Company, which were purchased by the state from private owners in a massive public bailout of bankrupt railroads and struggling private bus companies located in Queens, New York. He also created the State Department of Transportation. In taking over control of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, Rockefeller shifted power away from Robert Moses , and in doing so became

18975-502: The number of African Americans and Hispanics holding state jobs; appointed women to head the largest number of state agencies in state history; prohibited discrimination against women in education, employment, housing and credit applications; admitted the first women to the State Police; initiated affirmative action programs for women in state government; and backed New York's ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to

19140-541: The official White House press release for the bill signing. The economic focus began to change as the country sank into the worst recession since the Great Depression four decades earlier. The focus of the Ford administration turned to stopping the rise in unemployment, which reached nine percent in May 1975. In January 1975, Ford proposed a 1-year tax reduction of $ 16 billion to stimulate economic growth, along with spending cuts to avoid inflation. Ford

19305-420: The only person to become the nation's chief executive without being elected to the presidency or the vice presidency. Immediately afterward, he spoke to the assembled audience in a speech that was broadcast live to the nation, noting the peculiarity of his position. He later declared that "our long national nightmare is over". On August 20, Ford nominated former New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to fill

19470-435: The panel's activities. In the preface to his book, A Presidential Legacy and The Warren Commission , Ford defended the work of the commission and reiterated his support of its conclusions. In 1964, Lyndon Johnson led a landslide victory for his party, secured another term as president and took 36 seats from Republicans in the House of Representatives. Following the election, members of the Republican caucus looked to select

19635-416: The pardon, but later decided that history had proven Ford to have made the correct decision. On September 16 (shortly after he pardoned Nixon), Ford issued Presidential Proclamation 4313, which introduced a conditional amnesty program for military deserters and Vietnam War draft dodgers who had fled to countries such as Canada. The conditions of the amnesty required that those reaffirm their allegiance to

19800-717: The players in the huddle. Before state events, Ford often had the Navy band play the University of Michigan fight song, " The Victors ," instead of " Hail to the Chief ." Ford graduated from Michigan in 1935 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics . He turned down offers from the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Instead, he took a job in September 1935 as

19965-529: The powers of the president. Ford signed the Helsinki Accords , which marked a move toward détente in the Cold War . With the collapse of South Vietnam nine months into his presidency, U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War essentially ended. In the 1976 Republican presidential primary , he defeated Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination, but narrowly lost the presidential election to

20130-417: The presidency. Domestically, Ford presided over the worst economy in the four decades since the Great Depression , with growing inflation and a recession . In one of his most controversial acts, he granted a presidential pardon to Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal . Foreign policy was characterized in procedural terms by the increased role Congress began to play, and by the corresponding curb on

20295-490: The presidency. At the time, Ford and his wife, Betty, were living in suburban Virginia, waiting for their expected move into the newly designated vice president's residence in Washington, D.C. However, "Al Haig asked to come over and see me", Ford later said, "to tell me that there would be a new tape released on a Monday, and he said the evidence in there was devastating and there would probably be either an impeachment or

20460-409: The presidency. Ford's first press secretary and close friend Jerald terHorst resigned his post in protest after the pardon. According to Bob Woodward , Nixon Chief of Staff Alexander Haig proposed a pardon deal to Ford. He later decided to pardon Nixon for other reasons, primarily the friendship he and Nixon shared. Regardless, historians believe the controversy was one of the major reasons Ford lost

20625-585: The president for psychological warfare. He was tasked with providing the president with advice and assistance in developing programs by which the various departments of the government could counter Soviet foreign policy challenges. As part of this responsibility, he was named as the president's representative on the Operations Coordinating Board , a committee of the National Security Council . The other members were

20790-527: The press jokingly called this "The Ev and Jerry Show." Johnson said at the time, "Jerry Ford is so dumb he can't fart and chew gum at the same time." The press, used to sanitizing Johnson's salty language, reported this as "Gerald Ford can't walk and chew gum at the same time." After Richard Nixon was elected president in November 1968, Ford's role shifted to being an advocate for the White House agenda. Congress passed several of Nixon's proposals, including

20955-505: The private University of Buffalo into the SUNY system, making the State University of New York at Buffalo , now the largest public university in New York. In 1971, he championed the creation of Empire State College to provide higher education to adults by removing impediments to access such as time , location, and institutional processes. Other accomplishments included more than quadrupling state aid to primary and secondary schools; providing

