View source for Betty Ford

{{Short description|First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977}}
{{distinguish|Bette Ford}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| office              = [[First Lady of the United States]]
| term_label          = In role
| term_start          = August 9, 1974
| term_end            = January 20, 1977
| predecessor         = [[Pat Nixon]]
| president           = [[Gerald Ford]]
| successor           = [[Rosalynn Carter]]
| name                = Betty Ford
| image               = Portrait of First Lady Betty Ford - NARA (3x4 cropped).jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 1974
| office1             = [[Second ladies and gentlemen of the United States|Second Lady of the United States]]
| term_label1         = In role
| vicepresident1      = Gerald Ford
| term_start1         = December 6, 1973
| term_end1           = August 9, 1974
| predecessor1        = [[Judy Agnew]]
| successor1          = [[Happy Rockefeller]]
| office2             = 1st Chairwoman of the [[Betty Ford Center]]
| term_start2         = October 4, 1982
| term_end2           = January 25, 2005<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?susanbailes|title=Susan Ford – C-SPAN.org |website=www.c-span.org}}</ref>
| predecessor2        = ''Position established''
| successor2          = [[Susan Ford Bales]]
| birth_name          = Elizabeth Anne Bloomer
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1918|4|8}}
| birth_place         = [[Chicago]], Illinois, U.S.
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2011|7|8|1918|4|8}}
| death_place         = [[Rancho Mirage, California]], U.S.
| resting_place       = [[Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum]]
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse              = {{plainlist|
*{{marriage|William Warren|1942|1947|reason=divorced}}
*{{marriage|[[Gerald Ford]]|1948|2006|reason=[[Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford|died]]}}
}}
| children            = 4, including [[Steven Ford|Steven]] and [[Susan Ford Bales|Susan]]
| signature           = Betty Ford Signature.svg
| signature_alt       = Cursive signature in ink
}}

'''Elizabeth Anne Ford''' ({{née|'''Bloomer'''}}; formerly '''Warren''';<ref>{{cite web|title=Wedding |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/avproj/hseries/wedding.asp|publisher=[[Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum|Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum]]|quote=Gerald R. Ford, Jr., and Betty Bloomer Warren at their wedding rehearsal dinner..|access-date=February 11, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211212659/https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/avproj/hseries/wedding.asp|archive-date=February 11, 2020}}</ref> April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was the [[first lady of the United States]] from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President [[Gerald Ford]]. As first lady, she was active in [[social policy]], and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. She was also [[second lady of the United States]] from 1973 to 1974, when her husband was [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]].

Throughout [[Presidency of Gerald Ford|her husband's time in the office of the presidency]], she maintained high approval ratings, and was considered to be an influential first lady. Ford was noted for raising [[breast cancer awareness]] following her 1974 [[mastectomy]]. In addition, she was a passionate supporter of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] (ERA). As a supporter of [[abortion rights]], and a leader in the [[Feminism in the United States|women's rights movement]], she gained fame as one of the most candid first ladies in history, commenting on the hot-button issues of the time, such as [[feminism]], [[Equal pay for women|equal pay]], the Equal Rights Amendment, sex, [[Drugs in the United States|drugs]], and [[Abortion in the United States|abortion]]. Surveys of historians conducted by the [[Siena College Research Institute]] have shown that historians regard Ford to be among the best and most [[courage]]ous American first ladies.

Following her years in the White House, Ford continued to lobby for the ERA, and remained active in the [[Feminism in the United States|feminist movement]]. Soon after leaving office, she raised awareness of [[Substance use disorder|addiction]] when she sought help for, and publicly disclosed, her long-running struggle with alcoholism and [[substance abuse]]. After recovering, she founded and served as the first board chair of the [[Betty Ford Center]], which provides treatment services for people with [[substance use disorders]]. Ford also became involved in causes related to [[HIV/AIDS]]. For years after leaving the White House, Ford continued to enjoy great influence and popularity, continuing to rank in the top ten of [[Gallup (company)|Gallup]]'s annual [[Gallup's most admired man and woman poll|most admired woman poll]] every year through 1991.

Ford was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by [[George H. W. Bush]] in 1991. She was also awarded the [[Congressional Gold Medal]] as a co-recipient with President Ford in 1998.

==Early life and career==
[[File:Betty Bloomer at age 18, 1936.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Betty Bloomer at age 18, 1936]]

Betty Ford was born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer on April 8, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois, the third child and only daughter of Hortense (née Neahr; 1884–1948) and William Stephenson Bloomer Sr. (1874–1934), who was a travelling salesman for Royal Rubber Co.<ref name="FLbiogs">{{cite web|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=n.d.|url=http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=39|title=First Lady Biography—Betty Ford|publisher=[[First Ladies National Historic Site|National First Ladies' Library]]|access-date=July 10, 2011|archive-date=May 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509084814/http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=39}}</ref> She was called Betty as a child.

Hortense and William married on November 9, 1904, in Chicago. Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and William Jr. After the family lived briefly in [[Denver]], Colorado, she grew up in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], where she graduated from [[Central High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan)|Central High School]].<ref name="Ford 1978 p22">Ford, Betty; [[Chris Chase|Chase, Chris]] (1978). ''The Times of My Life''. p. 22.</ref>

In 1926, when Bloomer was eight years old, her mother, who valued social graces, enrolled her in the Calla Travis Dance Studio in Grand Rapids, where Ford was taught ballet, [[tap dancing]], and [[modern movement]]. She developed a passion for dance, and she decided she wanted to pursue a career in the field.<ref name="biography.com1"/> At the age of 14, she began modeling clothes and teaching children popular dances, such as the [[Foxtrot (dance)|foxtrot]], [[waltz]], and [[Big Apple (dance)|big apple]], to earn money in the wake of the [[Great Depression]]. She worked with children with [[disabilities]] at the Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. She studied dance at the Calla Travis Dance Studio, graduating in 1935.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="biography.com1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business2community.com/trends-news/betty-ford-dies-at-age-93-a-look-back-on-the-former-first-lady-042973|title=Betty Ford Dies at Age 93; A Look Back on the Former First Lady|work=Business 2 Community|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605142350/http://www.business2community.com/trends-news/betty-ford-dies-at-age-93-a-look-back-on-the-former-first-lady-042973|archive-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref> While she was still in high school, she started her own dance school, instructing both youth and adults.<ref name="biography.com1"/>

Growing up, she was subject to [[teasing]] about her surname, with other kids in school calling her "Betty [[Pants]]" (a play on "[[bloomers]]" being a name for a type of lower-body garment). Bloomer disliked the surname.<ref name="healy1"/>

When Ford herself began the process of recovering from her own [[alcoholism]], she disclosed to the public that both her father and her brother Bob had suffered from alcoholism as well.<ref name="NFL1"/>

When Bloomer was 16, her father died of [[carbon monoxide poisoning]] in the family's [[Garage (residential)|garage]] while working under their car, despite the garage doors being open.<ref>Ford, Betty; [[Chris Chase|Chase, Chris]] (1978). ''The Times of My Life''. p. 21.</ref><ref name="washingtonpost">Tucker, Neely (December 29, 2006). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/28/AR2006122801500_pf.html "Betty Ford, Again Putting On a Brave Face"]. ''[[The Washington Post]]''. Retrieved July 16, 2011.</ref> He died the day before his 60th birthday.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> It was never confirmed whether his death had been [[Accidental death|accidental]] or a suicide.<ref name="biography.com1"/> With her father's death, her family lost its primary [[Breadwinner model|breadwinner]], and her mother began working as a real estate agent to support the family. Her mother's actions in the wake of her father's passing are said to have been formative for her views in support of [[equal pay]] and [[gender equality]].<ref name="biography.com1"/>

In 1936, after graduating from high school, Bloomer proposed continuing her study of dance in New York City, but her mother refused on account of the relatively recent loss of her husband. She instead attended the [[American Dance Festival|Bennington School of Dance]] in [[Bennington, Vermont]], for two summers, where she studied under director [[Martha Hill]] with choreographers [[Martha Graham]] and [[Hanya Holm]]. After being accepted by Graham as a student in 1940, Bloomer moved to New York to live in [[Manhattan]]'s [[Chelsea, Manhattan|Chelsea]] neighborhood; she worked as a fashion model for the [[John Robert Powers]] firm in order to finance her dance studies. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the [[Martha Graham Dance Company|company]] at [[Carnegie Hall]] in New York City.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="biography.com1">{{cite web |title=Betty Ford |url=https://www.biography.com/us-first-lady/betty-ford |website=Biography.com |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en-us |date=April 2, 2014}}</ref>

Bloomer's mother was opposed to her pursuing a career in dance and insisted that she return home, and, as a compromise, they agreed that Bloomer would return home for six months and, if she still wanted to return to New York City at the end of that time, her mother would not protest further. Bloomer became immersed in her life in Grand Rapids and did not return to New York. Her mother remarried, to family friend and neighbor Arthur Meigs Godwin, and Bloomer lived with them. She got a job as assistant to the fashion coordinator for [[Herpolsheimer's]], a local [[department store]]. She also organized her own dance group and taught dance at various sites in Grand Rapids, including the Calla Travis Dance Studio. She further taught [[ballroom dancing]] lessons for children with [[visual impairment]] and [[hearing loss]] and gave weekly dance lessons to African American children.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="biography.com1"/>

===Marriage to William G. Warren===
In 1942, Elizabeth Bloomer married William G. Warren,<ref name="biography.com1"/><ref name="Ford 1978 p22"/> whom she had known since she was 12.<ref name="biography.com1"/> At the time they married, Warren worked for his own father in insurance sales. Shortly after they married, he began to sell insurance for another company. He later worked for the [[Continental Can Company]], and after that for the [[Widdicomb Furniture Company]]. The couple moved frequently because of his work. At one point, they lived in [[Toledo, Ohio]], where Elizabeth was employed at the department store [[Lasalle & Koch]] as a demonstrator, a job that entailed being a model and [[saleswoman]]. She worked a production line for a [[frozen food]] company in [[Fulton, Oswego County, New York|Fulton, New York]]. When they returned to Grand Rapids, she worked again at Herpolsheimer's, this time as the fashion coordinator.<ref>Ford, Betty; [[Chris Chase|Chase, Chris]] (1978). ''The Times of My Life''. pp. 39, 41.</ref> She had, three years into the marriage, concluded that their relationship was a failure. She desired to have a family with children and was unhappy with the frequent moves between cities she had experienced in her marriage.<ref name="biography.com1"/> Warren was an alcoholic and [[diabetic]], and was in poor health. Shortly after she decided to file for divorce, Warren fell into a coma. She paused her divorce, and supported him, living at Warren's family's home for the next two years as his health recovered. During these two years, she lived upstairs while he was nursed downstairs.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> She worked jobs in order to support both herself and Warren. This experience has been credited with further cementing Ford's understanding of [[Gender pay gap|gender-based income inequalities]] between individuals doing the same work.<ref name="biography.com1"/> After he recovered, they were divorced on September 22, 1947.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="biography.com1"/>

===Marriage to Gerald Ford and motherhood===
[[File:Gerald R. Ford, Jr., and Betty Ford following their marriage.jpg|thumb|Betty and Gerald Ford on their wedding day, 1948]]
[[File:Gerald Ford and Betty Ford Attending a Grand Rapids Campaign Event with Dwight Eisenhower and Mamie Eisenhower.jpg|thumb|Betty and Gerald Ford join [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and his wife [[Mamie Eisenhower]] at a [[Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids]], Michigan, event for Dwight D. Eisenhower's [[1952 United States presidential election|1952]] presidential campaign.]]

