The Nation: The Ridicule Problem

Gerald Ford left Washington last week in his distinctive way. After a convivial evening at the White House, he wished guests "a merry Christmas and a merry—uh—a happy New Year." Then, as he was walking toward his helicopter, his legs got tangled up in his dogs' leashes. A day later, he was waiting on the ski-lift line at Vail, Colo., when one of the chairs swung around and almost knocked him over. Two days later, he took a spill on the slopes. Many skiers do the same, of course, but Ford's spill was duly...