Growing in Stature

The Senators and Congressmen who know Jerry Ford well--and there are scores who do--never really questioned his integrity as a man or a politician when the hearings began to confirm his nomination as Vice President. But real doubts remained on both sides of Capitol Hill about Ford's independence of mind and, more important, his strength and vision as a leader if he should ever become President.

Last week, obviously convinced that they were dealing with an honest man, the members of the Senate's Rules Committee turned from the subject of Ford's finances and questioned him at length about his views on Watergate and his concept of the presidency. By answering with candor, Ford not only revealed some important differences between himself and the President, but obviously gained new stature in the eyes of the Senators. His key points:

> While he personally remained convinced of the President's innocence in Watergate and related matters, Ford nonetheless believed that Nixon should forthwith produce whatever documents are necessary to exonerate himself. Said Ford: "Whatever doubts there are must be cleared up."

> Acknowledging that he "fully understood" the decision of Elliot Richardson to resign as Attorney General after the dismissal of Archibald Cox, Ford said: "He felt that a commitment had been made. I assume that if I were in that position I would probably do the same."

> When the FBI quickly moved in to seal off Cox's office after he had been fired, Ford admitted: "It shocked my sensibilities."

> Far from criticizing the press for its coverage of Watergate, Ford said that newsmen were "the most significant contributors" to the exposure of the scandal. Ford said he could not imagine himself making a "hard-line speech" attacking journalists, much less trying to intimidate them, as some White House staffers had done, by advocating the punitive use of antitrust laws or the Internal Revenue Service.

> If he became President, Ford promised, he would regularly seek advice from Congress and the members of his Cabinet--an indirect rebuke to the President, who often consulted neither, relying instead upon his own staff.

> Asked to define his concept of the presidency, Ford said: "I think the President has to be a person of great truth, and the American people have to believe that he is truthful. I think that the President has to lead by example, [displaying] the standards, morally, ethically and otherwise, by which most Americans live their lives."

When Ford was done testifying, West Virginia's Robert Byrd, the assistant leader of the Democrats in the Senate, declared: "I think your answers have been open-handed and frank. You have met some tough questions headon, and I want to commend you."

The committee hopes to vote this week to endorse Ford, allowing the Senate to confirm his nomination before the Thanksgiving recess. Over on the House side, the Judiciary Committee expects to start its hearings this week, hoping to make its recommendation in early December. There is not much doubt about the outcome. About the only critical word came from Texas Representative George Mahon, who observed that while Ford could hit a golf ball a country mile, his short game left something to be desired.

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