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    "localId": "4520810",
    "label": "President - Personal Dog (\"Liberty\")",
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    "title": "President - Personal Dog (\"Liberty\")",
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    "coverageEndDate": {
        "logicalDate": "1975-09-01",
        "month": 9,
        "year": 1975
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        "logicalDate": "1975-02-01",
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        "year": 1975
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    "seq": 1,
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    "type": "document",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 48, folder \"President - Personal Dog\n(\"Liberty\")\" of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 48 of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nPreor\nPersonal\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nFebruary 4, 1975\nDear Mr. Greene:\nDonald Rumsfeld has asked me to thank you for your\nvery generous offer to give the First Family a portrait\nof Liberty, the President's dog.\nWhile your thoughtfulness is most appreciated, it is\nthe President's policy not to accept such gifts. I am\nsure that you will understand the basis for this policy\nand can assure you that it is in no way intended to\nreflect upon either yourself or the work of Mr. Davis.\nSincerely,\nPhilip WV Buchen\nCounsel to the President\nMr. Allan Greene\n61 Horatio Street\nNew York, New York 10014\nFORD is LIBRARY OERALD\nGreeney\nallan\n1/28/75\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nKen:\nHero 15 I \"gift\" offer.\nKindly suggest raply\nbehalf of Don R. that\nfor mo to send in\nreflects our probable\npolicy In P. this regard\n3 GERALD LIBRARY\nJanuary 21, 1975\nMr. Donald Rumsfeld\nWhite House Chief of Staff\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue\nWashington, D.C.\nDear Mr. Rumsfeld:\nWatching the Eyewitness Newscast the other day here in New York, We saw\na news item regarding the President's dog, and the celebration of its\nbirthday.\nIt was most interesting, and a wonderful thought developed, and that is why\nI am writing this letter to you.\nI represent an Animal Portrait Photographer, Don Davis. His style is unique\nand beautiful. His is the only type of its kind. Attached is some background\ninformation regarding Mr. Davis.\nWe would like very much to have Mr. Davis photograph the President's Dog, in\nhonor of her birthday, as a gift to the First Family.\nWe would be most happy to come to Washington, if it meets with everyones\napproval. The portrait could be ready within three weeks of the sitting,\nand would make a wonderful gift to the First Family.\nThank you for your kind consideration,\n:-\nFORD\nVery truly yours,\nCellan Greene\nGERALD\nALLAN GREENE\n61 HORATIO STREET\nNEW YORK, NEW YORK 10014\n(212)989-2820\nPres. Personal\n\"Liberty\"\nFebruary 18, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nNANCY HOWE\nFROM:\nPHILIP BUCHEN\nWhen the First Family thinks of finding a\nhusband for Liberty, they have this\nproposal from a would-be swain named Shane.\nPBuchen: sk 2/18/75\nFORD\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\nUNITED STATES ASSOCIATES\nVOLNEY F. MORIN. INC.\nINTERNATIONAL OFFICES\nHARLEAN M. carroll\nLONDON\nEMILIO T. gurrola\nLAW CORPORATION\nMELBOURNE\nVOLNEY F. MORIN\nMEXICO CITY\nJAMES B. RIVES\nTOKYO\nSANDRA S. SAWYER\nFebruary 5, 1975\nOF COUNSEL\nHAROLD A. SHIRCLIFFE\nMr. Philip W. Buchen\nCounsel to the President\nThe White House\nA\nWashington, D.C.\nDear Phil:\nIt wasn't until I read last Sunday's newspaper that I learned\nthat Liberty was a female. This information came in connection\nwith the current stories here on the West Coast as to whether\nLiberty should or should not have the company of a sister from\nher litter.\nR\nI have a better idea. Liberty should have the company of a fine\nAmerican male Golden Retriever.