[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 275]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       OLE NUMBER 48--GERALD FORD

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, when President Gerald Ford played football 
for Michigan, he was the team's center on offense. He touched the ball 
on every play. The play could not begin without Gerald Ford snapping 
the ball. Others on the team, however, the quarterback, running back 
and receivers, made all the headlines, but that was fine with Gerald 
Ford. As the center he was neither on the right nor the left but in the 
middle of the charge to move the ball over the goal line.
  Gerald Ford and Michigan were successful. Michigan won two national 
championships. Gerald Ford was offered contracts with NFL teams, such 
as the Detroit Lions. He chose law school instead, served in World War 
II, fought in that great war, and was a Member of this very House.
  When he became President, ole No. 48, President Ford, took the ball 
again, but this time on the field of American discontent about 
corruption and war. He stayed in the center and once again was 
successful in moving Team America across the goal line of healing and 
hope.
  However, when entering a room, President Ford always preferred the 
band not play the traditional Hail to the Chief but, rather, the 
Michigan fight song.
  Thank you, President Ford, for playing ball for Team America.
  And that's just the way it is.

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