When the Center Held

Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the American Presidency

By: Donald Rumsfeld

Narrated by: Danny Campbell, Donald Rumsfeld

“A personal look behind the scenes” (Publishers Weekly) of the presidency of Gerald Ford as seen through the eyes of Donald Rumsfeld—New York Times bestselling author and Ford’s former Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff, and longtime personal confidant.

In the wake of Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, it seemed the United States was coming apart. America had experienced a decade of horrifying assassinations; the unprecedented resignation of first a vice president and then a president of the United States; intense cultural and social change; and a new mood of cynicism sweeping the country—a mood that, in some ways, lingers today.

Into that divided atmosphere stepped an unexpected, unelected, and largely unknown American—Gerald R. Ford. In contrast to every other individual who had ever occupied the Oval Office, he had never appeared on any ballot either for the presidency or the vice presidency. Ford simply and humbly performed his duty to the best of his considerable ability. By the end of his 895 days as president, he would in fact have restored balance to our country, steadied the ship of state, and led his fellow Americans out of the national trauma of Watergate. And yet, Gerald Ford remains one of the least studied and least understood individuals to have held the office of the President of the United States. In turn, his legacy also remains severely underappreciated.

In When the Center Held, Ford’s Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld candidly shares his personal observations of the man himself, providing a sweeping examination of his crucial years in office. It is a rare and fascinating look behind the closed doors of the Oval Office, including never-before-seen photos, memos, and anecdotes, from a unique insider’s perspective—“engrossing and informative” (Kirkus Reviews) reading for any fan of presidential history.

A forgotten president

I am not sure how to classify this book. Is it a biography of Gerald Ford or a memoir of Donald Rumsfeld’s time as Ford’s Chief of Staff? I think it is more of a memoir of Rumsfeld. The book is definitely biased as Rumsfeld’s admiration of Ford come through loud and clear. Ford came to the presidency when the country was in crisis and chaos after the resignation of Richard Nixon. The economy was in trouble as inflation was at a fifty-year high. Ford’s strong response to the Khmer Rouge’s seizure of the merchant ship U.S. Mayaguez in international waters told the world that there was a president in control of the country. Ford signed the Helsinki Accords on Human Rights. Ford brought stability back to the country.

The book is well written and documented. Rumsfeld provided an insider view of Ford’s presidency. Rumsfeld kept a daily diary which he used in writing the book. Rumsfeld reveals the chaos in the country and how with a steady hand Ford brought the country back to normalcy. Even though I lived through this period, the book was a great reminder of the times and provided insider information. I highly recommend this book.

The book is just over ten hours. Danny Campbell does a great job narrating the book. Campbell is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator. Campbell has won multiple Earphone Awards. I have enjoyed listening to Campbell many times over the years reading a variety of different audiobooks.

Great insight to a wonderful life.

I really enjoyed the video. Well done. I remember so much of the story first hand. I didn’t appreciate him at the time so this was a great lesson.

A conscious effort to heal and have transparency

President Ford was very deliberate about trying to heal the nation and to bring about transparency. A very difficult task for anyone. 

The Life of Donald Rumsfeld under President Ford

I was disappointed with this biography of Gerald Ford. It is more about Rumsfeld and his opinions than Ford. Too full of what he did during Ford's Presidency than a biography of Ford.

Ford's story?

I enjoyed hearing more about Pres. Ford's time in office but I believe the author inserted himself a tad too often. Seemingly always having the right word, thought or deed to aid the President.