Leslie Lynch King, Jr.

That was the birth name of President Gerald R. Ford, who was subsequently adopted by his stepfather and took the name we all know.

Why do I know this?

Well, it turns out the former president and I share some common ancestors back in 17th Century Nantucket. I uncovered the distant kinship years ago while researching my connection to colonial patriarch Tristram Coffin.

So, it was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of "Cousin Gerry" this morning . . . or, Leslie Junior as some in the family may know him.

All joking aside, I don't believe President Ford gets nearly enough credit from historians. He did a lot to restore faith in our government. And, if just 1.5% of the electorate had switched their vote on Election Day 1976, the country could have been spared the disaster that was (and continues to be) Jimmy Carter.

Remember, Ford had negotiated a treaty with Brezhnev to reduce the nuclear threat, and had initiated economic reforms to fight stagflation. Of course, all that was thrown out the window when the vainglorious peanut farmer came to town.

I guess I should drop that line of thought, at least today. Not only can we not go back and change history, I think it would be better to honor the uniting spirit that was Gerald R. Ford.