I saw it what, two hours ago? Scrolling across the bottom of the screen whilst channel surfing (this moments after eldest son left with his female companion).

Former President Gerald Ford died, at 93.

It's all across the webnews, now. Editors throwing out quickly updated copy and biographies that have probably been on file for years. Earlier today I had been reading how much of the Russian population has never lived under Soviet rule. And I have to wonder now, how many Americans have no clue what Gerald Ford did for this country?

On his first day in the Presidency.

After that first day, well, I suspect he was just your typical, above-average president. We made fun of him because he slipped coming off an airplane once, and hit his head another time. He got the job of cleaning up someone else's dirty little war, a similar task that I suspect Dubya will pass on to one of his successors (hopefully the first one, and not several elections down the road).

Ford had the title of being American's only unelected President.

If you don't know what that means, or how it came to be, go read a history book. But, after the 2000 elections, there may be many who would dispute that claim of "the only".

But on his first day on the job, President Gerald Ford pardoned the second-worst president the US of A has ever had.

Not only did he pardon Nixon, but he pardoned him for any and all illegal things Tricky Dick might have done.

Boy, was Ford vilified for that. (By me included.) It had all the makings of a pre-arranged, corrupt inside deal, and we Americans had had just about enough of that.

We wanted blood.

And President Ford took that away from us.

And we had to accept it. And turn our attentions elsewhere. We had to look ahead, instead of spending years stuck in the same ol' quagmire called Watergate.

They say that decision cost him the election in 1976. Cost him his chance to get the job by electoral right. By the choice of the People.

And that he knew that it might.

And did it anyway.

Because it was the right thing to do. Not for his pal Richard Milhouse Nixon, but for America.

That, my friends, is Leadership.

Thank you, Mr. President.