21120-612: The problem of drug trafficking. These were among the toughest drug laws in the United States when they were enacted and are still on the books, albeit in moderated form. To carry out the rehabilitation program, Rockefeller created the State Narcotics Addiction Control Commission, later the State Drug Abuse Control Commission. New York also provided the financial support for research in methadone maintenance and

21285-542: The prohibition managed to pass in 1970, Rockefeller signed it. In 1972, he vetoed another bill that would have restored the abortion ban. He said in his 1972 veto message, "I do not believe it right for one group to impose its vision of morality on an entire society." Rockefeller created the first State Council on the Arts in the country, which became a model for the National Endowment for the Arts. He also oversaw

21450-481: The report's recommendations. In his report preface, Rockefeller wrote: There is general frustration over the failure to achieve a more rapid improvement in standards of living. The United States, because of its identification with the failure of the Alliance for Progress to live up to expectations, is blamed. People in the countries concerned also used our visit as an opportunity to demonstrate their frustrations with

21615-654: The second Black man to serve in a presidential cabinet (after Robert C. Weaver ) and the first appointed in a Republican administration. Ford selected George H. W. Bush as Chief of the US Liaison Office to the People's Republic of China in 1974, and then Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in late 1975. Ford's transition chairman and first Chief of Staff was former congressman and ambassador Donald Rumsfeld . In 1975, Rumsfeld

21780-581: The standard of living, to achieve better relations among the nations of the western hemisphere, and to counter rising Nazi influence in the region. He facilitated this form of cultural diplomacy by collaborating with the director of Latin American Relations at the CBS radio network Edmund A. Chester . The Roosevelt administration encouraged Hollywood to produce films to encourage positive relations with Latin America. Rockefeller required changes in

21945-439: The state breakfast program for children in low income areas; and established the first state loan fund for nonprofit groups to start day-care centers. A supporter of universal healthcare , Rockefeller served as consultant for Senator Jacob Javits ' "Medicare for All" bill that would expand benefits to every American. Rockefeller described universal healthcare as the wave of the future and as a human right. Rockefeller's bid in

22110-635: The state lottery and off-track betting; adopting modern treatment techniques in state mental hospitals to reduce the number of mentally ill patients by over 50%; creating the State Office of the Aging and constructing nearly 12,000 units of housing for the aging; the first mandatory seatbelt law in the United States; and creating the State Consumer Protection Board. In May 1973, President Nixon appointed Rockefeller chairman of

22275-695: The state's first support for mass transportation. He reformed the governance of New York City 's transportation system, creating the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in 1965. The MTA merged the New York City subway system with the publicly owned Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority , the Long Island Rail Road , Staten Island Rapid Transit , and operation of lines that would later become Metro-North Railroad , along with

22440-496: The summer home in Maine, and the two fell in love. They were engaged in autumn 1929. In 1930, he graduated cum laude with an A.B. degree in economics from Dartmouth College, where he was a member of Casque and Gauntlet (a senior society), Phi Beta Kappa , and Psi Upsilon . Rockefeller and Mary were married after he graduated, on June 23, 1930, at Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania . Following his graduation, Rockefeller worked in

22605-417: The then- United States Ambassador to NATO whom Ford eventually chose as his chief of staff and later secretary of defense, and then- Republican National Committee chairman George H. W. Bush , who would eventually become vice president in his own right for two terms and president for one term. While acknowledging that many conservatives opposed Rockefeller, Ford believed he would bring executive expertise to

22770-498: The tower until 1986, when it was sold for $ 18 million to two local Niagara hotel owners, John Gruyich of Michael's Inn and George Yerich of the Holiday Inn By The Falls Motel. In 1988, George Yerich bought out John Gruyich's ownership share of the Skylon for $ 13 million, however Milicent Gruyich continues to own the land the tower is built on. Mr. Yerich's Skylon land lease will expire in 2060, at which time

22935-556: The upper Summit Suite Buffet. The Revolving Dining Room seats 276 people and revolves once every hour by resting on a circular rail that is propelled by a 3 horsepower (2.2 kW) motor. An observation deck sits at the tower's summit. The base of the tower features a number of gift shops, fast food restaurants and a large amusement arcade. A floor for conventions is also available, but is seldom utilized. Nelson Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky ,

23100-416: The vice presidency he had vacated. Rockefeller's top competitor had been George H. W. Bush . Rockefeller underwent extended hearings before Congress, which caused embarrassment when it was revealed he made large gifts to senior aides, such as Henry Kissinger . Although conservative Republicans were not pleased that Rockefeller was picked, most of them voted for his confirmation, and his nomination passed both

