Formality Quotes
The Presidnt Elect illustrated in this quote how informal he was. Many people saw that as being acccessible; others saw it as a sign of no organziation or sense of structure that is needed for any high level political job, much less the presidency.
In the Nez Perce and most other Native American societies, there were Chiefs and occasionally, for special circumstances, War Chiefs, but few if any other officials, thus producing a very flat, egalitarian society. But the whites had many layers of bureaucrats and petty officials. Governors, The President, Members of Congress, State Legislators, Generals, Sheriffs, Indian Agents, tax collectors, and the like. On the Papago Indian reservation, there was great difficulty on a construction project as even the concept of a work foreman was an uncomfortable notion. No Papago wanted to be directed or ordered about by anyone else even on a work gang. And do no one wanted to assume a position of authority or be responsive to a fellow other than the Chief and the tribal elders.
The Queen was visiting the White House just before a State Dinner. She and Mrs. Ford were in the Presidential Living Quarters when the Ford’s son, not realizing that there was a visitor, entered bare chested to try and find a pair of cufflinks from his father’s jewelry. Mrs Ford apologized to the Queen and this was her reply.
Ford, then Vice President, was attending a Senate Republican policy luncheon during the Watergate crisis. The senators began discussing the possibility of sending a delegation to President Nixon, advising him to resign.
