It seems fitting today to pay tribute to Betty Ford - a First Lady whose influence is still felt and who can be wonderfully described with the simple word, "real". I want to recommend a New York Times article entitled "Back in View, a First Lady With Her Own Legacy" . Here's a brief excerpt:
She was a product and a 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.
Her candor about her battle with breast cancer, which led to unprecedented awareness among American women about detecting the disease, and her later commitment to alcohol and substance abuse treatment, stemming from her own abuse history, set the stage for widespread acknowledgment and advocacy that is commonplace today.
Given her impact on these crucial health issues and her influence over the modern East Wing, Mrs. Ford’s effect on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband...
And so I honor President Ford today, not because of his decision to pardon Nixon (with which I very much disagree) but because of his unwavering respect for and support of Mrs. Ford. May she be comforted.
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