In August 1947, she was introduced by mutual friends to [[Gerald Ford]], a lawyer and [[World War II]] veteran who had just resumed his legal practice after returning from [[United States Navy|Navy]] service, and was planning to run for the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="biography.com1"/><ref name="timeline1"/> They married on October 15, 1948, at Grace [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church]] in Grand Rapids. Gerald Ford was in the middle of his campaign. In the first of many adjustments throughout her life for politics, he asked her to delay the wedding until shortly before the [[Partisan primary|primary election]] because, as ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported, "Jerry was running for Congress and wasn't sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer."<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref>{{Cite news|last=Howard|first=Jane|author-link=Jane Howard (journalist)|date=December 8, 1974|title=The 38th First Lady: not a robot at all|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/08/archives/forward-day-by-day-the-38th-first-lady-not-a-robot-at-all-betty.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 11, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> For their honeymoon, the two briefly traveled to [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]], where they attended a [[college football]] game between the [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan Wolverines]] and the [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern Wildcats]], before driving to [[Owosso, Michigan]], to attend a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee [[Thomas Dewey]].<ref name="timeline2">{{cite web |title=Gerald R. Ford Timeline |url=https://geraldrfordfoundation.org/gerald-r-ford-timeline/ |website=geraldrfordfoundation.org |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Foundation |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> The Fords would ultimately be married for the next 58 years, until Gerald Ford's death.<ref name="PBS">Video documentary (May 16, 2009).  [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bettyford/ ''Betty Ford—The Real Deal''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520034137/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bettyford/ |date=May 20, 2012 }} (requires [[Adobe Flash]]; 57 minutes).  ''[[PBS NewsHour]]'' (via [[Public Broadcasting Service]]). Retrieved July 10, 2011.</ref> An anecdote that was later reported was that, when Gerald Ford left Grand Rapids for Washington, D.C., Betty Ford's new sister-in-law Janet Ford remarked to her, "with Jerry, you'll never have to worry about other women. Your cross will be his work."<ref name="healy1"/>

[[File:The Ford family.jpg|thumb|The Fords with their children in 1959]]
[[File:The Ford Family in the Oval Office.jpg|thumb|right|Ford (third from left) and her family in the [[Oval Office]] of the [[White House]] in 1974]]

Betty and Gerald Ford had four children together: Michael Gerald Ford (born 1950), [[John Gardner Ford]] (nicknamed Jack; born 1952), [[Steven Ford|Steven Meigs Ford]] (born 1956), and [[Susan Ford Bales|Susan Elizabeth Ford]] (born 1957).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Nemy|first=Enid|author-link=Enid Nemy|date=July 9, 2011|title=Betty Ford, Former First Lady, Dies at 93|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/us/politics/betty-ford-dies.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 11, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The Fords lived in Washington, D.C. after his election, until the spring of 1955, when the Fords moved into a house they constructed in the D.C. suburb of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]], Virginia.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="timeline2"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/timeline.html|title=The Watergate Story |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Gerald Ford had ambitions to rise to the rank of [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker of the house]], and therefore maintained a busy travel schedule, regularly crisscrossing the United States to fundraise and campaign on behalf of other Republicans in hopes that they would, in turn, provide him with the support he would eventually need to become speaker. This meant that Gerald Ford was away from home for roughly half the year, placing a great burden on Ford to raise their children.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> As a mother, Ford never [[spank]]ed or hit her children, believing that there were better, more constructive ways to deal with [[Child discipline|discipline and punishment]].<ref>{{cite book | author = Ashley, Jeffrey S. | title = Betty Ford: A Symbol of Strength | year = 2003 | publisher = [[Nova Publishers]] | isbn = 978-1-59033-407-2 | page = 52}}</ref>

Ford served as a [[parent-teacher association]] member, Sunday school teacher at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, and a [[Cub Scouting (Boy Scouts of America)|Cub Scout]] "den mother". She regularly drove her children around to their activities, such as her sons' [[Little League Baseball]] games and her daughter's dance classes. She was also involved in her husband's political career by fulfilling the commitments expected of congressional spouses to help elevate her husband's regard among his House colleagues. She accompanied her husband to congressional and White House events, as well as on some trips abroad, and made herself available to newspaper and magazine articles.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Fling1">{{cite web |last1=Fling |first1=Sarah |title=Betty Ford: Activist First Lady |url=https://www.whitehousehistory.org/betty-ford-activist-first-lady |website=www.whitehousehistory.org |publisher=White House Historical Association |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |date=November 5, 2019}}</ref> Ford also posed for newspaper publicity photographs and was a clothing model for charity [[fashion show]]s, after a Republican had urged her to do so since they felt that Democratic Party spouses had far outnumbered Republican spouses in such publicity-generating activity.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Ford also [[volunteered]] for local charitable organizations, including serving as the program director of the Alexandria Cancer Fund Drive.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Ford also held active membership in groups such as the 81st Congress Club and [[National Federation of Republican Women]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Ford's busy life took a toll. In 1964, a [[pinched nerve]] on the left side of Ford's [[neck]] sent her to the hospital for two weeks. After her pinched nerve, she began suffering several effects, including [[muscle spasms]], periphrasic neuropathy, [[numbing]] the left side of her neck, and [[arthritis]] on her [[shoulder]] and arm. She would be given [[prescription medication]], including [[Valium]]. Ford would ultimately develop an [[Prescription drug addiction|addiction to prescription medication]] (and would ultimately confront and recover from this addiction in 1978).<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Fling1"/> Ford's health problems and the stress of her husband's career (which saw him frequently away from their household) compounded, particularly after her husband's career became even more demanding after he became [[Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives|House minority leader]] in January 1965. In 1965, Ford suffered a significant [[nervous breakdown]], erupting in severe [[crying]] that had appeared inexplicable to others. This led her to seek [[psychiatric]] assistance. Ford had weekly meetings with a [[psychiatrist]] approximately between August 1965 and April 1967.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Ford received support from her family and managed to resume a busy lifestyle.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="lifechangeddramatically"/> However, notably, Ford had not yet managed to address her increasing prescription [[pain medication]] dependency, which sometimes saw her taking as many as twenty pills in a single day. Nor had she yet addressed her relationship with alcohol, which she, at the time, believed was typical consumption.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Ford accompanied her husband on a trip to [[mainland China]] in 1972.<ref name="Marks1"/> That same year, her husband brought up the possibility that he might retire from congress in 1977, which would make the [[1974 United States House of Representatives election]] the last he would run in. This prospect elated Ford.<ref name="lifechangeddramatically">{{cite web |title=Betty's life changed dramatically once she became... |url=https://fordlibrarymuseum.tumblr.com/post/172793209856/bettys-life-changed-dramatically-once-she-became |website=fordlibrarymuseum.tumblr.com |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Such talk was due to her husband seeing it as unlikely that he would ever fulfill his ambition of becoming speaker of the House in light of the Republican Party's failure to win a majority in the [[1972 United States House of Representatives elections]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

==Second Lady of the United States (1973–1974)==
[[File:Mr. and Mrs. Ford and Nixon 13 Oct 1973.jpg|thumb|The Fords pose with President [[Richard Nixon]] and First Lady [[Pat Nixon]] on October 13, 1973, the day after President Nixon nominated Ford to be appointed as his new vice president.]]
[[File:Betty Ford's swearing in dress, 1973.jpg|thumb|The [[Frankie Welch]]-designed dress that Ford wore to her husband's swearing-in as vice president]]

[[Spiro Agnew]] resigned as vice president on October 10, 1973.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kreitner |first1=Richard |title=October 10, 1973: Vice President Spiro Agnew Resigns |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/october-10-1973-vice-president-spiro-agnew-resigns/ |publisher=The Nation |access-date=15 May 2022 |date=10 October 2015}}</ref> Two days later, on October 12, 1973, President [[Richard Nixon]] nominated Gerald Ford to serve as vice president.<ref name="timeline1"/> Ford felt an obligation to attend her husband's [[testimony]] at his confirmation hearings. During his testimony, Gerald Ford was questioned about attending psychiatric care. After this, Betty Ford was transparent with the news media that she had received psychiatric care. She explained that, while her husband had attended two sessions with a psychiatric doctor, those sessions were for her care, and not care of his own.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Gerald Ford was confirmed as vice president by the [[United States Congress]] on December 6, 1973, and he took the [[oath of office]] before a [[joint session of the United States Congress]] while placing his hand upon a bible that Betty Ford held.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="timeline1">{{cite web |title=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/grf/timeline.asp |website=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> With her husband assuming the office of vice president, Ford became the [[second lady of the United States]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Before the end of December, Ford played a role in establishing the Republican Women's Federal Forum, partnering with [[Barbara Bush]], whose husband [[George H. W. Bush]] was [[Chairman of the Republican National Committee|chairman]] of the [[Republican National Committee]] at the time. The organization sought to bring together political spouses and female government federal employees to discuss current party activates and ideas about legislation. Ford also, in a television interview with [[Barbara Walters]], expressed her support for the [[United States Supreme Court]]'s [[Roe v. Wade]] decision ruling [[Abortion in the United States|abortion]] as constitutionally protected.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Ford remarked, "I agree with the Supreme Court's ruling. I think it's time to bring abortion out of the backwoods and put it in the hospitals, where it belongs." Disregarding criticism to her stance, Ford would remark, "Maybe I shouldn't have said it, but I couldn't lie. That's the way I feel."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Piker |first1=Mark |title=How Betty Ford Made History Inside The White House and Beyond |url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a39717675/who-was-betty-ford-michelle-pfeiffer-the-first-lady/ |website=Town & Country |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en-us |date=21 April 2022}}</ref>

The media "broke" the story that Ford had a previous marriage and had been divorced, initially reporting it as a secret revelation. However, Ford simply responded by giving the explanation that it was not something that she had tried to hide, but rather, something that she had only neglected to share with the news media because none of them had broached the subject in their previous questions to her. This response proved effective in killing the speculation that she was covering-up her past and earned her some admiration in the media.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> At one point, Ford disclosed to the public that her husband had previously promised her that he would retire from the House of Representatives in 1976 in order to return to private legal practice and dedicate more time to his family.<ref name="Marks1"/> Ford became overwhelmed by the media attention she received and became somewhat reclusive for a period early into her time as second lady.<ref name="Radcliffe1"/> However, by the spring of 1974, Ford was seen as embracing her position as second lady, becoming less reclusive and more active.<ref name="Marks1"/> Ford would, ultimately, for most of the nine months that she was second lady, be a high-profile public figure.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

As she became a more active second lady, Ford adopted an objective of promoting the arts. In April 1974, she made her first official solo trip as second lady when she spent two-days visiting the states of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[Tennessee]] to help in publicizing the "ARTRAIN", which was a traveling exhibit of art, visual displays, and performance pieces housed in six [[railway cars]], and which was to travel through small towns across the southern United States. Ford was the most prominent national supporter of the project.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Marks1"/> Her candor on this trip received a positive reception by the news media.<ref name="Marks1"/> Among those that she met on the two-day trip was [[Georgia Governor]] [[Jimmy Carter]] and his wife [[Rosalynn Carter|Rosalynn]].<ref name="Radcliffe1"/> The Carters would ultimately go on to be the Fords' successors as president and first lady after Jimmy Carter defeated President Ford in the [[1976 United States presidential election]].<ref name="Radcliffe1"/> On May 31, 1973, Ford made her first major speech when she gave a [[commencement address]] to the graduates of the [[Westminster Choir College]]. This set a contrast with First Lady [[Pat Nixon]], who routinely rejected invitations to give formal speeches. Ford was also observed to be upgrading her wardrobe, adding [[designer clothing]].<ref name="Marks1">{{cite web |last1=Marks |first1=Dorothy |title=Friends Asking: 'Is There A New Betty Ford?' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/336745739 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Rocky Mount Telegram |agency=Women's New Service |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=May 14, 1974}}</ref> In addition to the arts, Ford also gave focus to projects helping the [[disabled]] during her time as second lady.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

On March 12, 1974, the Fords hosted a [[List of state dinners in the United States|state dinner]] for King [[Hussein of Jordan|Hussein]] of [[Jordan]] after president Nixon, with a week's notice, asked Vice President Ford to take over for him in hosting the already-scheduled state dinner.<ref name="alllthepresidents"/><ref name="Hussein1"/> The dinner was held in the John Quincy Adams Drawing Room, one of the [[Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State|Diplomatic Reception Rooms]] at the [[United States Department of State]] headquarters at the [[Harry S Truman Building]].<ref>{{cite web |title=March 13, 1974 – Vice President and King Hussein of Jordan |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0023/002302722.pdf |website=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref>

In June 1974, Ford attended the funeral of [[Alberta Williams King]], the assassinated mother of the late [[civil rights]] leader [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] Other [[Nixon administration]] official figures did not attend, continuing with other obligations.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Radcliffe1"/> Ford was the only individual in attendance at the funeral not directly ingrained in the civil rights movement or black politics, with the exception of Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.<ref name="Radcliffe1"/> Ford's attendance at the funeral was, in actuality, a break from the administration. Ford had believed it to be of great importance for the administration to show an expression of direct concern pertaining to the assassination, while Nixon's staff disagreed with her. Ford also broke from the administration in giving her support to the prospect of federally-funded [[child daycare]], which the Nixon administration opposed.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Ford had an extremely busy schedule by July 1974. Magazines such as ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' and ''[[Ladies Home Journal]]'' were planning to publish spreads on Ford in upcoming issues.<ref name="Radcliffe1">{{cite web |last1=Radcliffe |first1=Donnie |title=Betty Ford: unaffected, but not a 'plain country girl' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/645085569 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Rock Island Argus |agency=Los Angeles Times-Washington Post |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=July 24, 1974}}</ref> With her husband, as vice president, tasked with heavily campaigning on behalf of his party for the [[1974 United States elections|1974 midterm elections]], Ford occasionally hit the campaign trail herself. Ford had declared that she would be accompanying her husband at campaign functions, "when he wants me to."<ref name="Marks1"/><ref name="Radcliffe1"/> The Fords had planned to make a diplomatic trip to European nations after the midterm elections.<ref name="Marks1"/>

Both Betty and Gerald Ford refused to comment on speculation that President Nixon might be forced out of office due to the [[Watergate scandal]]. Ford did indirectly indicate her willingness to step into the role of first lady by affirming that she would make any sacrifices required for her husband to carry out his constitutional obligations, but also opined that it would be traumatic if the nation had to endure a president being forced from office. Ford also publicly expressed admiration and friendship toward First Lady [[Pat Nixon]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

==First Lady of the United States (1974–1977)==
[[Image:Ford sworn-in.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Vice President [[Gerald Ford]] is sworn in as the 38th President of the United States by Chief Justice [[Warren Burger]] in the [[East Room]] at the [[White House]] as Betty Ford looks on.]]

