Betty Ford: First Lady

Home > Nonfiction > Betty Ford: First Lady > Page 46
Betty Ford: First Lady Page 46

by Lisa McCubbin


  “That first year of recovery”: BAGA, 88.

  25: The Betty Ford Center

  “Leonard is in terrible shape”: BAGA, 79.

  “I loved that”: ibid., 85.

  “He knew the minute we walked in”: ibid., 86.

  “No, no, no, Leonard,” Betty said. “You’re going to go to treatment”: ibid.

  “You’re my best friend, Leonard”: ibid.

  “It was really beautiful”: Morgan, discussion, February 27, 2017.

  “It was my second go after nine years of sobriety”: BAGA, 87.

  “That’s easy. Either give up your nightly martini”: Ann Cullen, in discussion with author, December 9, 2016.

  “What did they give you” . . . “You and Betty should put your heads together”: BAGA, 90.

  “You know,” he said, “we’ve got this disease”: Michael Ford, discussion, October 26, 2017.

  “Mom was a bit reluctant”: ibid.

  One of the things: Morgan, discussion, May 20, 2017.

  “With my recovery, and Leonard’s recovery”: BAGA, 90.

  “She got fired up!”: Michael Ford, discussion, October 26, 2017.

  “That was a huge moment”: Morgan, discussion, May 20, 2017.

  “We were having a problem at Eisenhower”: BAGA, 91.

  Nationwide, the common practice: Cruse, discussion, July 25, 2017.

  “gentlemen” . . . “problem”: “The History of Hazelden,” Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation online, accessed January 16, 2017, www.hazeldenbettyford.org/about-us/mission/history/hazelden.

  “provide low-cost, comprehensive alcoholism services”: proposal materials for “A Recovery and Training Facility for Chemical Dependency,” Betty Ford: Post– White House Papers, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

  “I don’t think I realized until much later”: Morgan, discussion, May 20, 2017.

  “If people could just see in hindsight”: ibid.

  “Have you ever been to New York City?” . . . “No, I didn’t. I’m just kidding”: Penny Circle, in discussion with author, January 17, 2018.

  “My new life was precious to me”: BAGA, 96.

  “Betty’s recovery was never talked about”: ibid.

  “There I was. Mrs. Ford wasn’t sure”: Cullen, discussion, December 9, 2016.

  “I can’t tell you how many Republicans”: BAGA, 97.

  “He didn’t tell me not to”: ibid.

  “Wake Up GOP”: Associated Press, “ERA Supporters Rally,” Detroit Free Press, July 15, 1980.

  “watched the parade go by”: BAGA, 97.

  “I really saw a change in him”: Michael Ford, discussion, October 26, 2017.

  “They were a pretty dynamic duo”: Cullen, discussion, December 9, 2016.

  One time Betty and Jerry: Cruse, discussion, July 25, 2017.

  “It got to the point people didn’t want to sit next to me”: ibid.

  She’d also seen how much: Cullen, discussion, December 9, 2016.

  “We know we can provide quality care”: BAGA, 94.

  “Do you think we could use her name on it?”: ibid., 95.

  “Absolutely not, I’m too new in recovery”: John Schwarzlose, president, Betty Ford Center, in A Legacy of Hope, video.

  I’ll never be able to drink again: BAGA, 95.

  “We’re proud of you, Mom”: Steve Ford, discussion, November 23, 2016.

  “It was a hectic sobriety”: BAGA, 95.

  “She bossed that construction crew around”: Cullen, discussion, December 9, 2016.

  “And then, Betty being Betty, set out to help others”: “Bush Ends Visit to State,” Eureka (CA) Times Standard, October 4, 1982.

  “It’s not easy to properly and in good taste express the feelings”: Betty Ford Center footage provided to author by Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Ann Arbor, MI, 2003-NLF-010-012.

  “tough love”: ibid.

  “blame the navy”: BAGA, 114.

  “Hello. I’m Betty”: Jerry Moe, in discussion with author, March 28, 2017.

  26: Betty Ford, the Legacy

  “Mrs. Ford had a way of talking”: Moe, discussion, Betty Ford Center, Rancho Mirage, CA, March 28, 2017.

  “It’s an experience unlike any other I’ve known”: John Duka, “Elizabeth Taylor: Journal of a Recovery,” New York Times, February 4, 1985, A16, https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1985/02/04/issue.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=LedeAsset®ion=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article.

  “Betty Ford and I discussed what it would be like to go public”: ibid.

