George H. W. Bush is currently the oldest living American president, beating out Jimmy Carter by three and a half months. For a time, however, the record was held by Gerald Ford who lived longer than any other U.S. president before dying at the age of 93 years and 165 days.

Ford became president at a tumultuous time in American politics, and his physical mishaps, especially an epic trip and fall down the steps of Air Force One, provided Chevy Chase with choice material on the TV show, Saturday Night Live. In fact, however, Ford was quite athletic: He had played on two championship football teams for the University of Michigan, and was named to the college all-stars team. He was also an avoid golfer and skier. More importantly for our purposes, he loved dogs!  He’s best remembered for owning “Liberty,” a Golden Retriever, aka Honor’s Foxfire Liberty Hume, AKC Registration Number SB578950, and even spoke about her in a tribute to William Scranton in a 1974 speech:

“This puppy has really taken over the White House. In fact, you may have seen some of us laughing up here during dinner. As I reached in my pocket to get a match to light my pipe, look what I pulled out of the pocket — some dog biscuits!

“Let me tell you the story about Susan and Dave and how they bought this dog. I first should preface that the Fords had had two previous golden retrievers. One lived 13 years and died, and then another one died a year ago in August after 9 years. So we are fairly partial, I would say, to golden retrievers.

“Well, Dave and Susan called up a very highly recommended individual who had contacts with the people who raise golden retrievers all over the country. And Dave, as I understand it — who is communicating with the breeder who happened to have a golden retriever about this age — Dave asked the individual if they had a dog and was it available, and the owner said that they had this 8-month-old golden retriever, but breeder was a little cautious — they’re very possessive about these dogs — and he asked in a very nice way who the dog’s owner would be.

“And they said, Dave and Susan, that they had to keep it a secret. Well, the kennel owner said that they don’t sell dogs that way. He would have to know who the dog’s owner would be, and he wanted to know would the dog have a good home.

“So, Dave and Susan very specifically assured the dog owner that it would have a good home. They explained that the parents were friendly and middle-aged and they had four children. The kennel owner said, “That sounds fine. What kind of a house do they live in?”

“Susan and Dave said, “Well, it is a big white house with a fence around it.” The kennel owner said, “This is a big dog. Will it have enough to eat? Does the father have a steady job?” Well, on that question, they were stuck a bit. [Laughter]

“Needless to say they got the dog and, in the appropriate spirit of the city of Philadelphia, we have named her “Liberty.” One of those inquisitive reporters that we have in Washington asked Susan who is going to take care of Liberty; who is going to feed her and groom her and take her out each night or every morning? And Susan did not hesitate one minute. She said, “Of course, it will be Dad.” So, I have this feeling — this is one Liberty that is going to cost me some of mine. [Laughter]

But in a very broader sense, that is the true nature of liberty. It comes with both privileges and obligations. Freedom, we all know, is seldom free.”

It’s probably a stretch to suggest that Ford having grown up with Boston Terrier – the first Non-Sporting Dog bred in the United States, was influenced by the breed Yankee history, but it’s fun to put it to conjecture.

Thumbnail image of Gerald Ford as a child with his Boston Terriers