The former occupant of the White House I will mourn

[TechBear_Seattle]

Betty Ford's very public struggle helped to change the perception of alcoholism (and other forms of addiction) from a weakness of character to a medical condition that can be successfully treated. Although she never wanted the kind of attention the media gave her recovery, she recognized the importance of it; while she never sought the spotlight, she didn't run from it either. For that, I consider her to have far more of an important, positive impact on America than her husband ever could.

Added And as others have mentioned, her advocacy while First Lady for mammograms, and the public discussion on breast cancer and treatment, has probably saved many, many lives. At a time when alcoholism and breast cancer were talked about only in whispers -- if talked about at all -- she stood her ground and stood tall.

Such courage and strength is seems to be in very short supply nowadays.

[bdamomma]

1. wasn't she also responsible for so many women having

mammograms because they detected breast cancer in her.

[Sal Minella]

2. Yes. Her honesty and openness saved many lives.

[aquart]

5. Yes, it did.

If there's anyone in this country who does not admire and respect that woman, I ain't heard of 'im.

On edit: and what a contrast to Laura Bush who considered her brush with skin cancer a "private matter."

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. I think that was after she left the WH

But yes, that too. Remember that, in the 70s, you just didn't talk about things like alcoholism and cancer. They were dirty, taboo subjects only to be whispered about if mentioned at all. She did a great deal to change all that.

[greenbriar]

12. no..it was shortly after becoming pres that it was discovered

she did it all as first lady...


the dependency was after the whitehouse

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. Ah, got those backwards, thanks. n/t

[libnnc]

yes that's true.

My mom was very active in the American Cancer Society all through the '70s and it was Betty Ford's honesty about her own cancer that really helped the ACS in their drive to get women to have mammograms and practice self-examination. Betty Ford saved lives for sure.

[Virginia Dare]

4. Agreed. Very good post...n/t

[mike_c]

6. a friend of mine's eight year old son asked her...

..."Who was Gerald Ford?" She explained that he was Betty Ford's husband. And incidentally a former president.

[struggle4progress]

26. "I'm voting for Betty's husband" was a bumpersticker in '76

[leftofthedial]

7. and gave us the repuke politician and celebrity's favorite defense

"I may be a pedophile/sexual predator/thief/traitor/drug dealer/liar, but it's all okay now. I'm going into rehab."

She is a better person than any of the other repukes involved in this sick circus.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. God bless Betty. nt

[cornermouse]

9. Betty Ford was a rarity in the republican party.

She was a feminist who openly, not timidly and covertly supported women's rights and causes. I can respect her.

She must have frightened the neocons very badly because they haven't allowed anyone like her through the door since. God help us all.

[cascadiance]

35. Nancy Reagan at least has had courage on stem cell research...

But you are right, she still doesn't come close to Betty Ford in terms of her contributions.

[JohnnyLib2]

10. Extremely progressive woman, considering the timing.

We have great respect for her in this liberal AND breast-cancer survivor household.

[Rosemary2205]

11. And this wonderful woman saw great value and worth in Gerald.

By all accounts they've had one long love affair.

[TechBear_Seattle]

31. I shared this thread with a co-worker; she had an interesting observation

She remarked that Mrs. Ford's grief and loss in the picture I linked seemed both deep and genuine. Then she said that, while Ford definitely had weaknesses as President, he must have had some pretty good qualities to get and keep the love of someone like her. I have to agree with that observation.

[mitchum]

34. That quality she saw in him may be something as basic as "making the...

colored lights"
See: "A Streetcar Named Desire"

[ZENmud]

14. Jerry and his Colorado hideaway...

NB: all dollar figures are 1982-1987 dollars.

How could I talk bad about the man (who earned just over $125K per year as president) who built one of the first FOUR MILLION Dollar ski chalet/mansions at the Beaver Creek resort, the mega-chi-chi daughter of Vail Ski Company?
(paid for: by????)

At least his Secret Service detail agreed to watch my $2000. racing bike when I had to work an outdoor concert in Vail, and forgot my bikelock (1987).

Sometime thereafter, I figured out his role in the Warren Commission, and then the pieces started falling together... :-?

RIP Jerry...

[partylessinOhio]

17. Good point. They did live high on the hog didn't they? Did Ford ever

have another job after being in the government for 20-30 years?

What did their digs in Palm Springs cost?

[ZENmud]

20. Re: Jerry and his Colorado hideaway...

Don't know: whenever Republicans controlLed the White House, I've lived high :-) in Colorado or faraway Europe :-))

But I think he invented the post-Presidential talk/lecture mega-fee scene...

ZENmud

[mitchum]

32. Ford was NOTORIOUS for demanding a $$$$ honorarium for appearing...

at any event during his post presidency. There are a number of stories of various charity functions actually losing money after paying Ford his fee for gracing them with his presence.