On August 9, 1974, after the [[resignation of Richard Nixon]] (who was facing the prospect of likely [[Federal impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] and removal from office), Gerald Ford ascended to the position of president of the United States<ref name="timeline1"/> and Betty Ford became the [[first lady of the United States]]. As was the case during Gerald Ford's vice presidential swearing-in, Betty Ford held the Bible upon which he placed his hand while taking his [[Oath of office of the president of the United States|oath of office]]. In his remarks at [[Inauguration of Gerald Ford|his inauguration]], Gerald Ford remarked, "I am indebted to no man and only one woman, my dear wife, Betty, as I begin this very difficult job."<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

===Public image, influence, and candor===
[[Image:Official Portrait of First Lady Betty Ford (1975) (A8704).jpg|thumb|200px|Official portrait as First Lady; 1975]]
At the time her husband assumed the presidency, reporters speculated on what kind of first lady Ford would be, as they thought her predecessor, Pat Nixon, as noted by one reporter, to be the "most disciplined, composed first lady in history."<ref>*{{cite book | author = Anthony, Carl Sferrazza | title = First Ladies: The Saga of the Presidents' Wives and Their Power; 1961–1990 (Volume II) | year = 1991 | publisher = [[William Morrow and Company]] | location = New York City | isbn = 978-0-688-10562-4 | page = [https://archive.org/details/firstladiessaga100anth/page/220 220] | url = https://archive.org/details/firstladiessaga100anth/page/220 }}</ref> Ford ultimately became a popular and influential first lady. In the opinion of ''The New York Times'' and several presidential historians, "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."<ref>[https://archive.today/20130129153940/http://www.nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/betty-ford-s-legacy-wide-and-lasting-20110709 "Betty Ford's Legacy Wide and Lasting"], ''National Journal,'' July 9, 2011</ref> She was regarded to be the most politically outspoken first lady since [[Eleanor Roosevelt]],<ref name="healy1">{{cite web |title=Betty Ford |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/325222691 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Des Moines Tribune |agency=The New York Times |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 9, 1976}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=John |title=Betty Ford: Feminist, Social Liberal, Republican |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/betty-ford-feminist-social-liberal-republican/ |website=The Nation |access-date=15 May 2022 |date=9 July 2011}}</ref> whom she regarded as a role model.<ref>{{cite web |title=First Lady job tailored by the lady |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/232388042 |via=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Orlando Sentinel |access-date=28 November 2022 |agency=The Associated Press |url-access=subscription |language=en |date=January 31, 1993}}</ref> Active in social policy, Ford broke new ground as a politically active presidential spouse.<ref name="Time"/>

Repeatedly speaking out on women's issues, Ford was a leader in championing the changing status of women in American society. Ford surprised the media and the public by explicitly supporting a woman's right to an abortion, the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] (ERA), and grass roots activism. Ford took these stances despite recognizing that they created a political risk of [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] backlash against her husband. However, not everything Ford did as first lady broke tradition. Ford also enjoyed the traditional role as hostess of the White House and on a daily basis spent most of her energy on the family, health, and serving as a surrogate for her husband on the political campaign trail.<ref name="Tobin">{{cite journal |last1=Tobin |first1=Leesa E. |title=Betty Ford as First Lady: A Woman for Women |journal=Presidential Studies Quarterly |date=1990 |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=761–767 |jstor=20700159 |issn=0360-4918}}</ref>
[[Image:Photograph of President and Mrs. Ford Holding Hands While Riding in the President's Limousine on a Chicago, Illinois... - NARA - 186761.tif|thumb|right|200px|Betty and Gerald Ford riding in the presidential limousine in 1974]]
Steinhauer of ''The New York Times'' described Ford as "a product and symbol of the cultural and political times—doing [[Bump (dance)|the Bump]] dance 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."<ref name="nytimes2006">Steinhauer, Jennifer (December 31, 2006). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/us/31betty.html?pagewanted=all "Back in View, a First Lady With Her Own Legacy"], ''[[The New York Times]]''.  Retrieved July 16, 2011.</ref> Ford was open about the benefits of [[psychiatric treatment]] and spoke understandingly about [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] use and premarital sex.<ref name="millercenter">{{cite web | author=<!--Not stated--> | date = n.d. | title = Elizabeth "Betty" Ford | url = http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/ford/essays/firstlady/elizabeth | publisher = [[Miller Center of Public Affairs]] | access-date = July 11, 2011  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120118190856/http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/ford/essays/firstlady/elizabeth | archive-date = January 18, 2012 }}</ref> The ''New York News Service'' wrote that Ford was, "constitutionally incapable of uttering 'no comment' or otherwise fudging an answer."<ref name="NYN1"/> As first lady, remarking on her honest candor and the sometimes-controversial remarks it resulted in, Ford declared, "I am not very good at making up stories." In another instance, she commented, "it's just impossible for me to lie and look someone in the eyes and talk to them. This is my problem."<ref name="healy1"/><ref name="NYN1">{{cite web |title=Betty's popularity rises because of her big mouth |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/341774189 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois) |agency=New York News Service |access-date=18 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 6, 1976}}</ref> While President Ford never attempted to silence his wife, some of his senior staff resented her independent candor.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> [[Margaret Brown Klapthor]] later wrote of Ford's candor, "she has the self-confidence to express herself with humor and forthrightness whether she speaks to friends, to the press or to a multitude."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barnhardt |first1=Mike |title=First ladies: Betty Ford receives high marks |url=https://www.ourdavie.com/2021/08/05/first-ladies-betty-ford-receives-high-marks/ |website=Davie County Enterprise Record |access-date=10 August 2023 |language=en |date=5 August 2021}}</ref>

[[File:First Lady Betty Ford and CBS Correspondent Morley Safer in the White House Solarium Prior to Taping a 60 Minutes Segment - NARA - 30805901.jpg|thumb|200px|Ford sits in the White House Solarium with [[Morley Safer]] before filming [[Betty Ford's August 1975 60 Minutes interview|her August 1975 ''60 Minutes'' interview with him]].]]
[[Betty Ford's August 1975 60 Minutes interview|Ford filmed an interview with the television news program ''60 Minutes'' which was broadcast on August 10, 1975]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/> The broadcast of the interview saw strong interest from the public.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> After the interview aired, a number of Ford's remarks in this interview on hot-button issues generated particularly immense media attention.<ref name="healy1"/> Due to conservative backlash from Ford's comments on [[premarital sex]], [[marijuana]] use, and abortion in the ''60 Minutes'' interview, President Ford initially quipped to her that her comments had lost him a large number of votes.<ref name="healy1"/><ref name="nytimes2006"/><ref name="biggerrole"/> However, polling would show that her comments were accepted by many Americans.<ref name="healy1"/><ref name="biggerrole"/><ref name="box39"/>

In 1975, when ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named the "American women" as its "[[Time Person of the Year|Person of the Year]]",<ref name="time1">{{cite magazine |title=Person of the Year: A Photo History – TIME |url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019712_2019710_2019675,00.html#:~:text=In%201975%20TIME%20named%20%22American%20Women%22%20People%20of,equivalent%20to%20the%20discovery%20of%20a%20new%20continent.%22 |magazine=Time |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=16 December 2006}}</ref> the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women". That same year, ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' named Ford one of the three most intriguing people in America.<ref name="Tucker1"/> In 1977, the [[World Almanac]] included Ford in its ranking of the 25 most-influential American women.<ref name="box39">{{cite web |title=Digitized from Box 39 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0126/1489780.pdf |website=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |publisher=Ford Library Museum |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> In January 1976, Ford made a [[cameo appearance]] on the popular television program ''[[The Mary Tyler Moore Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Watch Betty Ford's Memorable Cameo |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/the-mary-tyler-moore-show-betty-ford-20307/ |website=tvseriesfinale.com |access-date=27 August 2022 |date=11 July 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Mary Tyler Moore Betty Ford Ed Weinberger Hay-Adams Hotel 1975.jpg|thumb|200px|Ford in November 1975, sitting at the [[Hay–Adams Hotel]] with television producer [[Ed Weinberger]] and actress [[Mary Tyler Moore]] during the filming of Ford's [[cameo appearance]] on ''[[The Mary Tyler Moore Show]]'']]

The Fords were among the more openly affectionate first couples in United States history. Neither was shy about their mutual love and equal respect, and they were known to have a strong personal and political partnership.<ref name="PBS"/> This open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford's presidency. Ford was observed audibly telling her husband "I love you" following a kiss they shared right after he was sworn in as president. Later that day, President Ford was caught momentarily patting Betty's [[buttocks]] before the press gathered outside of their Virginia residence.<ref name="healy1"/> Weeks later, when the Fords moved from their Virginia residence into the White House<ref name="FLbiogs"/> their [[Bed size|king size]] bed was photographed being moved into the White House, which prompted Betty to quip that they had been outed for breaking the tradition of first couples keeping separate bedrooms in the White House.<ref name="healy1"/> Early into her time in the White House, during a televised tour of the White House, Ford once again noted that she and her husband shared the same bed.<ref name="millercenter"/> In a 1975 interview with ''[[McCall's]]'', Ford remarked that she was asked just about everything, except for how often she and the president had sex. "And if they'd asked me that I would have told them," she said, adding that her response would be, "as often as possible."<ref name="washingtonpost" />

====Popularity====
Ford was popular with the American public. Her overall approval rating was, at times, as high as 75%.<ref name="nytimes2006" /> Ford's popularity often was higher than her husband's.<ref name="Fling1"/> Ford said, during her husband's failed [[1976 United States presidential election|1976]] presidential campaign, "I would give my life to have Jerry have my poll numbers."<ref name="nytimes2006" /> This reflects a common trend of American first ladies often being more popular than the presidents to whom they are married.<ref name="roper1">{{cite web |title=Then and Now: First Ladies {{!}} Roper Center for Public Opinion Research |url=https://ropercenter.cornell.edu/then-and-now-first-ladies |website=ropercenter.cornell.edu |publisher=Roper Center (Cornell University) |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref>