23265-417: The vice presidency. According to The New York Times , Nixon "sought advice from senior Congressional leaders about a replacement." The advice was unanimous. House Speaker Carl Albert recalled later, "We gave Nixon no choice but Ford." Ford agreed to the nomination, telling his wife that the vice presidency would be "a nice conclusion" to his career. Ford was nominated to take Agnew's position on October 12,

23430-402: The work he had begun as Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. He intermittently served as president through 1958. IBEC was a for-profit business that established companies that would stimulate underdeveloped economies of certain countries. It was hoped that the success of these companies would encourage investors in those countries to set up competing or supporting businesses and further stimulate

23595-477: Was "just not built for standby equipment", Rockefeller was persuaded by Ford's promise to make him "a full partner" in his presidency, especially in domestic policy. Rockefeller accepted the President's request to serve as vice president. He said: "It was entirely a question of there being a Constitutional crisis and a crisis of confidence on the part of the American people. I felt there was a duty incumbent on any American who could do anything that would contribute to

23760-512: Was President of the United States (1865–1869). Even Ford's former, reliably Republican House seat was won by a Democrat, Richard Vander Veen , who defeated Robert VanderLaan . In the Senate elections , the Democratic majority became 61 in the 100-seat body. The economy was a great concern during the Ford administration. One of the first acts the new president took to deal with the economy

23925-480: Was a belief that controlling inflation would help reduce unemployment. To rein in inflation, it was necessary to control the public's spending. To try to mesh service and sacrifice, "WIN" called for Americans to reduce their spending and consumption. On October 4, 1974, Ford gave a speech in front of a joint session of Congress; as a part of this speech he kicked off the "WIN" campaign. Over the next nine days, 101,240 Americans mailed in "WIN" pledges. In hindsight, this

24090-658: Was a massive military buildup to counter a then-perceived military superiority threat posed by the USSR. The report was released two months after the October 1957 launch of Sputnik , and its recommendations were fully endorsed by Eisenhower in his January 1958 State of the Union address. This initial contact with Kissinger was to develop into a lifelong relationship; Kissinger was later to be described as his closest intellectual associate. From this period Rockefeller employed Kissinger as

24255-635: Was a member of the U.S. delegation at the United Nations (UN) Conference on International Organization at San Francisco in 1945; this gathering marked the UN's founding. At the Conference there was considerable opposition to the idea of permitting, within the UN charter, the formation of regional pacts such as the Act of Chapultepec . Rockefeller, who believed that the inclusion was essential, especially to U.S. policy in Latin America, successfully urged

24420-453: Was a poor student. Generally, in the lower third of his class, he almost failed ninth grade and had undiagnosed dyslexia . Nelson's biographer Joseph E. Persico wrote that as a child he "demonstrated a discipline that throughout life would serve him in lieu of brilliance". Although Nelson was not accepted into Princeton University , he got into Dartmouth College , arriving on campus in 1926. While in college, he met Mary Todhunter Clark at

24585-529: Was also promoted to the position of junior varsity head football coach at Yale. While at Yale, Ford began working as a model. He initially worked with the John Robert Powers agency before investing in the Harry Conover agency, with whom he modelled until 1941. While attending Yale Law School, Ford joined a group of students led by R. Douglas Stuart Jr. , and signed a petition to enforce

24750-476: Was an ambitious study created to define the central problems and opportunities facing the United States in the future, and to clarify national purposes and objectives. The reports were published individually as they were released and were republished together in 1961 as Prospect for America: The Rockefeller Panel Reports . The Special Studies Project came into national prominence with the early release of its military subpanel's report, whose principal recommendation

24915-733: Was assigned to the Athletic Department until April 1945. From the end of April 1945 to January 1946, he was on the staff of the Naval Reserve Training Command, Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinois , at the rank of lieutenant commander . Ford received the following military awards: the American Campaign Medal , the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with nine 3 ⁄ 16 " bronze stars (for operations in

25080-491: Was born Leslie Lynch King Jr. on July 14, 1913, at 3202 Woolworth Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska , where his parents lived with his paternal grandparents. He was the only child of Dorothy Ayer Gardner and Leslie Lynch King Sr. , a wool trader. His paternal grandfather was banker and businessman Charles Henry King , and his maternal grandfather was Illinois politician and businessman Levi Addison Gardner . Ford's parents separated just sixteen days after his birth and his mother took

25245-408: Was criticized for abruptly switching from advocating a tax increase to a tax reduction. In Congress, the proposed amount of the tax reduction increased to $ 22.8 billion in tax cuts and lacked spending cuts. In March 1975, Congress passed, and Ford signed into law, these income tax rebates as part of the Tax Reduction Act of 1975 . This resulted in a federal deficit of around $ 53 billion for