[newyawker99]

30. Hi ZENmud!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ZENmud]

36. I have a blog (when you're REALLY bored)

Should only visit it when hardly sober...

crystelZENmud

The photoShops I do *may* be worth the time... :-)

[Missy M]

15. She is a good, strong woman.....

holding up very well through this in spite of her frailty.

[itsmesgd]

16. I am still mourning Thomas Jefferson and the Democracy

[partylessinOhio]

18. I remember Betty Ford and found this photo:

Betty Ford dancing on the Cabinet table, 1977

I believe she was drunk most of those two years she lived in the White House. I can't see any other reason for her to have posed like this.

[greenbriar]

19. because she was a former dancer and had SPUNK

and I am not talking about ms harris's fake boobs

[cornermouse]

21. She wasn't just a dancer.

According to the news the other night, she danced with the Martha Graham troupe for a while.

Which reminds me of how much I was hoping she'd fall behind George just enough to deliver a kick to the seat of his pants today...

[TechBear_Seattle]

23. Your post made me look up her Wikipedia entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Ford

An excerpt:

In the opinion of The New York Times, "Mrs. Ford's impact on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband, who served a mere 896 days, much of it spent trying to restore the dignity of the office of the president." The paper went on to describe her as "a product and symbol of the cultural and political times—doing the Bump along the corridors of the White House, donning a mood ring, chatting on her CB radio with the handle First Mama—a housewife who argued passionately for equal rights for women, a mother of four who mused about drugs, abortion and premarital sex aloud and without regret."

She was open about the benefits of psychiatric treatment, she spoke understandingly about marijuana use and premarital sex, and the new First Lady pointedly stated that she and the President shared the same bed during a televised White House tour. After Betty Ford appeared on 60 Minutes in a characteristically candid interview in which she discussed how she would counsel her daughter if she was having an affair and the possibility that her children may have experimented with marijuana, some conservatives called her "No Lady" and even demanded her "resignation", but her overall approval rating was at 75%. As she later said, during her husband's failed 1976 presidential campaign, "I would give my life to have Jerry have my poll numbers".

During her time as First Lady, Ford also was an outspoken advocate of women's rights. She supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment and the legalization of abortion. For a time, it was unclear whether Gerald Ford shared his wife's pro-choice viewpoint. However, he told interviewer Larry King that he, too, was pro-choice and had been criticized for that stance by conservative forces within the Republican Party.

Weeks after Betty Ford became First Lady, she underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer on 1974-09-28. Her openness about her illness raised the visibility of a disease that Americans had previously been reluctant to talk about. "When other women have this same operation, it doesn't make any headlines," she told Time magazine. "But the fact that I was the wife of the President put it in headlines and brought before the public this particular experience I was going through. It made a lot of women realize that it could happen to them. I'm sure I've saved at least one person—maybe more." Further amplifying the public awareness of breast cancer were reports that several weeks after Betty Ford's cancer surgery, Happy Rockefeller, the wife of vice president Nelson Rockefeller, also underwent a mastectomy.

Betty Ford was an advocate of the arts while First Lady, and was instrumental in Martha Graham receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976.

The article mentions that she received the Congressional Medal of Honor jointly with her husband in 1999 "in recognition of their dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions to the people of the United States of America."

[cornermouse]

24. She is a real human being.

After her, the republicans perfected the art of turning human beings into plastic dolls with a preset dialogue. Ergo, Laura.

Martha Graham Wikipedia entry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Graham

She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976 by President Gerald Ford (the First Lady Betty Ford had danced with Graham in her youth).

Addition
http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=39

When Betty was sixteen, her father died accidentally from carbon monoxide poisoning. In 1936, Betty completed high school and wanted to pursue her study of dance in New York. Her mother refused to let her. Instead, Betty attended the Bennington School of Dance in Bennington, Vermont for two summers, where she studied under Martha Graham. Martha was a tough, demanding teacher who shaped the young Betty Bloomer’s life. Betty asked Martha Graham if she could work with her and, to Betty’s delight, Martha agreed.

Betty Bloomer moved to Manhattan’s Chelsea section and modeled hats and dresses to pay for her lessons with Graham. Betty was chosen to be in Martha Graham’s auxiliary troupe and even got to perform at Carnegie Hall.

[quiet.american]

28. Wow, she's sounds like having "Maude" in the WH. Brava! n/t

[valerief]

22. Betty is the real American hero for her brave contributions. nt

[AnnieBW]

25. My Great Aunt Had Breast Cancer At the Same Time

And took a great deal of strength from Betty Ford's struggle. She's a great lady and deserves all of the respect that we can give her.

[Pab Sungenis]

27. Amen.

Wonderful woman. She deserves a greater place in history than just being the wife of Jerry Ford.

[TechBear_Seattle]

29. See post #26

I rather think Jerry should be eulogized as Betty's husband, not the other way around.

[mitchum]

33. I have immense respect for her despite her cover up thug husband