Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr (Leslie Lynch King), 1913-2006

You really had to pity Gerald Ford when he took over the Vice President's position after Spiro Agnew was run out of office like a poison troll. Here he was, a successful and respected member of the House for many years and he gets tapped to bring a bit of luster to the floundering Nixon Administration.

Imagine his shock when Nixon resigned and left him the job, the first President of our age to get the post without being elected.

Talk about your baggage.

Add to all that the national hemorrhage that was Watergate and the tragedy of Vietnam. Ford presided over both of those, along with an economy that sliding deep into the crapper as the inevitable bills came due from our military adventures.

Ford did his best, it must be admitted.

So let the Holy Choir Invisible (recently given a healthy shot of rhythm with its addition of James Brown to its ranks - be fair, Tupac wasn't cutting it) strike up the University of Michigan fight song.

Rest in peace, Jerry.