25410-435: Was involved in the Boy Scouts of America , and earned that program's highest rank, Eagle Scout . He is the only Eagle Scout to have ascended to the U.S. presidency. Ford attended Grand Rapids South High School, where he was a star athlete and captain of the football team. In 1930, he was selected to the All-City team of the Grand Rapids City League . He also attracted the attention of college recruiters. Ford attended

25575-407: Was little the United States should or could do toward changing the political atmosphere in other countries, there was no reason to attempt to use economic aid as a political tool. This was the justification to reduce economic aid in Latin America. The Rockefeller report called for some aid to continue but the report recommended creating more effective aid programs. In 1967 Rockefeller won approval of

25740-462: Was named by Ford as the youngest-ever Secretary of Defense . Ford chose a young Wyoming politician, Richard Cheney , to replace Rumsfeld as his new Chief of Staff; Cheney became the campaign manager for Ford's 1976 presidential campaign . The 1974 Congressional midterm elections took place in the wake of the Watergate scandal and less than three months after Ford assumed office. The Democratic Party turned voter dissatisfaction into large gains in

25905-444: Was not doing what was necessary to win the war. Public sentiment also began to move against Johnson, and the 1966 midterm elections produced a 47-seat swing in favor of the Republicans. This was not enough to give Republicans a majority in the House, but the victory gave Ford the opportunity to prevent the passage of further Great Society programs. Ford's private criticism of the Vietnam War became public knowledge after he spoke from

26070-403: Was one of 83 instructors and taught elementary navigation skills, ordnance, gunnery, first aid, and military drill. In addition, he coached all nine sports that were offered, but mostly swimming, boxing, and football. During the year he was at the Preflight School, he was promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade , on June 2, 1942, and to lieutenant, in March 1943. After Ford applied for sea duty, he

26235-502: Was personally interested in the planning, design, and construction of the many projects initiated during his administration, consistent with his interest in architecture. In addition, Rockefeller's construction programs included the US$ 2 billion South Mall in Albany , later renamed the Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza by Gov. Hugh Carey in 1978. It is a 98-acre (40 ha) campus of skyscrapers housing state offices and public plazas punctuated by an egg-shaped arts center. Along with

26400-462: Was selected for the Eastern Team in the Shriners' East–West Shrine Game at San Francisco (a benefit for physically disabled children), played on January 1, 1935. As part of the 1935 Collegiate All-Star football team, Ford played against the Chicago Bears in the Chicago College All-Star Game at Soldier Field . In honor of his athletic accomplishments and his later political career, the University of Michigan retired Ford's No. 48 jersey in 1994. With

26565-401: Was sent in May 1943 to the pre-commissioning detachment for the new aircraft carrier USS  Monterey  (CVL-26) , at New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey . From the ship's commissioning on June 17, 1943, until the end of December 1944, Ford served as the assistant navigator, Athletic Officer, and antiaircraft battery officer on board the Monterey . While he was on board,

26730-711: Was the 41st vice president of the United States , serving from 1974 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford . He had previously served as the 49th governor of New York from 1959 to 1973, the longest-serving governor of the state since the end of the Revolutionary War. Rockefeller was a member of the Republican Party and the wealthy Rockefeller family . Rockefeller served as assistant secretary of State for American Republic Affairs for Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman (1944–1945), as well as Undersecretary of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) under Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1954. A son of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller , as well as

26895-483: Was the only son of Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller and schoolteacher Laura Spelman . Their mother, Abby, was a daughter of Senator Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich and Abigail P. Greene. Rockefeller grew up in his family's homes in New York City (mainly at 10 West 54th Street), a country home in Pocantico Hills, New York , and a summer home in Seal Harbor, Maine . The family also travelled widely. He received his elementary, middle, and high school education at

27060-404: Was to create, by Executive Order on September 30, 1974, the Economic Policy Board. In October 1974, in response to rising inflation, Ford went before the American public and asked them to " W hip I nflation N ow". As part of this program, he urged people to wear " WIN " buttons. At the time, inflation was believed to be the primary threat to the economy, more so than growing unemployment; there

27225-437: Was viewed as simply a public relations gimmick which had no way of solving the underlying problems. The main point of that speech was to introduce to Congress a one-year, five-percent income tax increase on corporations and wealthy individuals. This plan would also take $ 4.4 billion out of the budget, bringing federal spending below $ 300 billion. At the time, inflation was over twelve percent. The federal budget ran

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