This 1989 video clip shows former President Gerald Ford answering a question from an elementary school student about how America will get its first female president. In the exchange, shared on Reddit, Ford explains that the most likely path would be for a woman to become vice president first. He outlines a scenario where a sitting president might die, elevating the female vice president to the presidency.
The former president goes on to suggest that once a woman assumes the presidency, it may become difficult for a man to secure a party nomination in subsequent elections.
Here's a transcript of the exchange:
Student
Mr. Ford, what advice would you give a young lady wanting to become President of the United States?Gerald Ford
Well, I hope we do have a young lady at some point become President of the United States. I can tell you how I think it will happen, because it won't happen in the normal course of events.Either the Republican or Democrat political party will nominate a man for President and a woman for Vice President, and the woman and man will win. So you'll end up with a President, a male, and a Vice President, a female.
And in that term of office of the President, the President will die. And the woman will become President under the law or Constitution. And once that barrier is broken, from then on, men better be careful, because they'll have a hard, hard time ever even getting a nomination in the future.
Previously:
• Remembering the Great Tamale Incident of 1976 that may have cost Gerald Ford the presidency