  “not only helped me, but several other very worthwhile women”: Betty Ford Special Letters, Box B3, Folder J-R, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

  “She had her finger on every aspect”: Ali MacGraw, in discussion with author, April 12, 2017.

  “You’re nothing unless you’ve been to Betty Ford”: P. J. Corkery, “Addiction à L.A. Mode,” New Republic online, July 7, 1985, https://newrepublic.com/article/91735/betty-ford-center-addiction-elizabeth-taylor.

  “a new hold on life”: Johnny Cash to Betty Ford, letter, February 15, 1984, Betty Ford Special Letters, Box B1, Folder A-C, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

  “Talk about being famous” . . . “All the songs, and all the poems, and the shows”: Judy Kurtz, “Stevie Nicks Remembers Betty Ford,” Hill, July 11, 2011, http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/256247-judy-kurtz.

  “Now, here we were in a role reversal”: Moore, Growing Up Again, 4.

  “No, no, no”: Moe, discussion, March 28, 2017.

  celebrities have always made up less than 1 percent: Mark Mishek, CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, in discussion with author, March 27, 2017.

  “President Ford was so proud of her”: Moe, discussion, March 28, 2017.

  “I don’t give one hundred percent”: Beverly Beyette, “Betty Ford, On Reflection,” Los Angeles Times, January 18, 1989.

  “She stepped forward”: Pat Roeske, “AIDS Benefit L.A.-Style,” Washington Post, September 21, 1985.

  “Mrs. Ford had quite a few gay friends”: Cullen, discussion, December 9, 2016.

  “I watched her at the Betty Ford clinic”: Roeske, “AIDS Benefit L.A.-Style.”

  “Tonight is about conquering fear”: ibid.

  “I was very pleased that I was selected” . . . “I got the message”: Buendorf, discussion, November 11, 2016.

  “I would do anything for the Betty Ford Center”: Jamie Shoop Bray, “After 10 Years, Betty Ford Center Is a Star in Rehab,” North Hills (PA) News Record, November 6, 1992.

  “Gramma”: Heather Devers, in discussion with author, February 17, 2017.

  “Mom, Dad” . . . “I read mine every day”: Steve Ford, discussion, January 16, 2018.

  Dear Steve . . . Enjoy your life: Steve Ford, email message to author, January 18, 2018.

  “Every time they’d give her a new therapy”: Brinker, discussion, October 16, 2017.

  “I’m delighted to help” . . . “she would have given it a try”: ibid.

  “She rounded up the Republicans”: Carter, discussion, June 14, 2017.

  “Her courage and candor”: President George H. W. Bush, “Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom Awards,” November 18, 1991, American Presidency Project, University of California, Santa Barbara, www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=20239.

  “Perhaps no first lady in our history”: President Bill Clinton, “Remarks on Presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Former President Gerald R. Ford and Former First Lady Betty Ford,” October 27, 1999, American Presidency Project, University of California, Santa Barbara, www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=56803&st=&st1.

  “Show me your breaststroke”: Devers, discussion, February 17, 2017.

  “Grandpa used to spell”: ibid.

  “It was an open platform” . . . “There wasn’t a stronger voice”: Tyne Vance Berlanga, in discussion with author, October 10, 2017.
>
  “Grandpa always referred to Gramma as his bride”: Devers, discussion, February 17, 2017.

  “I’m inclined to proceed” . . . they were headed back to their home in the desert: Susan Ford Bales and Vaden Bales, in discussion with author, February 17, 2017.

  “Come on out and look”: Jan Hart, in discussion with author, March 27, 2017.

  “He had been kind of in and out”: Susan Ford Bales, discussion, February 17, 2017.

  “Well, I think you and I have a little bit of work to do” . . . “If I hadn’t been married”: Willard, discussion and email message to author, February 2–4, 2018.

  David Kennerly could hardly contain his emotions: Kennerly, discussion, March 30, 2017.

  “There were so many people”: Wilson “Bill” Livingood, in discussion with author, December 8, 2016.

  “I had never seen that before”: ibid.

  “But that was not in her”: Susan Ford Bales, discussion, February 17, 2017.

  “I can do this”: Willard, discussion, February 2, 2018.

  “I’ve been in thousands of motorcades”: ibid.

  “I just don’t think I can make it any further”: ibid.; also Susan Ford Bales, telephone discussion with author, February 3, 2018.

  “It was like watching a flat tire inflate”: Susan Ford Bales, ibid.

  “You can do this”: ibid.

