Gerald R. Ford

38th President of the United States (1974-1977)

Vice-President of the United States (1973-1974)

House Minority Leader (1965-1973)

U.S. Prepresentative from Michigan's 5th district (1949-1973)

Gerald Rudolph Ford, the 38th President of the United States, was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. Two weeks before he was elected to his first term in Congress, Ford married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Bloomer, on October 15, 1948. In 1965, Ford narrowly won the position of minority leader of the House, and took over the position early in 1965, holding it for eight years. In both the 1968 and 1972 elections, Ford was a loyal supporter of Richard Nixon, who had been a friend for many years. When Spiro Agnew resigned from the office of Vice President late in 1973, after pleading no contest to a charge of income tax evasion, President Nixon was empowered by the 25th Amendment to appoint a new vice president. Nixon chose Gerald R. Ford, and he was confirmed and sworn in as Vice President of the United States on December 6, 1973. Following the Watergate scandal, Ford became the 38th President of the United States.