Former US presidents hail Ford as 'man of principle;' Most disputed decision: pardoning Nixon

Rawstory:
Washington - Former US President Gerald R Ford, thrust into office by Richard Nixon's 1974 resignation, was remembered Wednesday as a down-to-earth man of integrity who strove to heal a nation deeply divided by the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War.

Ford, who died Tuesday at his California home at age 93, moved up from vice president after Nixon quit in disgrace over Watergate. A month later, Ford made the most disputed decision of a low-key political career by pardoning Nixon, shielding his predecessor from criminal charges.