When The Center Held: Gerald Ford And The Rescue Of The American Presidency

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Synopsis

“A personal look behind the scenes” (Publishers Weekly) of the presidency of Gerald Ford as seen through the eyes of Donald Rumsfeld—New York Times bestselling author and Ford’s former Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff, and longtime personal confidant.

In the wake of Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, it seemed the United States was coming apart. America had experienced a decade of horrifying assassinations; the unprecedented resignation of first a vice president and then a president of the United States; intense cultural and social change; and a new mood of cynicism sweeping the country—a mood that, in some ways, lingers today.

Into that divided atmosphere stepped an unexpected, unelected, and largely unknown American—Gerald R. Ford. In contrast to every other individual who had ever occupied the Oval Office, he had never appeared on any ballot either for the presidency or the vice presidency. Ford simply and humbly performed his duty to the best of his considerable ability. By the end of his 895 days as president, he would in fact have restored balance to our country, steadied the ship of state, and led his fellow Americans out of the national trauma of Watergate. And yet, Gerald Ford remains one of the least studied and least understood individuals to have held the office of the President of the United States. In turn, his legacy also remains severely underappreciated.

In When the Center Held, Ford’s Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld candidly shares his personal observations of the man himself, providing a sweeping examination of his crucial years in office. It is a rare and fascinating look behind the closed doors of the Oval Office, including never-before-seen photos, memos, and anecdotes, from a unique insider’s perspective—“engrossing and informative” (Kirkus Reviews) reading for any fan of presidential history.

Chapters

  • WhenTheCenterHeld 01 Open

    Duration: 42s
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 02 AuthorsNote

    Duration: 15min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 03 Ch01

    Duration: 32min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 04 Ch02

    Duration: 38min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 05 Ch03

    Duration: 50min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 06 Ch04

    Duration: 39min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 07 Ch05

    Duration: 23min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 08 Ch06

    Duration: 39min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 09 Ch07

    Duration: 38min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 10 Ch08

    Duration: 31min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 11 Ch09

    Duration: 56min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 12 Ch10

    Duration: 27min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 13 Ch11

    Duration: 30min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 14 Ch12

    Duration: 35min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 15 Ch13

    Duration: 26min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 16 Ch14

    Duration: 41min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 17 Ch15

    Duration: 45min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 18 Epilogue

    Duration: 16min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 19 Timeline

    Duration: 10min
  • WhenTheCenterHeld 20 Credits

    Duration: 01min