\nIn our house we have Shane. Shane is registered; his genealogy\nand background are impeccable. While he has won first prize in\nObedience School, we have not shown him so he has no prizes as\na show dog. Nonetheless, take it from me, he is a beauty.\nSome quiet moment you might hand this letter to Jerry. And, if\nhe would like Shane to visit Liberty in the White House to sew\nup the California vote, I'll foot the round trip airplane bill.\nKindest regards.\nA\nSincerely\nVFM:mp\nVolney F. Morin\nP.S. Would Liberty like a picture of Shane? He is a year and\none half old.\nLISA GERALD FORD\nPres. Personal\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nDay-Lerty\nWASHINGTON\nJuly 28, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nPHIL BUCHEN\nFROM:\nMAX FRIEDERSDORF wf\nPhil, could you give me a quick reading on this? It would\nappear to be a worthwhile project. As you see, there is\na time problem, so we need to move on it as soon as possible.\nMany thanks.\nFORD is 038870 LIBRARY\nJIM WEAVER\n4TH DISTRICT OREGON\nWASHINGTON OFFICE:\n1723 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING\nCOMMITTEES:\nWASHINGTON, D.C. 20515\nAGRICULTURE\n(202) 225-6416\nINTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS\nCongress of the United States\nDISTRICT OFFICE:\nFEDERAL BUILDING\nHouse of Representatives\n211 EAST 7TH AVENUE\nEUGENE, OREGON 97401\nMashington, D.C. 20515\n(503) 687-6732\nJuly 25, 1975\nThe Honorable Max Frieders JUL 28 1975\nAssistant to the President\nThe White House\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue\nWashington, D. C. 20500\nDear Mr. Friedersdorf:\nI am writing to you on behalf of a community of\n2,000 people in my district in Southwest Oregon. The\ntown, Eagle Point, near Medford, has been raising money\nfor several years to build 6 Little League fields for\nboys and girls, and 2 Babe Ruth diamonds.\nAs a special Bicentennial project, the youngsters\nwill hold a baseball Marathon August 8-10 in an effort\nto earn the remainder of the $75,000 needed to qualify\nfor federal matching funds to complete the fields.\nSince President Ford's dog Liberty is being bred\nin nearby Medford, he has acquired a great deal of\npopularity among the youngsters there. They have\nasked for a dozen (12) baseballs autographed by Mr.\nFord to auction during the marathon.\nWon't you please help us fill their request?\nI believe this project, to give over 600 kids a place\nto play ball, is very noble. I will buy the baseballs.\nSincerely,\nJim Weaver\nJIM WEAVER\nMember of Congress\nJW/mw\nCC: Ed Zander, President, Upper Rogue Baseball Complex\nALD\nLIBRA\nPresident-\nPersonal\nFriday 8/29/75\nLiberty\n7:55 Nell Yates said Mrs. Friberg had called re\nPresidential consent for the books about Liberty.\n(Attached is a copy of the previous; my log doesn't\nshow that it was sent to anyone on the staff, but\nI assume Barry would be working on #????)\nNell said someone needs to be in touch with Mrs. Friberg.\nLIBRARY GERALD : FORD\nPres - Personal\nLiberty\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nMr. Buchen:\nThis could be a troublesome\none.\nd think the President did\ngive a tentative OK ON Mrs.\nFriberg's project 1 but it was\nquite some time go and the\nmatter was very loose.\nwho lult you assign this\nto will want to get same details\nAtten\nF8R0 & LIBRARY 07V830\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nabout the rature of her endravor.\nd'll be qlad to passon a what\nd bnow.\nTerry\nGoldens for honor\n321 Asilomar Avenue\nPacific Grove, California 93950\nJuly 15, 1975\nPresident Gerald R. Ford\nThe White House\n1400 Pennsylvania Avenue\nWashington, D.C.\nDear President Ford,\nYou will remember last winter, your verbal approval of my work on children's educational\nbooks by Liberty. Since that time and during much work these last six (6) months, I\nhave presented a final form of five (5) books to my publisher. Understandably, he has\nstated that he cannot proceed with the books without your written consent. We had hoped\nto finalize illustrations and be well under way next week in order to meet school and\nhumane society demands in the fall.