Gerald Ford Statue Dedicated In Capitol

WASHINGTON  (WWJ/AP) - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder was among the many in Washington D.C. for Tuesday's unveiling of a bronze statue of President Gerald Ford in the Capitol Rotunda.

Ford became president when Nixon resigned in 1974 amid the Watergate scandal. He died in 2006 at the age of 93. He's is the only president in America's history who was not elected either president or vice president.

Ford represented western Michigan in Congress before President Richard Nixon chose him to replace the disgraced Vice President Spiro Agnew.

Gov. Snyder says President Ford served the state of Michigan in many ways.

"He was a role model from his college days at the University of Michigan, winning those national championships. And I'm sure he'd be rooting for the next one to come soon," said the Governor.

But he also served our state in Congress for nearly 25 years from the  Grand Rapids area, and was a role model for many," Snyder said.

Also at the unveiling were leaders of Congress, as well as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Steven Ford, President Ford's son, and his daughter, Susan Ford Bales.

The statue will replace a statue of Michigan abolitionist Zachariah Chandler. Federal law lets each state display two statues in the Capitol at one time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.