Inside the President's Team

Family, Service, and the Gerald Ford Presidency

Bob Barrett

An eye-opening and exceptional view of the Ford presidency by one of his closest and most-trusted advisors.

Except for his wife Betty, no one was closer to Gerald Ford during his presidency than Bob Barrett. Bob carried the “nuclear football”—the American nuclear codes—and could not let Ford out of his sight. This nerve-wracking job led to a deep friendship with the First Family and gave Bob an unparalleled view of Ford’s historic and unusual presidency. In his memoir, Inside the President’s Team, Bob takes readers into the White House and the Ford home to show the administration and the couple as few others could see them.

Bob gives new insights into why Ford decided to pardon Nixon and how he responded to criticism of it; how Ford chose his own vice president (and another for his run in 1976); and what he did with potentially difficult members of the former administration, such as Al Haig and the now-infamous Michael Flynn. Bob provides a front-row view of Ford’s meeting with Leonid Brezhnev in Russia during their famous summit on arms control, and he shows how abandoning our ally South Vietnam put a greater strain on Ford than deciding whether to pardon his predecessor.

Bob reveals what happened during the two assassination attempts and reveals the flawed inner workings of the 1976 campaign. Meanwhile, he became so close to the family that he took part in Betty Ford’s intervention and recalls scenes that show Ford to be, as Bob describes him, “the most decent, honorable, trustworthy person I ever met.”

Ford's legacy as a reconciler and a healer of a deeply divided America during a time of strife comes alive in Inside the President's Team, and it is a celebration of the impact of living a life of service.

Bob Barrett attended Syracuse University served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of major.  He worked at the United States Army War College as its Public Affairs and Communications officer and was offered the position of military aid to President Ford at the start of his administation, where he carried the 'nuclear football,' or nuclear codes.  After his work in the White House, Barrett played a crucial role in developing the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan; the Ford Presidential Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan; and the Betty Ford Center for drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Rancho Mirage, California.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"This poignant, highly informative, and entertaining insider’s account of life within the world of Gerald and Betty Ford suggests that the proverb ‘no man is a hero to his valet’ should be modified to read: ‘while a powerful man may be heroic in the eyes of his valet, that man’s wife may be even more heroic.’ In his roles as President Ford’s military aide, general factotum, and friend, Bob Barrett mastered the art of remaining invisible as he made life easier for the commander in chief, whom he describes as a kind of courageous bear —“ninety-eight parts koala and two parts grizzly.” In this book, Barrett emerges from the shadows as a keen eyed, amusing, candid observer not only of our 38th Chief Executive but also of his First Lady, depicted as an equally courageous pioneer making the world better for people suffering from cancer and those struggling to overcome alcoholism.” Michael Burlingame, author of An American Marriage and The Black Man’s President, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies, University of Illinois Springfield

“My friend and colleague Robert Barrett has written a terrific memoir—told with authority, insight, and a dash of humor—about his time inside the White House during the Ford Administration and beyond. Barrett takes us through the tumultuous 1970s and we witness the personal life of the president in a fresh way. As a top military aide during those years, Barrett had a unique perspective of the professional and personal lives of President and Mrs. Ford." Martin J. Allen Jr., Chairman Emeritus, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation  

“Bob Barrett’s insider account of some of the darkest days in American history is riveting. Barrett provides us with a behind-the-scenes view of a much underappreciated administration. From Day One, Ford faced a worsening economic crisis, while confronted with difficult decisions on whether to pardon Nixon and how to extricate ourselves from Vietnam. Despite the gravity of the subject matter, Barrett writes in a friendly, lighthearted style. A deeply personal and delightful journey alongside Jerry, Betty, and the Ford family." John Reeves, author of Soldier of Destiny: Slavery, Secession and the Redemption of Ulysses S. Grant

“Bob Barrett’s Inside the President’s Team, gives us a deeply intimate and personal view into the world of one of the nation’s most underrated presidents. In BarretT’s poignant and humorous memoir, we see why Gerald R. Ford was the right man to lead the nation during one of the most trying periods in American history.” Laurence Jurdem, author of The Rough Rider and the Professor

"From his ringside seat inside the White House, Robert Barrett illuminates the trials and tribulations during a tempestuous period in American history. The chaotic withdrawal from Viet Nam, Richard Nixon’s resignation, the pardon that ended President Gerald Ford’s political career and Betty Ford’s heart wrenching intervention. This book has all this and so much more." James Gardner, author of The Lion Killer