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Article: Ford, Gerald R., Jr., 1913-
- Article from:
- American Decades
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FORD, GERALD R., JR., 1913-
President of the united states, 1974-1977
The Accidental President
When Gerald Ford became president on 9 August 1974, a unique and perhaps unimaginable series of circumstances brought him to the office. In the wake of the Kennedy assassination, the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1967, changing the constitutional order of presidential succession. Prior to the amendment, the office of vice-president stood vacant if, as in the case of Lyndon Johnson, the vice-president became president. The Twenty-fifth Amendment allowed the president to appoint, with the approval of Congress, a new vice-president. The amendment was passed with the ...