The Remarkable Mrs. Ford

60 Minutes Revisits A Very Candid Interview With The Former First Lady

(CBS) 
But very soon public opinion turned around. Historians say that after Watergate, her honesty restored the public's faith in the presidency. Her popularity rating climbed higher than her husband's and Betty became the most admired woman in the world.

"I'll never forget the day that I was told I would have to have a mastectomy. My reaction to the words was total denial," she said during a press conference.

It was a gutsy statement, at a time when very few people ever said "cancer," and no one said "breast," ever.

"Well, it was gutsy the first time I appeared at a state dinner and I walked down those stairs. And I just knew all eyes were upon me, and they were probably saying, 'Which one did they say it was?'" Mrs. Ford said.

After she went public, thousands of women went to their doctors for breast exams. She truly saved lives, by continuing to promote breast cancer awareness at fundraisers around the country.

After Gerald Ford lost the 1976 election, the Fords retired to Palm Springs, Calif. Americans did not know about her drinking or her addiction to the prescription pills she took for a pinched nerve in her neck, as many as 20 pain pills a day while she was drinking.

"A sensitive question: when you were first lady, were you drinking?" Stahl asked Ford during the 1997 interview.

"Not—well, yes, I drank. I drank wine at dinner," she replied.

Asked if she was an alcoholic at the time, Mrs. Ford told Stahl, "I could have—very easily have been an alcoholic. And I never had—Lesley, I have to say, I was fortunate because it was like I never had to, like, finish a bottle or drink alcohol in the morning. I know I was an alcoholic because I was preoccupied whether alcohol was going to be served or not."

The former president told Stahl he was a "bad enabler." "I made all kinds of excuses, made all kinds of alibis. That’s a typical spouse’s reaction."

Family members, who had been watering down her drinks and covering for her, could no longer ignore the fact that Betty was, to be indelicate about it, an addict and a drunk. At her daughter Susan’s urgings, they held a formal intervention in 1978.

Betty Ford said she was shocked by it. "They went from one to another saying how I had let them down, how I had disappointed them. And, of course, this just was cutting to me. I was so hurt. I felt I had spent my whole life devoted to them, and they were telling me i was failing them."

"The philosophy being tough love—'We love you. We have nothing but the greatest affection and admiration, but we have to be frank with you and to tell incidents that really tore our hearts out," Mr. Ford explained.

"Susan said, ‘Mother, I talked to you about things that were important to me, but you would forget what I had told you,'" Stahl remarked. "And Jack said that he didn’t like to bring his friends home."

Mrs. Ford says this in-your-face confrontation hurt.

"It’ll be a day we’ll never forget, but let me say this very affirmatively: it was the only thing that saved Betty’s life," Mr. Ford said.

[mjv2944]

This is one great lady. Gerald Ford is the one and only repub presidential candidate I ever voted for. He and his wife are the best of the best. I always wondered what he thought of ole Dubya.

[dmorg4]

I admire her honesty of course but i cant agree
with all of her veiws on abortion social issues
though.

[bashir2001]

Although i like Leslie as a person, i mean she is very attractive, clearly bright, but i dont like the way she interviews her subjects.She is rather pushy if even when gets willing subjects who are candor enough to share it all.Leslie still seems to to find herself being rude, by abrubtly ruining the mood or the flow of the interview with her pushy 'Tell me the truth' tactics.I wish she could find a classier, more subtle way to dig some between the lines confessions.Other than that- i think Betty Ford is a fascinating,admirable character- i would mind going to the library and get a good Biography on her.




Bashir A. Minneapolis

[tuscamiller]

Betty and Gerald Ford represent the VERY BEST of modern day First Ladies and Presidents, with Rosalyn and Jimmy Carter running a close second.
WHY? Their answers about themselves are REAL - they are not afraid to reveal themselves because they are not afraid of the consequences. WHY OH WHY can't we have leaders such as these today?