Kendall,

   The Mayaguez was held as a hostage by Khmer Rouge Pirates. Ford gave them three days to give up the ship and her crew. They didn't and Ford promised there wouldn't be another Pueblo incident and ordered in the Coral Sea and other ships and after several days of battle involving the marines and naval personal the Mayaguez and her crew were retaken. To me Gerald Ford showed something that Nixon lacked at the time. Decisive action.
    The battle involved loss of life by the Americans. The loss of life wasn't Ford's fault but when he was aked about it by the press he said it happened on his watch and the responsibility was his Ford wasn't in power to do much beyond Nixon's shadow but he did I think was honest and intent on getting the country back on it's feet.      
    Pardoning Nixon was political suicide and Ford must have known it. But viewing it as a means to getting the country away from the taint of Nixon and moving ahead as a country Ford chose the pardon rather than a near certain re-election. To me this shows Ford had character. Something we hadn't seen in awhile.
    Ford was also filled with the human screw ups that we do everyday. Fall down stairs, drive golfballs other than straight, mis-pronounce the names of people we know. I think he was just a regular, hard working guy who suddenly found himself in job he never aspired to and hadn't planned on, but he went in and did the best he could.

Don