  “On behalf of the president”: Willard, email message to author, February 4, 2018.

  “After we land”: Willard, discussion, February 2, 2018.

  How does she do this?: ibid.

  “I think I’d like to lay down for a while” . . . “It’s been an honor”: ibid., November 17, 2017.

  “So when he looks down”: Hart, discussion, March 27, 2017.

  “She was always very interested”: Devers, discussion, February 17, 2017.

  “Why am I still here?”: ibid.

  “I just want to go see my boyfriend”: ibid.

  Afterword

  “indescribable pride and humility”: President Gerald R. Ford to Greg Willard, letter, November 6, 2006.

  “Mother’s decision about the flag”: Susan Ford Bales and Greg Willard, discussions with author, February 4, 2018.

  “On behalf of Mother”: ibid.

  “Where women’s health issues are concerned”: Richard Norton Smith, Betty Ford Funeral, Grand Rapids, MI, July 14, 2011 (C-Span online, video, 1:46:30), www.c-span.org/video/?300520-1/betty-ford-funeral.

  “at the Betty Ford Center”: Moe, discussion, March 28, 2017.

  “We do one thing” . . . “You can’t be all things to all people”: ibid.

  According to the US Department of Health and Human Services . . . 5 percent will transition to heroin: HHS.Gov/opioids.

  Susan worked alongside her mother: Susan Ford Bales, discussion, January 16, 2018.

  Steve Ford has proudly remained sober: Steve Ford, discussion, January 16, 2018.

  Mike Ford continued his work: Michael Ford, discussion, October 26, 2017.

  INDEX

  * * *

  A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.

  Abbruzzese, Louise, 154

  Abbruzzese, Peter, 154

  ABC News, xi

  abortion, 123, 162, 204

  acupuncture, 101, 268

  Adams, Ansel, 213

  Adams, Eddie, 239

  addiction:

  Betty Ford Center and, 310–21, 322–27, 349

  Betty as role model for recovery, 293, 297–98, 299, 307, 310–21, 322–27, 333, 349–50

  Betty’s substance abuse, xi–xvii, 62, 77, 79–80, 83, 88–89, 92–96, 128, 132–33, 181–82, 225–28, 256–79, 349

  codependence roles of family members, 96, 268–69, 273, 275, 277, 282, 292, 294–95, 301

  detoxification, 283, 284–86, 294

  intervention and treatment, xi–xvii, 277, 280–98

  opioid, 349–50

  recovery, 299–307

  turning point with, 265–79

  See also alcoholism; drugs, prescription

  Agnew, Spiro T., 97–98, 107, 109, 137

  resignation of, 107

  AIDS, 313, 326–27

  AIDS Project Commitment to Life Award, 327

  Air Force One, 85, 148, 158, 183, 213–14, 251

  Alabama, 162

  Alaska, 100

  Alberi, Bob, 159–60, 304

  Alcoholics Anonymous, 276, 283, 287, 288, 289, 297, 300, 309, 312, 325, 329, 330

  12 steps, 312, 330

  alcoholism, 14, 62, 333

  of Betty, xii–xvii, 62, 77, 79–80, 83, 88–89, 92–96, 133, 256–79, 349

  Betty admits to, 289, 291–93, 301

  of Betty’s father, 14, 294

  Betty Ford Center and, 310–21, 322–27, 349

  Betty as role model for recovery, 293, 297–98, 299, 307, 310–21, 322–27, 333, 349–50

  codependence roles of family members, 96, 268–69, 273, 275, 277, 282, 292, 294–95, 301

  detoxification, 283, 284–86, 294

  genetics and, 291, 294, 329

  intervention, xi–xvii, 277, 280–98

  prescription drugs mixed with, 88–89, 95, 256–57, 262, 267, 279, 284, 291

  alcoholism (cont.)