\nI realize how terribly busy you are, but if you would have a moment to send a brief letter\nto me stating your approval of my writing the books as soon as possible, it would be\ndeeply appreciated.\nPlease give Liberty at pet for me. I think of her so often and wish I'd gotten more film\nof her while I was there. My children speak of her constantly after her last visit with\nus while we were still in Alexandria - for her veterinarian check up before her season.\nWe all love her, not just because she belongs to you, but because she is a very special and\nloving dog in her own right.\n\"\nI enclose a brief outline of the form the books will take. It will be wonderful for\nLiberty to educate children - for their own future as well as the welfare of all animals.\nSusan. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. My best regards to Mrs. Ford and\nBest wishes,\nGERALD B. 0803\nAuis FOR HONOR\nAvis Swanson Friberg\nenc.\nFormulation of Children's Books: Educational\nI \"LIBERTY COMES TO THE WHITE HOUSE\"\nFeatures: a. Miracle of birth (gestation, birth, first critical 7 days of life)\nb. Growing up (properdiet, socialization, baby training and manners)\nc. Preparation for new home life (meeting the Nations First Family, learning\nher new role and respensibility of her\nposition, winning many friends)\nII \"LIBERTY GOES TO SCHOOL\"\na. Dog Obedience Workshop with Amior Handlers ages 7 through 12\nb. Health Care\nC. Proper Exercise and Diet\nd. Internal and External Parasite Control\ne. Safety and First Aid Measures\nf. Responsibility to Neighborsand Community\ng. Animal Control Ordinances\nh. Basic Obedience Commands\nIII \"LIBERTY VISITS HER FRIENDS AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY\"\na. Types of animals at animal protection societies\nb. Birth statistics\nc. Threat of unwanted and uneontrolled pets\nd. Work ofHumane people\n8. Costs of our families the humane society services\nf. Health menace of uncontralled pets\n1. pollution\n2. destruction\ng. How young volunteers can help\nIV\n\"LIBERTY VISITS THE HANDICAPPED\"\nFORD\na. Demonstrations of Liberty's acquired knowledge\n1. Ability in obedience\nGERALD\nLISARYA\n2. Conveying the gifts of animal love\n3. Showing commen-bond between teacher/physician and handicapped or\nunderpriviledged.\nSome items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted\nmaterials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to\nthese materials.\nA-2\nThe Washington Star\nTuesday, September 2, 1975\nNames / Faces\nIt Was Bound To Happen\nIn this age of permissive-\nness and expected affairs,\ntalk of pregnancy was\nbound to sweep the White\nHouse and while Mrs. Ford\nhas so far remained silent,\nPresident Ford has. reluc-\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nwashington\nLiberty\nSeptember 16, 1975\nDear Mrs. Friberg:\nIn behalf of the President, I wish to thank you\nvery much for your recent inquiries requesting\nconsent to publish a series of children's\neducational books about Liberty. I regret very\nmuch the delay in responding to your letter.\nI trust you will understand that the President\ncannot take any action which could reasonably be\nconstrued as an endorsement of a particular\ncommercial endeavor or as an endeavor in which he\nor the First Family is in anyway involved. On\nthe other hand, Liberty's name and likeness are\ngenerally considered to be in the public domain\nand are available for appropriate use without\nspecial approval by the White House. You are\nthus free to proceed with these books as long\nas they do not indicate in any way that the\nPresident or the First Family is connected with\nthis project, has endorsed it, or has contributed\nto or approved the subject matter or the contents.\nWith the President's best wishes for your success.\nSincerely,\nPhilip W. Buchen\nCounsel to the President\nMrs. Avis Swanson Friberg\nGoldens for Honor\n321 Asilomar Avenue\nPacific Grove, California 93950\nbcc: Terry O'Donnell\n8.