Ford ranked as one of the top-10 most admired women in the results of [[Gallup (company)|Gallup]]'s annual [[Gallup's most admired man and woman poll|most admired man and woman poll]] every year from 1974 (the year her husband first became president) through 1991,<ref name="1985a">{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George Jr. |title=Thatcher America's 'most admired woman' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/336020881 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Tampa Tribune |agency=Los Angeles Times Syndicate |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 2, 1985}}</ref><ref name="Gallup1999">{{cite web |title=Most Admired Men and Women: 1948–1998 |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/3415/most-admired-men-women-19481998.aspx |website=news.gallup.com |publisher=Gallup |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |date=13 December 1999}}</ref><ref name="multiple gallup">Multiple sources:
*{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George |title=Gallup/Rosalynn Carter Most Admired |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/720357581 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Newsday (Suffolk Edition) (Melville, New York) |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 23, 1980}}
*{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George |title=Nancy Reagan, Thatcher honored |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/785389032 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Merced Sun-Star |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=December 24, 1981}}
*{{cite web |title=Nancy Reagan No. 1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/590552487 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Johnson City Press |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 2, 1982}}
*{{Cite news |date=January 13, 1983 |title=Top of the Line |work=[[Miami Herald]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96571255/top-of-the-line/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205412/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96571255/top-of-the-line/ |url-status=live }}
*{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George |title=12 Jan 1984, 9 - The News and Observer at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/654321285 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina) |agency=Los Angeles Times Syndicate |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 12, 1984}}
*{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George Jr. |title=Thatcher America's 'most admired woman' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/336020881 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Tampa Tribune |access-date=14 January 2023 |url-access=subscription |agency=Los Angeles Times syndacate  |language=en |date=January 2, 1985}}
*{{cite web |title=Most admired in '85 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/540698383 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Lompoc Record |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=February 2, 1986}}
*{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George Jr. |last2=Castelli |first2=Jim |title=Religious leaders make gains in most-admired lists |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/129645458 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=March 21, 1987}}
*{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George Jr. |last2=Gallup |first2=Alec |title=First lady Nancy Reagan is most-admired woman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/129523837 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Palm Beach Post |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 19, 1988}}
*{{cite web |title=Bush, Gorbachev Are 1–2 In Popularity Poll |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/139200576 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=St. Louis Post-Dispatch| agency=The Gallup Organization |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=December 27, 1989}}
*{{cite web |title=Americans' Heroes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/130582063 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Palm Beach Post |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 4, 1991}}
*{{cite web |last1=McAney |first1=Leslie |title=President, Barbara Bush Top 'Most Admired' Lists |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/452975593 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Daily Oklahoman |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 5, 1992}}</ref> with the exception of Gallup having not conducted such a poll in 1976 (the final full year of her husband's presidency).<ref name="gallup1"/> The poll gauges Americans' most admired men and women without providing respondents any pre-arranged list of names.<ref name="1985a"/> In 1974, Ford placed second in the poll.<ref name="1974gallup1">{{Cite news |last=Gallup |first=George |date=December 31, 1974 |title=Meir Is Most Admired Woman |work=[[The Clarion-Ledger]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96574527/meir-is-most-admired-woman/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205341/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96574527/meir-is-most-admired-woman/ |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> She placed first in 1975.<ref name="gallup1"/> In 1977, the year her husband left office, she placed fourth.<ref name="1977gallup2">{{cite web |last1=Gallup |first1=George |title=1 Jan 1978, 21 - Tampa Bay Times at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/318933451 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=St. Petersburg Times |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=January 1, 1978}}</ref> After her tenure as first lady ended, she would top the poll for a second time in 1978, the year she had established herself as an advocate for people with drug and alcohol dependence.<ref name="gallup1"/><ref name="Gallup1999"/> Contrarily to her, while President Ford ranked in the top-10 positions of most admired men in multiple years,<ref name=":22">{{Cite news |last=Gallup |first=George |date=December 22, 1978 |title=Carter First On 'Most Admired Man' List |work=[[Montgomery Advertiser]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96573535/carter-first-on-most-admired-man-list/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205344/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96573535/carter-first-on-most-admired-man-list/ |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 29, 1974 |title=Kissinger Again 'Most Admired Man' |work=[[The Tampa Tribune]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96574274/kissinger-again-most-admired-man/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205341/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96574274/kissinger-again-most-admired-man/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gallup |first=George |date=January 4, 1981 |title=Pope Tops List of Most Admired |work=[[The Anniston Star]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96571517/pope-tops-list-of-most-admired/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205344/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96571517/pope-tops-list-of-most-admired/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 3, 1982 |title=Reagan Replaces Pope as Most Admired Man |work=[[Rapid City Journal]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96571761/reagan-replaces-pope-as-most-admired-man/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205350/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96571761/reagan-replaces-pope-as-most-admired-man/ |url-status=live }}</ref> he never managed to top it.<ref name="gallup1">{{cite web |title=Most Admired Man and Woman |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/1678/Most-Admired-Man-Woman.aspx |website=news.gallup.com |publisher=Gallup |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=2020}}</ref>

In ''[[Good Housekeeping]]'''s annual readers' poll of most admired women, Ford placed second in 1974<ref>{{cite web |title=Golda Meir Named As 'Most Admired'; Betty Ford Second |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/01/02/archives/golda-meir-named-as-most-admired-betty-ford-second.html#:~:text=Betty%20Ford%2C%20wife%20of%20President%20Ford%2C%20won%20second,her%20last%20two%20years%20in%20the%20White%20House. |website=The New York Times |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=2 January 1975}}</ref> and first in 1975.<ref name="Tucker1">{{cite web |last1=Tucker |first1=Neely |title=Betty Ford, again putting on a brave face |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16387233 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513064649/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16387233 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 13, 2022 |website=NBC News |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |date=December 29, 2006}}</ref> By late-1975, [[The Harris Poll|Harris]] found Ford to have established herself as one of America's most popular first ladies.<ref name="biggerrole">{{cite web |title=Presidents Advisors Urging Bigger Role for Betty Ford |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/293920976 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Manitowoc Herald-Times |agency=The Associated Press |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=November 11, 1975}}</ref><ref name="Tobin"/> In January 1976, the editors of the ''New York News Service'' wrote that Ford was, "one of the most charming and popular First Ladies ever to occupy the White House".<ref name="NYN1"/>

====Ranking in Gallup's annual poll of "Most Admired Women"====
{| class="wikitable"
|+ <ref name="1985a"/><ref name="Gallup1999"/><ref name="multiple gallup"/><ref name="1974gallup1"/><ref name="gallup1"/><ref name="1977gallup2"/>
|-
! Year !! Rank !! rowspan=7| !! Year !! Rank !! rowspan=7| !! Year !! Rank
|-
|| 1974 || 2nd || 1980 || 3rd || 1986 || 8th
|-
|| 1975 || 1st || 1981 || 5th || 1987  || 7th
|-
|| 1976 || ''no poll<br>conducted'' || 1982 || 8th || 1988 || 5th
|-
|| 1977 || 4th || 1983 || 4th || 1989 || 7th
|-
|| 1978 || 1st || 1984 || 6th || 1990 || 8th
|-
|| 1979 || 5th {{small|(tied with<br>[[Jaclyn Smith]])}} || 1985 || 7th || 1991 || 10th
|}

=====Approval polling=====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 75%;
|-
! [[Voter segments in political polling|Segment polled]]
! Polling group
! Date
! Approve
! Disapprove
! Sample size
! Margin-of-error
! Source
|-
| National poll
|[[Roper Center]]
| 1976
| style="background:#006800; color: white" |'''71%'''
| 24%
|
|
|<ref name="roper1"/>
|-
| National poll
|[[Roper Center]]
| 1975
| style="background:#006800; color: white" |'''50%'''
| 36%
|
|
|<ref name="roper1"/>
|}

===Social policy and political activism===
[[File:Photograph of a Woman Holding a Sign in Portland Maine, Supporting First Lady Betty Ford For Her Stance on Various... - NARA - 186817.tif|right|thumb|200px|A sign being displayed in [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], Maine, in August 1975 expressing support for Ford's stance on various women's issues]]

During her time as first lady, Ford was an outspoken advocate of [[women's rights]] and was a prominent force in the [[Feminist Movement in the United States|Women's Movement of the 1970s]].<ref name="CNN Transcript"/> Her active political role prompted ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' to call her the country's "Fighting First Lady" and was the reason they profiled her, among several others, to represent the "American Women" as the magazine's 1975 [[Time Person of the Year|Person of the Year]].<ref name="Time">{{cite news | title= Women: A Fighting First Lady| date= March 3, 1975| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,912914,00.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122043527/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,912914,00.html| archive-date=January 22, 2011| magazine= [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref> On September 4, 1974, weeks after becoming first lady, Ford conducted a press conference in the [[State Dining Room of the White House]] in which she remarked that she, "would like to be remembered in a very kind way; also as a constructive wife of a president."<ref name="Fling1"/>

[[File:First Lady Betty Ford’s “Bloomer Flag”.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A handmade flag given to Betty Ford that demonstrates her support for the  [[Equal Rights Amendment]]]]

Ford avidly supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. In her September 4, 1974 press conference, Ford declared her support for it.<ref name="Fling1"/> Ford lobbied state legislatures to ratify the amendment, and took on opponents of the amendment.<ref name="CNN Transcript">{{cite web | author = Transcript | date = December 30, 2006 | url = http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0612/30/lkl.01.html| title = Special Encore Presentation—Interview with Gerald Ford | work = [[Larry King Live]] | publisher = [[CNN]] | access-date =July 11, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Tobin"/> Ford utilized [[phone calls]], letter-writing, and [[telegrams]] as means of lobbying in support of the ERA.<ref name="Tobin"/>

Ford was also unapologetically [[pro-choice|pro-abortion rights]].<ref name="Fling1"/><ref name="CNN Transcript"/> In a 1975 interview with the news program ''60 Minutes'', Ford called ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' a "great, great decision".<ref name="Fling1"/> Ford's abortion position differed from the political platform of the Republican Party.<ref name="Fling1"/> For a long time, it was unclear whether Gerald Ford shared his wife's pro-abortion rights viewpoint. In December 1999, he told interviewer [[Larry King]] that he, too, was pro-abortion rights and had been criticized for that stance by conservative forces within the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].<ref name="CNN Transcript"/>

Ford successfully lobbied her husband to, in 1975, sign an [[executive order]] to establish the [[National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year]].<ref name="Fling1"/> Ford also, unsuccessfully, lobbied her husband to appoint the first woman to the [[Supreme Court of the United States]]<ref name="healy1"/><ref name="Tobin"/> or as a [[running mate]] in the 1976 election.<ref name="Tobin"/> Ford took personal credit for the appointment of [[Carla Anderson Hills]] as [[secretary of Housing and Urban Development]].<ref name="healy1"/>

In May 1975, during a four-day trip,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/25/archives/bettyford-in-tiptop-shape-after-grueling-fourday-trip.html|title=Betty Ford 'in Tip-Top Shape' After Grueling Four-Day Trip|first=Marjorie|last=Hunter|work=The New York Times|date=May 25, 1975}}</ref> Ford met with former [[Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam]] [[Nguyễn Cao Kỳ]] to discuss Southeast Asian refugees. Afterwards, Ford stated she was impressed with the conduct of the refugees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/22/archives/first-lady-visits-with-ky-on-coast-mrs-ford-tours-a-refugee-camp.html?_r=0|title=FIRST LADY VISITS WITH KY ON COAST|date=May 22, 1975|work=The New York Times|first=Marjorie|last=Hunter}}</ref>

Ford's involvement in political issues received some conservative criticism. [[Phyllis Schlafly]] accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. Some women protested Ford's lobbying for the ERA by carrying placards outside of the White House reading "Betty Ford, Get Off the Phone".<ref name="Tobin"/> On June 30, 1976, Ford attended the opening of "Remember the Ladies", a Revolutionary War-era women's exhibit. She drew boos from demonstrators against the Equal Rights Amendment in stating, "This exhibit about neglected Americans should give us strength and courage to seek equal rights for women today."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/06/30/archives/mrs-ford-helps-remember-the-ladies-of-revolutionary-era.html?_r=0|title=Mrs. Ford Helps 'Remember the Ladies' of Revolutionary Era|first=Judy|last=Klemesrud|work=The New York Times|date=June 30, 1976 }}</ref>

===Health and breast cancer awareness===
[[File:Photograph of President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford in the President's Suite at Bethesda Naval Hospital... - NARA - 186774.tif|thumb|200px|President Ford sits at Betty's bedside at [[Bethesda Naval Hospital]] on October 2, 1974, as she recovers from her [[mastectomy]].]]
[[File:Betty Ford and Rosalind Russell (1976-05-11)(1).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ford hosts actress [[Rosalind Russell]] at the White House on May 11, 1976. Russell was suffering from breast cancer, and would die 6 months later.]]
[[File:First Lady Betty Ford Viewing the Queen's Sitting Room during a Tour of the White House - NARA - 23869117.jpg|thumb|200px|Ford viewing the Queen's Sitting Room during a tour of the White House, 1977]]

Weeks after Ford became first lady, she underwent a [[mastectomy]] for breast cancer on September 28, 1974, after having been diagnosed with the disease.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cancertodaymag.org/pages/Fall2012/betty-ford-yesterday-and-today.aspx|title=A Leading Lady|website=Cancertodaymag.org|access-date=July 21, 2021|archive-date=July 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721230721/https://www.cancertodaymag.org/pages/Fall2012/betty-ford-yesterday-and-today.aspx}}</ref> Ford decided to be open about her illness because "There had been so much cover-up during [[Watergate Scandal|Watergate]] that we wanted to be sure there would be no cover-up in the Ford administration."<ref name=Timeobit/> She was the first American First Lady to permit for the public release of reports on her own medical condition since [[Florence Harding]] in 1922.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Her openness about her cancer and treatment raised the visibility of a disease that Americans had previously been reluctant to talk about. Ford commented to ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'',

{{blockquote|When other women have this same operation, it doesn't make any headlines. 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.<ref name="cancer"/>}}

