> Who is the only U.S. President to serve as both President and Vice Presidentwithout being elected to either office?And the answer: Gerald Ford.In 1972, Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew won the Republican ticket for Presidentand Vice President. The next year, Agnew resigned due to scandal, and Nixonappointed Gerald Ford as VP. The following year, Nixon resigned due to theWatergate scandal, and Ford became President.Photo credit: public domain.Gerald Ford is known as the President who wasn'tmeant to be. After growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and graduating fromYale Law School, Ford served in the U.S. Navy in World War II before earning aseat in the U.S. Congress. During his 25 years in Congress, Ford rose throughthe ranks to become the Republican House Minority Leader. Known for his work onforeign policy, the space program, and the Warren Commission, Ford's high regardin Congress ultimately brought his name to the top of the list after Agnew'sresignation.Nixon recognized Ford's popularity within the House of Representatives, andchose him knowing he would not have to fight for his confirmation. However, lessthan a year after Ford became Vice President, Nixon became the first Presidentto resign from office, leading Ford to yet another job upgrade. He was sworn inas President of the United States on August 9, 1974. A month later, he pardonedNixon in the single most controversial act of his presidency. But Ford had other problems to tackle. The new President inherited a countryriddled with insecurity and loss following the Vietnam War — he even faced suchextremes as two assassination attempts on his life. Yet, Ford still managed toclaim some foreign policy victories. He was the first President to visit Japan,and effectively negotiated a detente with the Soviet Union. Ultimately, he lostreelection to Jimmy Carter in 1976.Learn more about this unique President below.