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Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford

Published: Mon, 28 Jan 2008, 14:14:53 GMT

Edited by Carly Zander

Radio Host's Disparaging Posthumous Remarks Overshadow Last Words Ford Left the World

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Jan. 28 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Don Imus' disrespectful and disparaging remarks about President Gerald R. Ford a month after his death carried a weight of historic proportions, according to FlatSigned Press, Inc.'s Chairman of the Board Tim Miller. "Because of Don Imus' actions, much of the public never heard about the new information President Ford left the world regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy," says Miller.

Miller's company published President Ford's last written words on the subject in a book titled "President John F. Kennedy: The Assassination Report of the Warren Commission." Published in 2005, the collectible hand-signed, leather-bound, limited edition book featured a forward by President Ford, who was the last surviving member of the Warren Commission.

"This book was chosen by the president to be part of his legacy, a part of his life surviving beyond his death," notes Miller. "Don Imus damaged that legacy by using his considerable influence over the book-buying public to cast a very negative and inaccurate light on the book."

FlatSigned Press, Inc. has sued Don Imus, Infinity Broadcasting, and CBS as a result of off-script and off-color remarks Imus made while reading ad copy to promote the book on his show. The "Imus in the Morning" show was selected to be the highlight in FlatSigned Press, Inc.'s marketing of the book, due to Imus's noted ability to publicize books. Imus' remarks left an indelible negative mark on the publishing company's name.

"The issue of highest concern to me is the fact that Imus' remarks cheapened perceptions of Ford's last work and insulted a much beloved American president in the process," says Miller. "Until I worked with Ford and published this book, I'd never believed in a conspiracy, and to Ford's dying day he would never admit to or claim that there was a conspiracy, yet his comments in the forward are laced with hints that warrant thoughtful consideration that there may be more information that the Warren Commission couldn't discuss in 1963."

What Imus did not tell his listeners that is included within Ford's final book is a discussion of the lingering questions and conspiracy theories surrounding the Kennedy assassination and a wide range of topics about Ford's own life, the issues he inherited as president, the two assassination attempts on him during his presidency, his internal struggles over his Presidential pardon of President Richard M. Nixon, his analysis of the current economic climate, and his views on modern politics, including the breakdown of communications within the Central Intelligence Agency leading up to and during the September 11th attacks.

About FlatSigned Press, Inc.
FlatSigned Press, Inc. is an internet, retail rare book and publishing company specializing in the procurement, sale and publishing of rare and collectible books, first-edition signed books, manuscripts, historical documents, art, and autographs. FlatSigned Press, Inc. was founded in 1998. FlatSigned.com, went online in April 2000. The term FlatSigned was coined by author Stephen King to describe the most desirable type of collectible book: signed by the author directly on the title page without an inscription. www.flatsigned.com.


Excerpts from Gerald R. Ford's forward to President John F. Kennedy: The Assassination Report of the Warren Commission:

1 "...the biggest concern I have is our loss of U.S. factories and jobs...There has to be a balance, and we need to step back and look at our position in the world. The strength of nations isn't always from guns. There is no question that we need a strong, well-trained military, but it wasn't bombs that brought down the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall - it was economics."

2 "Of all the difficult tasks I confronted during my Presidency, I am most proud of my accomplishment in healing a nation that was ravaged by political scandals, economic instability and a violently protested war."

3 "The Warren Commission didn't consider itself to be infallible, but knowing what was at stake, we took inordinate measures to compensate via thoroughness and acute fastidiousness. We double-checked all information and we cross-examined everyone."

4 "Unlike the 'theorists' of today who espouse one answer and look for some shred of reality to support it, we didn't assume any answer, but investigated all possibilities and let the facts reveal the truth."

5 "Searching for the truth is honorable; obsessing over it for forty years is freedom of the press."

Facts and notable quotes:

6 President Gerald R. Ford wrote the forward to the book "President John F. Kennedy: The Assassination Report of the Warren Commission."

7 Ford worked directly with publisher FlatSigned Press, Inc. and Tim Miller on all aspects of the book, engaging in spirited debate with Miller over the extent of information to be included in the book.

8 The book was published by FlatSigned Press, Inc. in 2005, approximately two-and-a-half years prior to Ford's death.

9 On January 29, 2007, Don Imus referred on air to the ad copy for the book as "cheesy" and went on to state that "these bastards have been waiting for him (President Ford) to croak so they can unload these (books)...now that he's flatlined, you go to Flatsigned.com..."

10 After a warning from CBS producers on January 29, 2007, Imus continued his off-script commentary during purchased ad spots with comments such as, "now that ol' President Ford has flatlined...buy your piece of American history at Flatsigned.com. They gotta be...this has gotta be a joke..."

11 Imus' disparaging remarks continued on January 30, 2007, when he said during ad spots "Poor ol' Gerald Ford went flatlined, now you can go to Flatsigned.com and get his book...they asked me not to say that, but..."

12 FlatSigned Press, Inc. and Tim Miller filed suit against Don Imus, Infinity Broadcasting, and CBS on January 23, 2008.

Organization Contact
Tim Miller, Chairman of the Board
FlatSigned Press, Inc.
+1 (615) 268-5245
timmiller @ flatsigned.com
www.flatsigned.com

Editorial Contact
Traci Dakins, Account Executive
Mulberry Street Market Intelligence
+1 (360) 423-5552
tdakins @ msmarketintel.com
www.msmarketintel.com

 Send2Press® is the originating wire service for this story.

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