Adding to heightened public [[awareness of breast cancer]] were reports that several weeks after Ford's cancer surgery, [[Happy Rockefeller]], the wife of Vice President [[Nelson Rockefeller]], also had a mastectomy.<ref name="cancer">Staff (November 4, 1974).  [https://web.archive.org/web/20081222055605/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,945077,00.html "Breast Cancer: Fear and Facts"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''.  Retrieved July 11, 2011.</ref> The spike in women [[Breast self-examination|self-examining]] after Ford went public with the diagnosis led to an increase in reported cases of breast cancer, a phenomenon known as the "Betty Ford blip".<ref name=Timeobit>[[Nancy Gibbs|Gibbs, Nancy]] (July 8, 2011).  [https://web.archive.org/web/20110711205526/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2082229-3,00.html "Betty Ford, 1918–2011"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''.  Retrieved July 16, 2011.</ref>

After her mastectomy, Ford received [[chemotherapy]] treatments and saw regular checkups. White House Physician William M. Lukash claimed in a March 1975 statement that Ford was suffering no side effects from her chemotherapy.<ref name="NYTMarch1975a">{{cite web |title=Arthritis Condition Forces Mrs. Ford To Curtail Activity |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/03/09/archives/arthritis-condition-forces-mrs-ford-to-curtail-activity.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=10 August 2023 |date=9 March 1975}}</ref>

In March 1975, Ford temporarily cut back her public schedule after suffering a flareup of her chronic arthritis.<ref name="NYTMarch1975a"/>

===The arts===
As First Lady, Ford was an advocate of the arts. She successfully lobbied her husband to award the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] to choreographer and dancer [[Martha Graham]] in 1976. She received an award from [[Parsons The New School for Design]] in recognition of her style.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

===State dinners===
{{See also|List of state dinners in the United States}}
[[File:King Hussein of Jordan, President Gerald R. Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, and Queen Alia Standing in the North Portico of the White House Prior to a State Dinner - NARA - 23869121.jpg|thumb|200px|Betty and Gerald Ford with King [[Hussein of Jordan|Hussein]] and Queen [[Alia Toukan|Alia]] of [[Jordan]] at the first [[List of state dinners in the United States|state dinner]] of Gerald Ford's presidency on August 16, 1974]]
[[File:Anne-Aymone Giscard d'Estaing, First Lady Betty Ford, President Valery Giscard d'Estaing of France, and President Gerald R. Ford Talking at the Close of a Receiving Line at a State Dinner - NARA - 23869223.jpg|200px|thumb|Betty and Gerald with French President [[Valéry Giscard d'Estaing]] and his wife [[Anne-Aymone Giscard d'Estaing]] at a May 17, 1976, state dinner in their honor]]
[[Image:BettyFordNARA.jpg|thumb|The Fords host Queen [[Elizabeth II]] and her husband the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] in the [[President's Dining Room]] during a 1976 [[state visit]].]]

Despite the brevity of her husband's presidency (roughly two and a half years), he hosted 33 state dinners, the fifth most state dinners of any United States president.<ref name="alllthepresidents"/> The first of these came only a week into Ford's presidency, hosting King [[Hussein of Jordan]] on August 16, 1974.<ref name="alllthepresidents">{{cite web |last1=Hickey |first1=C. K. |title=All the Presidents' Meals |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/all-the-presidents-meals-state-dinners-white-house-infographic/ |website=Foreign Policy |access-date=10 May 2022 |date=February 16, 2019}}</ref><ref name="VF1">{{cite magazine |last1=Colacello |first1=Bob |title=The White House's Dinner Theater |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/06/state-dinners-201006 |magazine=Vanity Fair |access-date=10 May 2022 |date=11 May 2010}}</ref> Once she became first lady, it fell to Ford to arrange this already-scheduled dinner.<ref name="NFL1">{{cite web |title=Betty Ford Biography |url=http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=39 |website=www.firstladies.org |publisher=National First Ladies' Library |access-date=10 May 2022 |archive-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509084814/http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=39  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Harold |title=Betty Ford obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/10/betty-ford-obituary |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 May 2022 |language=en |date=10 July 2011}}</ref> She found out of this upcoming dinner and her responsibility for planning it through a phone call she received within 24-hours after her husband's swearing-in as president.<ref name="GutgoldHobgood">{{cite journal |last1=Gutgold |first1=Nichola |last2=Hobgood |first2=Linda |title=A Certain Comfort: Betty Ford as First Lady |journal=Inventing a Voice: The Rhetoric of American First Ladies of the Twentieth Century |date=1 January 2004 |pages=325–340 |url=https://scholarship.richmond.edu/rhetoric-faculty-publications/3/ |access-date=22 September 2022}}</ref> As previously mentioned, the Fords had hosted a state dinner for King Hussein months earlier, during Gerald Ford's vice presidency, on March 12, 1974, after president Nixon asked then-Vice President Ford to take over for him in hosting a planned dinner for the King.<ref name="alllthepresidents"/><ref name="Hussein1">{{cite web |title=Hussein Assured on U.S. Peace Efforts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/03/13/archives/hussein-assured-on-us-peace-efforts-special-to-the-new-york-times.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=10 May 2022 |date=13 March 1974}}</ref> At the first state dinner that she arranged as first lady, Ford revived dancing as an activity of White House state dinners. The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners during Nixon's presidency.<ref name="VF1"/> At the state dinners of the Ford presidency, the president and first lady always led off the dancing, and dancing often lasted beyond midnight.<ref name="VF1"/>

The Fords opted to have an eclectic array of guests at their state dinners, including notable celebrities from the entertainment industry. The Fords' children often also attended the dinners they hosted.<ref name="VF1"/>

During their final year in the White House, the Fords hosted eleven state dinners. This large number of state dinners was, in part, due to great interest from foreign dignitaries in visiting the United States for a state dinner amid the [[United States Bicentennial]] celebrations. Ford made the decision that year to erect a [[tent]] in the [[White House Rose Garden]] to host dinners outside. For state dinners held using this tent, the receptions, entertainment, and dancing portions of the evenings were still held inside of the White House.<ref name="VF1"/>

Among the most notable state dinners the Fords hosted was a July 7, 1976 state dinner honoring [[Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh]]. This dinner was part of the [[American bicentennial celebrations]], and was held in the tent on the [[South Lawn of the White House]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Notable State Dinners at the White House |url=https://www.whitehousehistory.org/notable-state-dinners-at-the-white-house |website=www.whitehousehistory.org |publisher=White House Historical Association |access-date=10 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Silver |first1=Alexandra |title=Top 10 Memorable State-Dinner Moments – TIME |url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2043087_2043088_2043107,00.html |magazine=Time |access-date=10 May 2022 |date=19 January 2011}}</ref>

Of the state dinners she planned, Ford said, "From the beginning, Jerry and I tried to make the White House a place where people could have fun and enjoy themselves. Most of all we wanted the state dinners to express the very best about America, particularly during the bicentennial year."<ref name="VF1"/>

Dishes that Ford particularly liked serving at state dinners included [[wild rice]],<ref name="alllthepresidents"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jaime |first1=Fuller |title=That time FDR served hot dogs to the king, and three other strange state dinner facts |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/02/11/that-time-fdr-served-hot-dogs-to-the-king-and-three-other-strange-state-dinner-facts/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=11 May 2022 |date=February 11, 2014}}</ref> [[Columbia River salmon]], [[soufflé]], and [[flambé]]. The state dinners that Ford planned as first lady made a deliberate effort to showcase American ingredients.<ref name="alllthepresidents"/> By late 1974, Ford had shifted to exclusively serving wine that was [[Wine of the United States|American-cultivated]] at state dinners. The November 12, 1974 state dinner for Austrian [[Chancellor of Austria|Chancellor]] [[Bruno Kreisky]] saw the first instance in which a [[Michigan wine|wine from the Fords' home state of Michigan]] was served at a White House state dinner, with wine from the Tabor Hill Winery being served. It was not until 2016, during the presidency of [[Barack Obama]], that a Michigan wine would again be served at a White House state dinner.<ref name="alllthepresidents"/>

{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| '''Additional images'''
|-
| <gallery widths="200px" heights="135px">
File:First Lady Betty Ford and Comedian Marty Allen Dancing in the Grand Hall following a State Dinner Honoring the President and First Lady of Liberia - NARA - 12007069 (1).jpg|Ford dancing with comedian [[Marty Allen]] in the [[Entrance Hall|Entrance Hall of the White House]] of the White House during a September 21, 1976 state dinner in honor Liberian President [[William Tolbert]]
File:First Lady Betty Ford Reviewing the Table Settings in the State Dining Room during Preparations for a State Dinner Honoring the President and First Lady of Liberia - NARA - 12007068 (1).jpg|Ford reviews the table settings while preparing for the September 21, 1976 state dinner in honor of Liberian President William Tolbert.
File:First Lady Betty Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs Conducting a Media Press Tour of the Tent on the South Lawn of the White House While White House Staff Prepare for a State Dinner Honoring Queen Elizabeth II(...) - NARA - 12004846.jpg|Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs give the media a tour of the tent erected in the South Lawn for the July 1976 state dinner honoring [[Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Prince Philip]] of Great Britain.
File:Photograph of First Lady Betty Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs Looking at Sculptures by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell That Would Be Used as Centerpieces at a State Dinner Honoring President Anwar al(...) - NARA - 7839966.jpg|Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs inspect [[centerpiece]] sculptures designed by [[Frederic Remington]] and [[Charles Marion Russell|Charles Russell]] ahead of an October 1975 state dinner honoring [[Anwar Sadat]], the [[president of Egypt]].
File:Ford and Emperor1975.jpg|The Fords escort Japanese Emperor [[Hirohito]] and [[Empress Kōjun]] down the [[Cross Hall]] towards the [[East Room]] during an October 1975 state dinner honoring the Japanese royals.
</gallery>
|}

===Diplomatic trips===
[[File:First Lady Betty Ford Shares a Dance Move with One of the Students while Touring the Central May 7th College of Art in Peking, People's Republic of China - NARA - 7062593.jpg|thumb|200px|Ford joining dance students at the May 7th College of Art in Beijing, China (December 3, 1975)]]

Ford accompanied her husband abroad on several diplomatic trips. Among the nations that Ford accompanied her husband to were China, [[Poland]], [[Romania]], and [[Yugoslavia]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Ford did not take any solo trips abroad as first lady.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="reutersfactboxtravels">{{cite web |title=Factbox: Notable first ladies and their travels |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-factbox-firstladies-trips/factbox-notable-first-ladies-and-their-travels-idUSTRE63B5MJ20100412 |website=Reuters |access-date=16 May 2022 |language=en |date=12 April 2010}}</ref> She is the most recent first lady not to have done so. The first instance of a first lady conducting one had been [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] in 1942. Ford's recent predecessor [[Lady Bird Johnson]] was among other first ladies that did not conduct solo trips abroad.<ref name="reutersfactboxtravels"/>

During the Fords' 1976 trip to mainland China, when being shown an exhibition by a Chinese arts college dance group, Ford decided to join the dancers. Photos of this moment were published widely in the American press, resulting in Betty Ford somewhat upstaging President Ford in the press.<ref name="healy1"/>

===Philanthropic causes===
Ford supported numerous charities as first lady. Ford assisted in fundraising for the little-known Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, D.C., whose patients were predominantly African American. She also fundraised for [[No Greater Love (charity)|No Greater Love]], in appreciation of its work benefiting Children of [[Vietnam War]] [[Missing in Action|MIA]] and [[POW]]s. She served as the honorary president of the National Lupus Foundation, regarding [[lupus]] as a disease which impacted women, yet received minimal public attention. Her philanthropic support additionally placed a specific focus on charities serving children with [[special needs]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

===Role in the 1976 presidential campaign===
{{See also|1976 United States presidential election}}

In November 1975, it was reported by the [[Associated Press]] that Ford's husband's advisors, who had previously worried her outspoken comments would hurt him in the 1976 presidential election, were now recognizing her popularity and desiring for her to have a greater role in the campaign.<ref name="biggerrole"/> Ford ultimately played an important role in the 1976 election campaign. Ford made campaign appearances and delivered speeches across the United States.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Ford was also used, both by Ford supporters and detractors, as a symbol of [[Liberalism in the United States|liberal]] Republicanism, with her politics contrasting with the Republican Party's conservative and [[Political moderate|moderate]] wings.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

During the campaign, many Ford supporters wore [[campaign button]]s with phrases like "Betty's Husband for President in '76" and "Keep Betty in the White House".<ref name="Fling1"/> The use of Ford in such a manner to promote her husband's candidacy was not the work of the campaign itself, but rather, produced by supporters outside of the campaign organization. The campaigns of the previous three presidents that sought election to an additional term ([[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], [[Richard Nixon]]) had needed to manufacture campaign publicity involving their first ladies ([[Mamie Eisenhower]], [[Lady Bird Johnson]], and Pat Nixon). In contrast, there was tremendous organic excitement for Betty Ford among supporters of the campaign.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Ford campaigned actively both during [[1976 Republican Party presidential primaries|primary elections]] and the general election. A contrast was publicly drawn between Ford and [[Nancy Reagan]], the wife of Ford's primary election challenger [[Ronald Reagan]]. Reagan had contrasting views on issues such as drug experimentation by teenagers and the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] (which she opposed passing).<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Many of Ford's views were aligned-with, or even more liberal than, Rosalynn Carter, the wife of Ford's Democratic general election opponent Jimmy Carter.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

