Welcome back to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum! In lesson one, we took you to the Oval Office where you analyzed a letter to learn about a time in history. Let’s head back into the Museum again to learn about the 1976 Presidential election. This time, you'll be analyzing a television commercial that aired during the Ford campaign.

Even though he hadn’t sought the office, Gerald Ford became President following the resignation of President Nixon in 1974. After serving as president during that term, he later announced his candidacy in the 1976 election. Ford campaigned through what his advisors called the Rose Garden strategy, staying in Washington so Americans could see him hard at work. Meanwhile, his family members and vice-presidential nominee, Bob Dole, campaigned across the country. In the end, the election came down to a two-percent difference in the popular vote and Jimmy Carter became our next president. 

Here in the Museum exhibits, we can see examples of artifacts from that campaign including buttons, posters, political cartoons, even Frisbees! One thing you can’t see in the gallery are the commercials that aired on television during the campaign. TV commercials and programs, as long as they are created during the era in which they depict, are considered primary sources. Click to the next slide to watch a campaign commercial from 1976, then use the prompts to help you analyze it as a primary source.