  recovery, 299–307

  of Steve, 328–30, 350

  Alda, Alan, 330

  Alexandria, Virginia, 61

  Ford house in, 63–65, 73–84, 106–13, 119–20, 143, 145, 154, 158, 245

  Ali, Muhammad, 83

  Allen, Ethan, 77

  Allen, George, 176

  Allen, Woody, 200–201

  alligators, 76

  American Cancer Crusade, 173

  American Cancer Society, 173, 175

  American Independent Party, 97

  amnesty, 163

  amphetamines, 89, 283

  Anderson, Bay, 219, 220

  Andrews Air Force Base, 158, 159, 251, 339

  Angelo, Bonnie, 135, 162

  Ann Arbor, Michigan, 12, 19, 40, 48, 49, 342

  Annenberg, Walter, 310–11, 317

  “Anniversary Waltz” (song), 179

  Aqaba, 305

  Arizona, 230

  Arlington National Cemetery, 85–86

  Armbrister, Trevor, 248

  arthritis, 181–82, 225–26, 227, 293, 300

  Artrain, 128–33

  Asner, Ed, 217

  Aspen, 184

  Associated Press, 163

  Aswan, 305

  Atkins, Ollie, 148

  Atlanta, 22

  Austria, 197

  B. F. Goodrich Company, 4

  “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” (song), 158

  Bailey, Pearl, 233, 303

  Baker, James III, 228

  Bales, Vaden, 334

  Barrett, Bob, xii, xiv, 245, 259, 263, 264, 267, 291, 293

  baseball, 67, 74, 79, 92

  basketball, 74

  Bass, Dick, 182, 202, 259

  Beale, Betty, 140, 192

  Beaver Creek, Colorado, 333, 334, 336

  Bechtle, Jerry, 115, 119–20

  Beckwith, Jack, 48

  Begin, Menachem, 305

  Beijing, 216

  Belgium, 197, 213

  Benedict, Pat, xv, 281–86, 290, 291, 292, 295, 308–9

  Bennett, Michael, 247

  Bennington College, 16, 17

  Bennington School of the Dance, 16, 17–20

  Berlanga, Tyne Vance, 333, 334

  Bernstein, Carl, 106

  Bethany Beach, Delaware, 87

  Bethesda Naval Hospital, 168–69, 171–72, 176, 178, 286

  Betty Bloomer Dance School, 11

  Betty Ford Center, 310–21, 322–27, 329, 333, 345, 349, 350–51, 352

  alumni cha
pters, 325–26

  bureaucratic process, 317

  celebrities at, 322–27

  conception of, 310–12

  construction, 318

  fund raising, 312, 316–17

  merger with Hazelden, 350

  naming of, 317–18

  opening of, 319–20

  privacy policy, 323

  staff, 318–19

  tenth anniversary, 328

  “Betty Ford for President” buttons, 229, 231, 239

  Bible, 117–18, 141, 145–46

  bicentennial celebration, 221–22

  bikinis, 220

  Bing Crosby Pro-Am golf tournament, 245

  Birmingham, Alabama, 162

  birth control pill, 313

  blacks, 81, 103

  segregation, 81

  Blair House, 57, 223, 337, 340, 341

  Bloomer, Bill, 3, 6, 7, 14, 25, 26, 27, 58

  Bloomer, Bob, 3, 6, 7, 14, 27

  Bloomer, Bonnie, 25, 58

  Bloomer, Elizabeth Ann. See Ford, Betty Bloomer

  Bloomer, Steve, 58

  Bloomer, William Stephenson, 3–6, 7, 10, 30

  alcoholism of, 14

  death of, 13–14, 22

  Boggs, Hale, 100

  Boggs, Lindy, 100

  Bolshoi Nutcracker TV special, 263–64, 270–72, 274

  Boston, 30, 142

  boxing, 83

  Boyne Mountain, Michigan, 83, 98

  Boy Scouts, 33, 342

  breast cancer, 168–78, 283, 310, 330–31, 333, 348, 349, 350

  of Betty, 168–78, 196, 255, 310, 330, 348–49

  Betty as role model for early screening, 173–76, 180, 186, 205–6, 310, 330–31, 333, 348–49

  survival rates, 173, 349

  Brenner, David, 180

  Brinker, Nancy, 174, 330–31

  Brinkley, David, 222

  Britt, Gardner, 134, 185, 198

  Broadway musicals, 247–51

  Brokaw, Tom, 270

  Brown, Jerry, 210, 212, 317

  Brown, Phyllis, 34–35, 37, 40, 41–42

  Buchen, Phil, 35–36, 37, 45, 143

  Buendorf, Larry, 182, 184, 186, 211–12, 327–28

  Buffalo, New York, 231

  Burger, Warren, 118, 145, 146

  Bush, Barbara, 319, 341

  Bush, George H. W., 316, 319, 332, 341

  Bush, George W., 338, 339, 341, 343

  Bush, Laura, 341

  Butterfield, Keeney, and Amberg, 37

  buttons, political, 229, 231, 239

  Byrnes, John, 85, 143

  Cabinet Room, 187, 236, 240

  Calhoun, John C., 109

 

‹ Prev