Flight of Three Presidents

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When the Americans reassembled after the funeral ceremonies for the long flight back home, Nixon was off on his singular mission. The circle of three broken, Ford and Carter were ready for their joint press conference. There was shock in Jerusalem and surprise in Washington when they agreed that sooner or later the U.S. would have to deal with the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the search for Middle East peace resumed in the wake of Sadat's death. Jody Powell found himself running the Xerox machine as in days of yore. And some travelers thought they saw in Rosalynn's eyes a longing for the old grandeur. So it went, on the most remarkable jet journey of our time.