Bush visits former President Ford in California

RANCHO MIRAGE, California (Reuters) – President George W.
Bush paid a courtesy call on former President Gerald Ford and
his wife Betty at their California home on Sunday.

Bush kissed Mrs. Ford on the cheek and took the former
president’s arm as they walked into the house.

Ford, 92, the oldest living former U.S. president, was
hospitalized in January for about 10 days with pneumonia. He
took office in 1974 after President Richard Nixon resigned over
the Watergate scandal.

Betty Ford visited the Eisenhower Medical Center last week
to undergo routine medical tests. The former first lady
co-founded the nonprofit Betty Ford Center, which treats drug
and alcohol addiction.

Last week, Ford came to the defense of his former Pentagon
chief, who is Bush’s current defense secretary, Donald
Rumsfeld.

In a letter, Ford said he was “extremely troubled” that a
handful of retired generals were demanding Rumsfeld’s
resignation. Bush has robustly supported Rumsfeld.