Area politicians are remembering the life of former President Gerald Ford today.

Ford died yesterday at the age of 93.

Illinios U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says Ford’s legacy will be how he stabilized the country at a difficult time.

“He did some unpopular things, like pardoning Presidnet Nixon,” Durbin says. “That must’ve cost him more votes than anything he did in his contest with Jimmy Carter. On historical reflection, it was probably the right thing to do to try to close that chapter and heal America. I think that’s how he would best be remembered.”

Durbin says Ford was given an almost impossible political assignment of trying to unite the United States after Nixon resigned, but did his best to serve the country well.