Column: An act of cowardice — arising from fear of Trump — tarnishes award meant to honor courage
Every year, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation bestows an award meant to honor acts of political courage. The criteria include strength of character, sound judgment, decisiveness (“particularly during periods of crisis”) and determination “in the face of adversity.” David Hume Kennerly, a member of the foundation board, had in mind the perfect candidate: Liz Cheney. The former Wyoming lawmaker sacrificed her political career and was effectively excommunicated from the Republican Party for defying President Trump and overseeing the congressional probe into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, as well as Trump’s treacherous attempts to overturn the 2020 election. “There was only one human on the planet who should have been getting that award,” Kennerly, who served as White House photographer during the Ford administration, said in an interview. “She checked every box.” But the foundation’s executive committee ignored Kennerly’s recommendation and passed over Cheney — even after others declined the award — citing concerns that, as a possible 2024 presidential candidate, her selection could imperil the group’s tax-exempt status. It’s a fig leaf so thin the merest whisper of a breeze wafts it away. In