During the primaries, Ford recorded [[radio advertisements]] on behalf of the campaign that were broadcast in [[New Hampshire]]. She also traveled to [[Iowa]] before its [[Iowa caucuses|caucus]], and delivered a speech on behalf of the president (who had been unable to make his planned appearance) in which she labeled herself as being his political partner.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> The campaign made a deliberate effort, ahead of the [[1976 Republican National Convention]], of sending Ford to liberal and moderate-leaning states and not more conservative states in the [[Western United States|western]] and [[Southern United States|southern]] United States.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

Between Labor Day and election day, for the general election campaign, Ford conducted multi-stop speaking tours, during which she visited western states (including California, [[Colorado]], [[Texas]], and [[Utah]]) as well was northern [[Midwestern United States|midwest]] states including [[Illinois]], [[Michigan]], and [[Wisconsin]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

The heavy campaigning placed a strain on Ford's health. During the general election, her busy campaign activity saw the reigniting of her pinched nerve. However, even after this, Ford continued with her planned campaign schedule.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

After Gerald Ford's defeat by Jimmy Carter in the [[1976 United States presidential election|1976 presidential election]], she delivered her husband's [[Concession (politics)|concession]] speech because he had [[Laryngitis|lost his voice]] while campaigning.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name=":0" /> The speech was delivered on the day after the election. This is the only time that a major United States presidential candidate's spouse has delivered their concession on their behalf.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

After her husband's narrow defeat, there was some anecdotal speculation that Ford may have both have helped to alienate conservative Republicans from voting for her husband and at the same time helped attract him support from liberal and moderate Republicans, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], and independents.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="160px">
File:“Keep Betty (Ford) in the White House” campaign button, 1976.JPG|Campaign button in support of President Ford's [[1976 United States presidential election|1976]] presidential campaign with the phrase "Keep Betty in the White House"
File:President and Mrs. Ford at the RNC - NARA - 7027909 (1).jpg|Betty and Gerald Ford onstage at the [[1976 Republican National Convention]]
File:Mrs. Ford reads President Ford's concession speech - NARA - 5730760.jpg|Ford reads her husband's 1976 presidential [[Concession (politics)|concession]] speech to the press.
</gallery>

===Departure from the White House===
{{see also|Presidential transition of Jimmy Carter}}
[[File:First Lady Betty Ford Dancing on the Cabinet Room Table - NARA - 45644161.jpg|thumb|200px|Photograph of Ford dancing on the table of the [[Cabinet Room (White House)|Cabinet Room]]]]

During the period after the election, Ford postponed scheduled plans to give her slated successor, Rosalynn Carter, a tour of the White House. Unknown to Carter at the time, this was likely due to Ford's fragility caused by her prescription drug abuse. When Ford attempted to postpone the plans a second time, [[President-elect]] Carter called the White House and threatened to make a fuss in the news if the tour was not held as planned. Ford capitulated and gave a brief, but cordial, tour of the White House to Rosalynn Carter on November 22, 1976, coinciding with President-elect Carter's White House meeting with President Ford.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brower |first1=Kate Andersen |title=When first ladies meet: An awkward post-election White House tradition |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/when-first-ladies-meet-an-awkward-post-election-white-house-tradition/2016/04/06/5d8a60be-f6b6-11e5-9804-537defcc3cf6_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=19 January 2023 |date=6 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Times |first1=Marjorie Hunter Special to The New York |title=Mrs. Carter Looks Over School, Then Goes on White House Tour |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/11/23/archives/mrs-carter-looks-over-school-then-goes-on-white-house-tour.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 January 2023 |date=23 November 1976}}</ref>

On January 19, 1977, her last full day as first lady, Betty Ford used her training as a Martha Graham dancer to jump up on the [[Cabinet Room (White House)|Cabinet Room]] table. White House photographer [[David Hume Kennerly]] took a photo of her on the table.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/betty-ford-gilded-cage-meet-free-spirit/ |title=''Betty Ford: Gilded Cage, Meet Free Spirit'' |date=July 12, 2011 |access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/images/avproj/pop-ups/B2843-09A.html |title=Dancing on the table |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Library |access-date=December 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=LOOK: Proof Betty Ford Was A Total Badass |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/betty-ford-photo-white-house-table_n_4107727 |website=HuffPost |access-date=13 May 2022 |language=en |date=16 October 2013}}</ref> Gerald Ford did not know about or see the photo until 1994.<ref name="tabled">{{cite web |last1=Booth |first1=William |title=Betty Ford's Tabled Resolution |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/betty-fords-tabled-resolution-47091868/ |website=www.smithsonianmag.com |publisher=Smithsonian Magazine |access-date=27 August 2022 |language=en |date=June 2008}}</ref> A Ford family friend said that President Ford "about fell off his chair" when he saw the photo for the first time.<ref>''First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies'' by Kate Andersen Brower</ref><ref name="CBSAug9">{{cite web |title=The story behind an iconic Betty Ford photo |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-story-behind-an-iconic-betty-ford-photo/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=27 August 2022 |date=August 9, 2020}}</ref> The photo was subsequently published and is regarded as an "iconic" photograph of Ford's time as First Lady.<ref name="CBSAug9"/> Kennerly has touted the image as both capturing Ford's personality and being a symbolic image showing the feminist first lady posing in what had been a space occupied predominantly by [[White people|white]] men.<ref name="tabled"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kennerly |first1=David Hume |title=The First Lady |url=https://kennerly.com/blog/the-first-lady/ |website=David Hume Kennerly |access-date=8 October 2022 |date=27 August 2022}}</ref>

{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| '''Additional images'''
|-
| <gallery widths="200px" heights="135px">
File:Photograph of President Gerald Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, President-Elect Jimmy Carter, and Rosalynn Carter Standing Under the Canopy Near the South Portico Following the Carters' Tour of the White House - NARA - 186838.gif|The Fords welcome [[President-elect]] [[Jimmy Carter]] and his wife [[Rosalynn Carter]] to the White House on November 22, 1976, during the presidential transition.
File:First Lady Betty Ford and Others Applauding From the Gallery during the 1977 State of the Union Address - NARA - 17343413.jpg|Ford and others [[Applause|applaud]] in the gallery during the 1977 [[State of the Union Address]] on January 12, 1977.
File:Vice President Walter Mondale, - NARA - 173349.tif|The incoming and outgoing first and second couples pose for a photograph at the White House on the day of the [[inauguration of Jimmy Carter]]. L-R: [[Vice President-elect of the United States|Vice President-elect]] [[Walter Mondale]], incoming second lady [[Joan Mondale]], outgoing Vice President [[Nelson Rockefeller]], outgoing second lady [[Happy Rockefeller]], Betty Ford, Gerald Ford, incoming first lady Rosalynn Carter, and President-elect Carter
File:Jimmy Carter Inauguration - NARA - 173353.tif|At his inauguration, Jimmy Carter takes the oath of office to succeed Gerald Ford as president. Betty Ford stands in the lower-left corner of this image.
</gallery>
|}

==Post–White House life and career==
After leaving the [[White House]] in 1977, Ford continued to lead an active public life. In addition to founding the [[Betty Ford Center]], she remained active in women's issues, taking on numerous speaking engagements and lending her name to charities for fundraising.<ref name="msnbc">{{cite news| author=<!--Not stated--> | date = July 14, 2011 | title= After Funeral Service, Betty Ford Buried Next to Husband| work= [[NBC News]] | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43755302| access-date =July 16, 2011}}</ref> Many of Ford's most significant contributions as an activist came following the Fords' departure from the White House.<ref name="Fling1"/>

In 1977, the Fords moved to [[Rancho Mirage, California]].<ref name="Fling1"/>

In March 1977, Ford signed with [[NBC News]] to appear in two news specials within the following two years and to serve as a contributor to ''[[Today (U.S. TV program)|Today]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/12/archives/long-island-opinion-nbc-news-signs-betty-ford-to-pact-for-two.html|title=NBC News Signs Betty Ford to Pact For Two Specials|date=March 12, 1977|work=The New York Times|first=Les|last=Brown}}</ref> and jointly signed a publishing deal alongside her husband to for their forthcoming [[memoir]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/09/archives/ford-and-wife-sign-pact-for-memoirs-in-first-such-joint-contract.html|title=Ford and Wife Sign Pact for Memoirs|date=March 9, 1977|first=Herbert|last=Mitgang|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In June 1977, Ford was a speaker at the Arthritis Association Convention.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A7-hzOuI2KQC&dat=19770701&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|title=Ford Calls B1 Halt 'Very Risky Gamble'|work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|date=July 1, 1977}}</ref> In September of that year, Ford traveled to Moscow for a television program taping and to serve as hostess for ''[[The Nutcracker]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/25/archives/betty-ford-in-moscow.html|title=Betty Ford in Moscow|date=September 25, 1977|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In November 1977, Ford appeared at the opening session of the [[National Women's Conference]] in [[Houston]], Texas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/20/archives/equal-rights-plan-and-abortion-are-opposed-by-15000-at-rally-like-a.html|title=Equal Rights Plan and Abortion Are Opposed by 15,000 at Rally|first=Judy|last=Klemesrud|date=November 20, 1977|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=1977 National Women's Conference: A Question of Choices|url=http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-f47gq6s51g|language=en|access-date=March 11, 2021}}</ref>

===Recovery from alcoholism and prescription drug addiction ===
Ford had suffered from a dependency on prescription medication and from alcoholism prior even to her husband's presidency.<ref name="Fling1"/> Ford had, particularly, become addicted to prescription medication ([[opioid]] [[analgesic]]s) that she had been originally prescribed in the early 1960s to treat a pinched nerve.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Fling1"/> Ford took doses of this medication in excess of her prescription.<ref name="Fling1"/> In her 1987 memoir, she reflected on these addictions, writing, "I liked alcohol, it made me feel warm. And I loved pills. They took away my tension and my pain".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Betty Ford, 1918–2011|last=Gibbs|first=Nancy|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2082229-4,00.html|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=July 8, 2011 |access-date=September 20, 2017}}</ref> The fact that Ford had, for years, been given [[tranquilizer]]s to treat a pinched nerve in her neck was public knowledge as far back as her time as second lady.<ref name="Marks1"/> During her time as first lady, there had even been some private speculation that Ford might have been suffering from substance abuse, as her friends and members of the press had observed occasional slurred speech from Ford.<ref name="MacPhersonRadcliffe">{{cite news |last1=MacPherson |first1=Myra |last2=Radcliffe |first2=Donnie |title=Betty Ford Says That She Is Addicted to Alcohol |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/04/22/betty-ford-says-that-she-is-addicted-to-alcohol/bd6734d3-0ea1-4eb2-ab97-7279ca6dcc3d/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=22 April 1978}}</ref>

After the Fords left the White House, her addictions became more evident to her family and appeared life-threatening. On April 1, 1978, her family staged an [[Intervention (counseling)|intervention]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Fling1"/> In order to be at Betty Ford's intervention, President Ford had made last minute cancellations of numerous appearances that he had been scheduled to make on the East Coast. In making these cancellations, the former president cited "personal and family reasons".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Radcliffe |first1=Donnie |title=Betty Ford, After the Battle |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1983/04/24/betty-ford-after-the-battle/725321ca-3f63-4854-8ece-cab0314e36a5/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=10 August 2023 |date=24 April 1983}}</ref> The intervention forced Betty Ford to acknowledge the negative impact that her addiction was having on her health and family relationships. She agreed that day to [[detox]] from her medicine. She also, ultimately, agreed to attend [[Drug rehabilitation|rehab]] at the Naval Regional Medical Center in [[Long Beach, California]]. Ford registered herself at the hospital on April 11, 1978.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Fling1"/>

As she had previously been with her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, Ford was transparent with the public about her addictions and admittance to rehab. Ford's transparency was praised by experts in drug abuse treatment, who predicted that it would make a major and positive impact. The week she entered rehab, Ford disclosed her addiction to prescription medication. Days later, Ford also disclosed to the public that she had come to realize that she was additionally an alcoholic. She disclosed her alcoholism through a statement that a family spokesman read on her behalf at a press conference (at which Ford was not herself present) held outside of the hospital. In this statement, Ford disclosed, "I have found I am not only addicted to the medication I have been taking for my arthritis, but also to alcohol". In this statement, she also praised the reputation of the hospital's addiction treatment program, and declared her pleasure to have the opportunity to attend the treatment. The statement also declared, "I expect this treatment and fellowship to be a solution for my problems. I embrace it, not only for me, but all the many others who are here to participate." ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that Ford's disclosure of alcoholism came as a surprise to a number of her close friends, who had regarded her as merely a social drinker and were oblivious to her drinking problem.<ref name="MacPhersonRadcliffe"/>

