Relationship With Gerald R. Ford
Goebel was a friend of Gerald R. Ford's mother and stepfather in Grand Rapids. Goebel played an important role in guiding Ford to the University of Michigan. When Ford graduated from Grand Rapids South High School, Goebel recognized Ford’s ability as a football player and recommended him to his former teammate Harry Kipke, who had taken over as Michigan’s head football coach. Kipke recruited Ford, who became Michigan's Most Valuable Player in 1934.
In 1940, Goebel was part of a citizen's group in Grand Rapids seeking to overthrow Grand Rapids' political boss, Frank McKay. McKay had dismissed Ford’s political interest in 1940, and this led to a long political alliance between Goebel and Ford. Ford went to work with Goebel as part of the anti-McKay citizen’s group. Together, they organized the "Home Front," the purpose of which was to throw out Boss McKay. Ford was elected president of the organization, his first experience in political organizing.
Ford and Goebel both served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after the war, Ford urged Goebel to run for Congress against the incumbent, an isolationist named Barney Jonkman. Goebel declined to run, but suggested to Ford that, "if you think he ought to be beaten, why don't you run?" Ford did run for Congress in 1948, and Goebel was one of his close circle of early supporters, the original Ford-for-Congress group. Ford won the election and won re-election for twelve more terms. In 1960, Goebel was a leader in the movement to nominate Ford as the Vice Presidential candidate on the ticket with Richard Nixon, serving as Chairman of the "Ford for Vice President Committee" at the Republican National Convention in Chicago.
When Goebel's son, Paul G. Goebel, Jr., ran for Ford's Congressional seat in 1974, then President Ford returned to Grand Rapids to campaign for Goebel's son. Ford delivered a speech at Calvin College in Grand Rapids the week before the election in which he said: "Paul Goebel I have known since he was just a lad. His dad knew me when I was back at South High--an inspired if not very competent football player. But I have known the Goebel family a long time, and they are strong and they are tall, and they are the kind of people who are dedicated to public service. Paul, Jr.'s, father was; Paul, Jr., himself is. And I have seen nothing but the finest in that family, and young Paul, he epitomizes all the great characteristics of that family."
Read more about this topic: Paul G. Goebel
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