\nFORD\nDavid Kennerly\nHALD\nLIBRAR\nTHE WHITE House\nWASHINGTON\nGe sure Dave\nKennerly sels\nthis and\napproves Before\nit goes.\nP cleared him\nB. FO,\nGERALD\nPERALD\nY\nFriday 8/29/75\n7:55 Nell Yates said Mrs. Friberg had called re\nPresidential consent for the books about Liberty.\n(Attached is a copy of the previous; my log doesn't\nshow that it was sent to anyone on the staff, but\nI assume Barry would be working on it? it????)\nNell said someone needs to be in touch with Mrs. Friberg.\nLISTAN GROP\nPres - personal\nLiberty\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nMr. Buchess:\nThis could be a troublesome\none.\nd think the President did\ngive a tentative OK ON Mrs.\nFriler's project, but it was\nfind some time go and the\nmail was very loose.\nwho ever you assign this\nto will want to get same details\nAMENDIT GERAED 1\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nwashington\nabout the rature of lun endravor.\n2'll be qlad to passon a what\n2 bnow.\nTerry T\nE B. FORD\nGoldens\nhonor\n321 Asilomar Avenue\nPacific Grove, California 93950\nJuly 15, 1975\nPresident Gerald R. Ford\nThe White House\n1400 Pennsylvania Avenue\nWashington, D.C.\nDear President Ford,\nYou will remember last winter, your verbal approval of my work on children's educational\nbooks by Liberty. Since that time and during much work these last six (6) months, I\nhave presented a final form 11 five (5) books to my publisher. Understandably, he has\nstated that he cannot proceed with the books without your written consent. We had hoped\nto finalize illustrations and 3 well under way next week in order to meet school and\nhumane society demands in the fall.\nI realize how terribly busy you are, but if you would have a moment to send a brief letter\nto me stating your approval 01 my writing the books as soon as possible, it would be\ndeeply appreciated.\nPlease give Liberty 2 pat for me. I think of her so often and wish I'd gotten more film\nof her while I was there. My children speak of her constantly after her last visit with\nus while we were still in Alexandria - for her veterinarian check up before her season.\nWe all love her, not just because she belongs to you, but because she is a very special and\nloving dog in her own right.\nI enclose a brief outline of the form the books will take. It will be wonderful for\nLiberty to educate children - for their own future as well as the welfare of all animals.\nI look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. My best regards to Mrs. Ford and\nSusan.\nBest wishes,\nAnis GOLDENS FOR HONOR\nGERALD\nLIGARA\nAvis Swanson Friberg\nenc.\nFormulation of Children's Books:\nEducational\n\"LIBERTY COMES TO THE WHITE HOUSE\"\nFeatures: a. Miracle of birth (gestation, birth, first critical 7 days of life)\nb. Growing up (properdist, socialization, baby training and manners)\nc. Preparation for new home life (meeting the Nations First Family, learning\nher new role and respensibility of her\nposition, winning many friends)\nII \"LIBERTY GOES TO SCHOOL\"\na. Dog Obedience Workshop with Amior Handlers ages 7 through 12\nb. Health Care\nCo. Proper Exercise and Diet\nd. Internal and External Parasite Control\ne. Safety and First Aid Measures\nf. Responsibility to Neighborsand Community\ng. Animal Control Ordinances\nh. Basic Obedience Commands\nIII \"LIBERTY VISITS HER FRIENDS AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY\"\na. Types of animals at animal protection societies\nb. Birth statistics\nc. Threat of unwanted and meontrolled pets\nd. Work ofHumane people\n8. Costs of our families = humane society services\nf. Health menace of uncontralled pets\n1. pollution\n2. destruction\ng. How young volunteers can help\nIV\n\"LIBERTY VISITS THE HANDICAPPED\"\n2. Demonstrations of Liberty's acquired knowledge\n1. Ability in obedience\n2. Conveying the gifts of animal love\n3. Showing CORRECT Food between teacher/physician and underpriviledged. handicappedcor\nLIBR"
}