Well, I thought I was done with Gerald Ford, but I came across this picture and couldn’t resist. Much has been written by now about how Ford was an under-rated president, as well as a thoroughly decent human being. What hasn’t been mentioned all that much is that he was, like myself, a dedicated pipe smoker. I’ve always felt an affinity for this particular president, even long before I knew he was a fellow pipe smoker. When I did find out that he smoked a pipe, it all made sense to me.
I love this picture. At first glance, it’s just a picture of a United States President sitting in the Oval Office, looking, well, presidential. But if you look a little closer, you will see that Ford, like all pipe smokers, littered his environment with the accoutrements of his favored mode of smoking. In the foreground there is a pipe sitting in what appears to be a crystal pipe holder. In the background you will see a pipe rack with three pipes, in close proximity to the presidential hand. (No pipe smoker has only one pipe. Just trust me on this one.) No doubt there is a tobacco jar close by.
All of this might seem a little bewildering to the non-smoker, but to a fellow pipe smoker it makes perfect sense. You can always tell the home or office of a pipe smoker, as he (or she) is always careful to have at least a few pipes near at hand. They usually form a part of the decor. They certainly do in my house. It is no coincidence that in his presidential portrait, Ford is holding a pipe. To the pipe smoker, the pipe is no mere means of imbibing tobacco smoke; it is a means of self expression.
Even in these politically correct times, the pipe conjures up pleasant images in the minds of most people. Somehow pipe smokers get a bit of a free pass that cigarette smokers do not enjoy. Most people have memories of a beloved grandfather smoking his pipe, memories which are brought back to the fore whenever the aroma of pipe tobacco is encountered. In many people’s minds the pipe conjures up images of a safer, less threatening world. Reassuring figures such as Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Inspector Maigret, or even Gandalph and Aragorn are asssociated with the pipe. As the man who restored America’s faith in the presidency, our last pipe smoking president surely belongs in such company.
–Smith
Thought I’d see this pic tonight.
Nice post regarding the former president.
And yes, pipe smokers have a certain ‘feel’ in the discerning eyes of the public.
Ford was favorable in many of those eyes.
We just won’t talk about what he smoked, will we?
Nice post, Smith.
~m
ps. you realize this comment is severely edited
I’ve always wondered what gives pipe tobaccos the differing aromas? Do they just add ’scents’ like they do to candles?
It depends. Some tobaccos, known as “aromatics”, have some sort of flavoring agent added, such as vanilla, chocolate, or cherry. Others, known as “non-aromatics”, do not have any additives but are naturally pungent and aromatic. Some examples of this latter type are Turkish, Latakia, and Perique.
i’ve been away for a couple of weeks so haven’t been commenting (pretty obvious i know) but it was great to come back and see you’ve been busy blogging…nice to see someone follow through on what they say…and before anybody reads this and thinks i’m having a go at them i’m not…well, at least noone on my blogroll
some great stuff you have happening here by the way…impressive..particularly the poetry…hope we see more
Thanks for the kind words. I’ve been trying to live up to my New Year’s resolution! Hopefully I’ll continue to do so.
Very nice tribute to President Ford and an excellent sumation of what a pipe smoker does to his environment. I did a post regarding the President and his contributions to our country around the time of his death. I will puruse your site further in the future. Thank you for your tribute to Mr. Ford.