Ford succeeded in getting sober.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="Fling1"/> She published her first memoir, ''The Times of My Life'', later in 1978 in which she discussed her battle with addiction.<ref name="Fling1"/>

During a January 1984 address in Michigan to a crowd of individuals who were in the early stages of alcohol and drug dependency treatment, Ford reflected that the six years since she began her treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, "have been the best years in my life from the standpoint of feeling healthier and feeling more comfortable with myself".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/01/27/Former-first-lady-Betty-Ford-says-the-six-years/2851444027600/|title=Former first lady Betty Ford says the six years...|publisher=UPI|date=January 27, 1984}}</ref>

===The Betty Ford Center===
{{Main|Betty Ford Center}}
[[File:BETTYFORD.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Ford standing outside of the [[Betty Ford Center]]]]

In 1982, after recovering from her own addictions, Ford established the [[Betty Ford Center]] (initially called the Betty Ford Clinic) in Rancho Mirage, California. Its mission specializes in the treatment of chemical dependency,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bettyfordcenter.org/about-betty-ford-center/our-history.php|title=Addiction Treatment – Betty Ford Center – Rancho Mirage, CA|work=bettyfordcenter.org}}</ref> including treating the children of alcoholics.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/spotlight000.htm|title=Betty Ford targets children of addicted families|date=January 16, 2002|newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> She partnered with her friend Ambassador [[Leonard Firestone]] to found it.<ref name="BFB1">{{cite web|title=Betty Ford Biography|url=http://www.geraldrfordfoundation.org/about/betty-ford-biography/|publisher=The Gerald Ford Foundation|access-date=October 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013211315/http://www.geraldrfordfoundation.org/about/betty-ford-biography/|archive-date=October 13, 2014}}</ref> She served as chair of the board of directors. She also co-authored with [[Chris Chase]] a book about her treatment, ''[[Betty: A Glad Awakening]]'' (1987). In 2003, Ford produced another book, ''Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery''. In 2005, Ford relinquished her chair of the center's board of directors to her daughter Susan. She had held the top post at the center since its founding.<ref name="PBS"/><ref name="BFB1"/>

Barbara Bush, a later first lady, opined that Ford, after discovering she was dependent on drugs, "transformed her pain into something great for the common good. Because she suffered, there will be more healing. Because of her grief, there will be more joy."<ref>{{cite book|title=Barbara Bush: A Memoir|first=Barbara|last=Bush|author-link=Barbara Bush|page=180|year=2015|isbn=978-1-5011-1778-7|publisher=Scribner}}</ref>

===Women's movement===
Ford continued to be an active leader and activist of the feminist movement after the Ford administration. She continued to strongly advocate and lobby politicians and state legislatures for passage of the ERA. In 1977, President [[Jimmy Carter]] appointed Ford to the second National Commission on the Observance of [[International Women's Year]] (the first had been appointed by President Ford). That same year, she joined First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson and [[Rosalynn Carter]] to open and participate in the [[1977 National Women's Conference|National Women's Conference]] in [[Houston]], Texas, where she endorsed measures in the convention's National Plan of Action, a report sent to the state legislatures, the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]], and the President on how to improve the status of American women.<ref name="sisters">{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=n.d. |title=''Sisters of '77'': The Conference |url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/sistersof77/conference.html |work=[[Independent Lens]] |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting Service]] | access-date=July 16, 2011}}</ref> Ford continued to be an outspoken supporter of equal pay for women, breast cancer awareness, and the ERA throughout her life.<ref name="aclu">{{cite web| title=Former First Lady and Women's Rights Advocate: Betty Ford| url=https://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights/former-first-lady-and-womens-rights-advocate-betty-ford| work=Blog of Rights| publisher=[[American Civil Liberties Union|ACLU]]| author=Barth-Werb, Zoë| date=July 12, 2011| access-date=July 16, 2011| archive-date=July 15, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715220451/http://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights/former-first-lady-and-womens-rights-advocate-betty-ford}}</ref> She was an active member of the [[Junior League]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajli.org/?nd=p-do-civldr-bio-betty-ford|title=Betty Ford, The Junior League of Grand Rapids|website=www.ajli.org}}</ref>

[[File:Rosalynn Carter with Betty Ford and Ladybird Johnson at the National Womens Conference. - NARA - 176935 (1).tif|thumb|Ford (center) together at the [[1977 National Women's Conference]] with First Lady [[Rosalynn Carter]] (left) and fellow former first lady [[Lady Bird Johnson]] (right)]]

Ford continued to advocate for the ratification of the ERA. In November 1977, Ford and First Lady Rosalynn Carter joined to advocate for its ratification at the [[1977 National Women's Conference|National Women's Conference]] in [[Houston]].<ref name="countdowncampaign1"/> In 1978, the deadline for ratification of the ERA was extended from 1979 to 1982, resulting largely from a march of a hundred thousand people on [[Pennsylvania Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Pennsylvania Avenue]] in Washington. The march was led by prominent feminist leaders, including Ford, [[Bella Abzug]], [[Elizabeth Chittick]], [[Betty Friedan]] and [[Gloria Steinem]]. In 1981, [[Eleanor Smeal]], the [[National Organization for Women]]'s president, announced Ford's appointment to be the co-chair, with [[Alan Alda]], of the ERA Countdown Campaign.<ref name="smeal">{{cite news |title=Betty Ford, Champion of Women's Rights |url=https://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/07/09/smeal.betty.ford/index.html |date=July 9, 2011 |author=[[Eleanor Smeal|Smeal, Eleanor]] (opinion essay) |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=July 16, 2011  |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716011857/http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-09/opinion/smeal.betty.ford_1_betty-ford-equal-rights-amendment-era-vote?_s=PM%3AOPINION |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> In November 1981, Ford stated that [[Governor of Illinois]] [[James R. Thompson]] had not done enough in support of the ERA as well as her disappointment with First Lady [[Nancy Reagan]] not being in favor of the measure, though also relayed her hopes to change the incumbent First Lady's mind in further encounters with her.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/11/18/Former-first-lady-Betty-Ford-says-she-is-disappointed/3258374907600/|title=Former first lady Betty Ford says she is disappointed...|date=November 18, 1981|publisher=UPI}}</ref> As the deadline approached, Ford led marches, parades and rallies for the ERA with other feminists, including First Daughter [[Maureen Reagan]] and various Hollywood actors. Ford was credited with rejuvenating the ERA movement and inspiring more women to continue working for the ERA. She visited states, including Illinois, where ratification was believed to have the most realistic chance of passing.<ref name="feminist">{{cite book| url=https://archive.org/details/feministchronicl00cara| title=Feminist Chronicles 1953–1993| year=1993| author1=Carabillo, Toni| author2=Meuli, Judith| author3=Csida, June Bundy| place=Los Angeles, California| publisher=Women's Graphics (via [[Feminist Majority Foundation]])| access-date=July 16, 2011| isbn=978-0-9634912-0-6}}</ref> On October 12, 1981, Ford spoke in support of the ERA on a rally held at the [[National Mall]].<ref name="countdowncampaign1">{{cite web |title=Betty Ford and the Equal Rights Amendment: The ERA Countdown Campaign |url=https://fordlibrarymuseum.tumblr.com/post/627067035905605632/post-white-house-lobbying-for-era-she-continued |website=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=19 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref> The amendment did not receive enough states' ratification. In 2004, Ford reaffirmed her pro-abortion rights stance and her support for the 1973 [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] decision in ''Roe v. Wade,'' as well as her belief in and support for the ratification of the ERA.<ref>{{cite news | title= Betty Ford's death marks the passing of a lost generation of moderate Republican women| url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100096173/betty-fords-death-marks-the-passing-of-a-lost-generation-of-moderate-republican-women/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711153701/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100096173/betty-fords-death-marks-the-passing-of-a-lost-generation-of-moderate-republican-women/  | archive-date=July 11, 2011 | date= July 9, 2011| author= [[Tim Stanley|Stanley, Tim]] (opinion essay) |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK| access-date=January 6, 2012}}</ref>

===Other matters===
Ford involved herself with the [[American Cancer Society]] and the [[Arthritis Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Betty Ford |url=https://www.ggrwhc.org/projects/ford-betty/ |publisher=Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council |access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref>

Decades later, in his 2014 memoir, television producer [[Norman Lear]] revealed that in the late-1970s Ford had played a significant role in helping to persuade television executives to purchase the [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] rights to the series ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'', of which she was an avid viewer. He wrote that, at his request, Ford had attended the [[National Association of Television Program Executives]] convention and spoke to executives about her love of the series to help pique their interest in the series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lear |first1=Norman |title=How Betty Ford Helped Sell 'Maude' Into Syndication |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/how-betty-ford-helped-sell-2-737521/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=18 June 2023 |date=2 October 2014}}</ref>

Ford tackled the stigmatized issue of [[HIV/AIDS]] during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Through the work she did at the Betty Ford Center, Ford recognized the link between drug abuse and AIDS. She involved herself in the Los Angeles AIDS Project. In 1985, Ford received the Los Angeles AIDS Projects "Commitment to Life Award". Her acceptance speech spoke hopefully of the prospect that attitudes towards HIV/AIDS would shift, being de-stigmatized as cancer and alcoholism had (in part due to her contribution). When she attended the [[1992 Republican National Convention]], Ford wore an AIDS ribbon pin.<ref name="MacPhersonRadcliffe"/><ref name="Candor"/>

Ford supported [[gay and lesbian]] causes, speaking against [[Sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States military|discrimination in the United States military]].<ref name="Fling1"/> In 1993, Ford was quoted as speaking against existing bans on gays serving in the military, remarking, {{blockquote|Constitutionally all citizens have the right to serve their country as long as they abide by the rules and regulations of military service. There have been gays and lesbians serving our country for many years. There haven't been any more problems than there have been in situations like Tailhook with heterosexuals. I do not believe they should be asked to leave the military.<ref name="Candor">{{cite news |last1=Anthony |first1=Carl Sferrazza |title=First Lady of Candor |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/04/08/first-lady-of-candor/703e60b3-7806-4d2e-aeb2-4db187072dc7/ |newspaper=Washington Post |date=8 April 1993}}</ref>}}

In 1985, Ford received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an annual award given by the [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Jefferson Awards]].<ref name="JeffersonAwards1"/> That same year, Ford received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]]. This was formally presented to her by President Ford, who was an Academy Awards Council member.<ref name="GPAAAA1"/>

In 1987, Ford underwent [[coronary artery bypass surgery|quadruple coronary bypass surgery]] and recovered without complications.<ref>{{cite news |title=Betty Ford Returns Home |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/02/us/betty-ford-returns-home.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 2, 1987 |access-date=September 20, 2017}}</ref>

In the early 1990s, Ford voiced admiration for First Lady [[Hillary Clinton]] and praised her for taking an active role in policy within her husband's administration by leading the [[Clinton health care plan]]<ref name="Candor"/>

In 1987, Ford was inducted into the [[Michigan Women's Hall of Fame]].<ref name="ggrwhc1">{{cite web |title=Betty Ford |url=https://www.ggrwhc.org/projects/ford-betty/ |website=www.ggrwhc.org |publisher=Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council |access-date=19 January 2023}}</ref> On November 18, 1991, she was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by President George H. W. Bush.<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="FLNHS1">{{cite web | author = <!--Not stated--> | publisher = [[First Ladies National Historic Site|National First Ladies' Library]] | title = Heroes of the Presidential Medal of Freedom | date = November 16, 2010 | page = 3 | format = [[Portable Document Format|PDF file]]; 806 KB | url = http://www.firstladies.org/documents/Medal_freedom.pdf | access-date = July 16, 2011 | quote = Betty Ford (1918&nbsp;– ) ...&nbsp;Presidential Medal of Freedom received November 18, 1991 | archive-date = February 14, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110214141417/http://www.firstladies.org/documents/Medal_freedom.pdf  }}</ref> In 1999, she and President Ford were jointly awarded [[Congressional Gold Medal]]s.<ref name="FordsCGMCNN">{{cite web |title=Fords receive congressional gold medal – October 27, 1999 |url=https://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/10/27/ford.medal/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=October 27, 1999}}</ref> That same year, a Golden Palm Star on the [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars]] was dedicated to her and her husband.<ref name="PSWS">{{cite web|url=http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars%20by%20date/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf|title=Palm Springs Walk of Stars: By Date Dedicated|website=palmspringswalkofstars.com|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208224143/http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars%20by%20date/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf|archive-date=December 8, 2012}}</ref> In 2000, the [[Lasker Foundation]] awarded Ford its annual [[Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award]].<ref name="Lasker1"/> On May 8, 2003, Ford received the [[Woodrow Wilson Awards|Woodrow Wilson Award]] in Los Angeles for her public service, awarded by the [[Woodrow Wilson Center]] of the [[Smithsonian Institution]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

