A recent Op Ed by Jeffrey Toobin in the New York Times reminds us of how different Gerald Ford was from many Republican leaders of today. Toobin reports that Ford had no regrets about his appointment of Justice Stevens, who is a supporter of key constitutional protections for women, including Roe v. Wade and the right to privacy, and nondiscrimination in employment and education. Toobin also describes Ford’s recent support of affirmative action at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. When the program came under attack, Ford stated that ending affirmative action would lead “future college students to suffer the cultural and social impoverishment that afflicted my generation.” In addition, Ford provided the impetus for a “friend of the court” brief in the Supreme Court filed on behalf of high-ranking retired military leaders that is often credited with helping to convince swing vote Justice O’Connor to allow affirmative action at the University of Michigan Law School. In sharp contrast, the current Administration opposed the use of affirmative action at the University of Michigan, and other efforts to promote diversity. The country would be well-served by more Supreme Court appointments like the one made by President Ford 31 years ago.
