What reason did ford give for pardoing Richard Nixon?

Answer 1

The long period of delay and protracted litigation that would precede a Nixon trial would polarize the country, stir up hard feelings, make the country look bad on the international scene and generally do no good for anybody. He believed that Nixon had suffered enough punishment already by being forced to give up his presidency in disgrace.

It would help the nation focus on pressing problems.

Answer 2

It would help the nation focus on pressing problems

Answer 3

The long period of delay and protracted litigation that would precede a Nixon trial would polarize the country, stir up hard feelings, make the country look bad on the international scene and generally do no good for anybody. He believed that Nixon had suffered enough punishment already by being forced to give up his presidency in disgrace.

It would help the nation focus on pressing problems.

Answer 4

The long period of delay and protracted litigation that would precede a Nixon trial would polarize the country, stir up hard feelings, make the country look bad on the international scene and generally do no good for anybody. He believed that Nixon had suffered enough punishment already by being forced to give up his presidency in disgrace.

It would help the nation focus on pressing problems.

Answer 5

It was distracting the US from focusing on more pressing problems

Answer 6

President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon to try and put Watergate in the past and concentrate on the important problems the USA had in 1974, such as the Energy Crisis, and unemployment, and the fact that the Communists were threatening to overrun South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos

Watergate was a "third rate burglary and a first rate cover up". It cost Richard Nixon his Presidency. He resigned after being reelected in 1972 with a massive landslide. Ford knew that enemies of Nixon would not be content until they had brought him to trial . He knew the attempts to get indictments and a possible trial would distract the government from more important matters and would attract publicity in foreign countries that would damage the prestige of the United States.

Enough was enough. Time to move on and deal with more important problems.

Answer 7

It's quite possible no one will ever know all the answers. For sure, the whole Watergate scandal and the impending Impeachment trail proved just too distracting in conducting other important matters challenging the nation at that time. As Ford said, when issuing the pardon: "Our national nightmare is over".

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Nixon was never convicted

he thought it was the right thing to do

Answer 8

Nixon had already resigned and so had paid a great price for whatever he did. Ford saw no reason to allow vindictive people to file charges against Nixon and possibly succeed in getting an indictment that would result in a long, expensive, political trial that could not do any good for the country or its standing in the world. Much better to let the matter end, even though the pardon likely cost Ford his chance for re-election.

Answer 9

It would help the nation focus on pressing problems. (was the right for me in apex)