18. The shortest-serving president to not die in office, Gerald Ford suffered the shame of being the only American president to never win a nationwide election
The only individual to serve as both President and Vice President of the United States without being elected to either office, Gerald Ford served as the 38th commander-in-chief from August 1974 to January 1977. Ascending to Nixon’s right hand following the resignation of Spiro Agnew due to corruption charges, Ford subsequently rose to replace Nixon after the latter’s departure as a result of the Watergate scandal. Despite facing a strong challenge in the Republican primaries, Ford was nevertheless narrowly selected as the party’s nominee for the 1976 presidential election, facing off against the former Governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter.
Attempting to portray himself as a seasoned leader in contrast to Carter’s lack of experience on the world stage, Ford, facing already insurmountable odds, willfully provided his opponent with the fatal ammunition. Pardoning Nixon on September 8, 1974, absolving his former boss for his crimes, Ford immeasurably attached himself to a legacy of corruption and created an impression within the public consciousness of a “corrupt bargain” behind Nixon’s resignation. Coupled with a poor economy and the fall of Saigon, Ford lost the election by 297 to 240 Electors, departing the White House himself after just 895 days in residence.