"A working person who voted for Ford is like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders" (1976).

Mondale says Ford tripped on job views NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Sen. Walter Mondale said Friday the debate between Jimmy Carter and President Ford showed Carter "felt the pain of unemployment" and Ford was unable "to get the word unemployment out of his mouth." "I don't blame Mr. Ford last night for never talking about unemployment. He's been a miserable failure, the Democratic vice presidential candidate told convention of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. "Gov. Carter is not only willing to face up to the issue; it was clear he also felt the pain of unemployment." Mondale planned to return to Washing. ton for a series of appearances over the weekend. Ford did not refer to the unemployment rate during the debate. Instead, he repeatedly spoke of his administration having "added employment of about four million (workers) in the last 17 months.' In the 17 months since the low-point of the recession, Labor Department figures show total employment has increased by 3.9 million to a record 88 million. But that hasn't been fast enough to absorb the increase of 2.9 million people in the work force, now totaling 95.5 million. As a result, 7.5 million workers still were unemployed last month and the jobless rate fell from its 8.9 per cent recession peak only to 7.9 per cent. The rates are the highest since the depression years of the 1930s. Mondale said: "If for no other reason, he (Ford) should lose the next election to find out how unemployment feels." His statement brought applause and cheers from the union leaders. The Minnesota senator accused Ford of trying "to lead the American people to believe something he knows is not true, that employment is on the rise.' Fifteen minutes into the debate, Ford lost his buoyancy and the President's handling of the debate went downhill after that, Mondale said. Recalling a picture of Ford posing last weekend with a cow, Mondale said: "That explains where Ford got his information that he used in the debate last night." Borrowing a line from a union man who spoke to him as he came into the hall, Mondale said a working person who votes for Ford "is like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders."

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"A working person who voted for Ford is like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders" (1976).

"A working person who voted for Ford is like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders" (1976).

Fort Worth Star-Telegram