Ford Advises Bush on Running Mate
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WASHINGTON — Former President Gerald R. Ford encouraged George W. Bush to consider an abortion rights advocate as his running mate, saying such a choice could be the difference between winning and losing a close race.
“I think we need, as I’ve said repeatedly, a team that reflects the broadest possible spectrum of the Republican philosophy, which means that somebody who is pro-choice, for example, or at least is more so than some [Republicans] would like,” Ford said Monday at the National Press Club.
Ford, who believes the government shouldn’t interfere with such decisions, said Republicans traditionally have favored individual rights. “To me, freedom means nothing if not the freedom to choose,” he said.
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