During her and President Ford's later years together, they resided in Rancho Mirage and in [[Beaver Creek, Colorado]].<ref name="FLbiogs"/> [[Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford|President Ford died]], aged 93, of heart failure on December 26, 2006, at their Rancho Mirage home. Despite her advanced age frail physical condition, Ford traveled across the country and took part in the funeral events in California, Washington, D.C., and Michigan.<ref name="FLbiogs"/> Following her husband's death, Ford continued to live in Rancho Mirage. Poor health and increasing frailty due to operations in August 2006 and April 2007 for blood clots in her legs caused her to largely curtail her public life. Ill health prevented Ford from attending the funeral of former First Lady [[Lady Bird Johnson]]'s in July 2007, and her daughter Susan Ford Bales instead represented her at the funeral service.<ref name="FLbiogs"/>

{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| '''Gallery of images'''
|-
| <gallery widths="200px" heights="135px">
File:President Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, President Gerald Ford, and Betty Ford.jpg|The Fords meeting with President [[Ronald Reagan]] and First Lady [[Nancy Reagan]] in the White House [[Oval Office]] in March 1981
Image:Betty Ford Presidential Medal of Freedom.jpg|Betty Ford being awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], by President [[George H. W. Bush]], 1991. First Lady [[Barbara Bush]] is holding the medal.
Image:Six First Ladies.jpg|Ford with other U.S. First Ladies at the November 1991 opening of the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]]. Seated (l–r): [[Lady Bird Johnson]], [[Pat Nixon]], [[Rosalynn Carter]], Ford; Standing (l–r): Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush
File:President Bill Clinton talking with former President Gerald Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford at the Medal of Freedom ceremony in the East Room.jpg|President [[Bill Clinton]] speaking with the Fords at the White House ceremony awarding the at a 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony
File:First-Ladies.jpg| Ford with other U.S. First Ladies at the 1994 National Garden Gala, which was themed "A Tribune to America's First Ladies". L–R: Nancy Reagan, Ladybird Johnson, [[Hillary Clinton]], Rosalyn Carter, Ford, Barbara Bush
File:Presidents and First Ladies pose for a photograph at the 2000 White House Historical Association Dinner.jpg|The Fords posing for a photograph with three other U.S. first couples (George H. W. and Barbara Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, [[Jimmy Carter|Jimmy]] and Rosalynn Carter) as well as former first lady Lady Bird Johnson during at the 2000 [[White House Historical Association]] Dinner 
File:Former first lady Betty Ford (5113074454).jpg| Ford attending a [[National Press Club (United States)|National Press Club]] event in 2001
File:Presford90.jpg|The Fords with President [[George W. Bush]] and First Lady [[Laura Bush]] at the White House in 2003 at a celebration President Ford's 90th birthday
File:Gerald Ford is embraced by his wife Betty Ford.jpg|Ford and her husband at a June 2005 Gerald R. Ford Foundation dinner
Image:President George W. Bush, Former President Gerald Ford, and Betty Ford.jpg|Betty Ford with her husband and President [[George W. Bush]] on April 23, 2006
File:US Navy 061230-D-1142M-018 Former First Lady Betty Ford bows her head over her husband's casket during memorial services at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, for former President Gerald R. Ford.jpg|Ford leans over President Ford's [[coffin]] during memorial services for him held December 30, 2006 in the [[United States Capitol rotunda]] as part of [[Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford|his state funeral]].
File:US Navy 061230-F-0194C-005 Former 1st lady Betty Ford arrives in Washington, DC.jpg|Ford being escorted by Army Major General [[Guy C. Swan III]] during a portion of the state funeral of her late husband
</gallery>
|}

==Death and funeral==
[[File:Alcove.jpg|thumb|Burial site of Betty and Gerald Ford (photo was taken in 2006 while Betty was still alive)]]
Betty Ford died of natural causes on July 8, 2011, at [[Eisenhower Medical Center]] in Rancho Mirage.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web| author=<!--Not stated--> | url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/08/betty.ford.dies/index.html| title= Ex-First Lady, Advocate for Substance Abuse Treatment Betty Ford Dies |work=CNN| date=July 9, 2011| access-date=July 16, 2011}}</ref> Ford left $500,000 to the Betty Ford Center.<ref name="MacPhersonRadcliffe"/>

Funeral services were held in [[Palm Desert, California]], on July 12, 2011, with more than 800 people in attendance, including former president [[George W. Bush]], then-first lady [[Michelle Obama]], then-U.S secretary of state [[Hillary Clinton]], herself a former first lady, former first ladies Rosalynn Carter, who gave a eulogy,<ref name="msnbc"/> and [[Nancy Reagan]].<ref name="schedule"/>

On July 14, a second service was held at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, with eulogies given by [[Lynne Cheney]], former Ford Museum director [[Richard Norton Smith]], and Ford's son Steven. In attendance were former president [[Bill Clinton]], former vice president [[Dick Cheney]] and former first lady Barbara Bush.<ref name="msnbc"/> In her remarks, Mrs. Cheney noted that July 14 would have been Gerald Ford's 98th birthday.<ref name="freep">{{cite news| title=Betty Ford Funeral: Family, Friends Eulogize Former First Lady|author1=Gray, Kathleen |author2=Christoff, Chris | date= July 14, 2011| url=http://www.freep.com/article/20110714/NEWS06/110714017| work= [[Detroit Free Press]] | access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref> After the service, Betty Ford was buried next to her husband on the museum grounds.<ref name="schedule">{{cite news| author=<!--Not stated--> | title= Betty Ford Memorial Schedule| url= http://www.freep.com/article/20110712/NEWS08/110712021 | work= [[Detroit Free Press]] | date= July 12, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110718035149/http://www.freep.com/article/20110712/NEWS08/110712021| access-date=July 16, 2011| archive-date= July 18, 2011}}</ref>

In July 2018, a statue of Ford was unveiled outside of the [[Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum]] in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Betty Ford Sculpture Unveiled at Ford Museum |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/07/14/betty-ford-sculpture-grand-rapids/785458002/ |website=Detroit Free Press |access-date=August 8, 2019}}</ref>

==Historical assessments==
According to John Robert Greene:
{{blockquote|Only a part of Betty Ford's legacy will be that of her role as first lady. Throughout her post-Washington life, she established herself as one of the nation's first public advocates for women's self-examination, a prodigious fund-raiser for arthritis research, and, most important, a tireless campaigner for the rights and dignity of those afflicted with the disease of substance abuse. Her role as a public health advocate distinguishes her as one of the most influential women of the latter part of the twentieth century.<ref>John Robert Greene. "Ford. Betty" (2013).</ref>}}

Since 1982 [[Siena College Research Institute]] has conducted occasional surveys asking historians to assess American first ladies according to a cumulative score on the independent criteria of their background, value to the country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, being their own women, public image, and value to the president. Ford has consistently ranked among the top-nine most highly assessed first ladies in these surveys.<ref name="Siena2014">{{cite web |title=Eleanor Roosevelt Retains Top Spot as America's Best First Lady Michelle Obama Enters Study as 5th, Hillary Clinton Drops to 6th Clinton Seen First Lady Most as Presidential Material; Laura Bush, Pat Nixon, Mamie Eisenhower, Bess Truman Could Have Done More in Office Eleanor & FDR Top Power Couple; Mary Drags Lincolns Down in the Ratings |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/FirstLadies2014Release_Final.pdf |website=scri.siena.edu |publisher=Siena Research Institute |access-date=16 May 2022 |date=February 15, 2014}}</ref> In terms of cumulative assessment, Ford has been ranked:
*6th-best of 42 in 1982<ref name="Siena2014"/>
*9th-best of 37 in 1993<ref name="Siena2014"/>
*8th-best of 38 in 2003<ref name="Siena2014"/>
*7th-best of 38 in 2008<ref name="Siena2014"/>
*8th-best of 39 in 2014<ref name="Siena2014"/>
*6th-best of 40 in 2020<ref name="Siena2020">{{cite web |title=Eleanor Roosevelt America's Top First Lady for 6th Consecutive Time Abigail Adams Finishes a Close Second; Michelle Obama Moves to Third First Lady Initiatives – Lady Bird Johnson (Environmental Protection) Did Most to Raise Awareness and Address the Issue; Obama (Childhood Obesity), Betty Ford (Women's Rights), and Barbara Bush (Literacy) Made Major Contributions Jackie Kennedy - 4th but First on Being a White House Steward & Public Image |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FirstLadies2020Release.pdf |website=scri.siena.edu |publisher=Siena Research Institute |access-date=6 March 2024 |date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>

The 2008 Siena Research Institute survey ranked Ford the 5th-highest of the twenty 20th and 21st century First Ladies. The 2008 survey also ranked Ford the 5th-highest in their assessment of first ladies who were "their own women" as well as 5th-highest in [[courage]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ranking America's First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt Still #1 Abigail Adams Regains 2nd Place Hillary moves from 5th to 4th; Jackie Kennedy from 4th to 3rd Mary Todd Lincoln Remains in 36th |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/FL_2008Release.pdf |publisher=Siena Research Institute |access-date=16 May 2022 |date=December 18, 2008}}</ref> In both the 1993 and 2003 Siena Research Institute surveys, Ford was similarly ranked the 5th-highest in historians' assessment of first ladies' courage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ranking America's First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt Still #1 Abigail Adams Regains 2nd Place Hillary moves from 2nd to 5th; Jackie Kennedy from 7th to 4th Mary Todd Lincoln Up From Usual Last Place |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ranking20americas20first20ladies.pdf |publisher=Siena Research Institute |access-date=16 May 2022 |date=September 29, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Overall-Results.pdf |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Overall-Results.pdf |publisher=Siena Research Institute |access-date=16 May 2022 |date=1993}}</ref> In supplementary questions asked during the 2014 Siena Research Institute survey, historians and scholars ranked Ford 3rd-highest among 20th and 21st century First Ladies in the greatness of post-White House service (with 16% ranking her as having had the best among all first ladies), 3rd-highest in advancement of women's issues (with 19% ranking her as having done the best), and 4th-highest in creating a lasting legacy (with 10% of ranking her as having done the best).<ref name="Siena2014"/> In the 2014 Siena Research Institute survey, Ford and her husband were ranked the 19th-highest out of 39 first couples in terms of being a "power couple".<ref>{{cite web |title=2014 Power Couple Score |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Appendix_C_Power_Couples.pdf |website=scri.siena.edu/ |publisher=Siena Research Institute/C-SPAN Study of the First Ladies of the United States |access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref> In supplementary questions asked in the 2020 survey, historians and scholars ranked Ford 4th-highest among 20th and 21st century First Ladies in the greatness of post-White House service (with 10% ranking her as having had the best among all first ladies) and  4th-highest in advancement of women's issues (with 18% ranking her as having done the best). They also ranked her work on women's rights as the third-most effective signature initiatives among those of the then first ladies between 1964 and 2020.<ref name="Siena2020">{{cite web |title=Eleanor Roosevelt America's Top First Lady for 6th Consecutive Time Abigail Adams Finishes a Close Second; Michelle Obama Moves to Third First Lady Initiatives – Lady Bird Johnson (Environmental Protection) Did Most to Raise Awareness and Address the Issue; Obama (Childhood Obesity), Betty Ford (Women's Rights), and Barbara Bush (Literacy) Made Major Contributions Jackie Kennedy - 4th but First on Being a White House Steward & Public Image |url=https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FirstLadies2020Release.pdf |website=scri.siena.edu |publisher=Siena Research Institute |access-date=6 March 2024 |date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>

In 2021, Zogby Analytics conducted a poll in which a sample of the American public was asked to assess the greatness of twelve First Ladies from [[Jacqueline Kennedy]] onwards. The American public ranked Ford as the eighth-greatest among these first ladies.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Zogby Poll®: Greatness of the past 12 First Ladies |url=https://zogbyanalytics.com/news/1046-the-zogby-poll-greatness-of-the-past-12-first-ladies |website=zogbyanalytics.com |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en-us |date=October 14, 2021}}</ref>

==Cultural depictions==
Ford's life is the focus of the 1987 [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[Biographical film|biographical]] television film ''[[The Betty Ford Story]]'', which has a story adapted from her memoir ''The Times of My Life''. [[Gena Rowlands]] won both an [[Emmy Award]] and a [[Golden Globe Award]] for her portrayal of Ford.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Betty Ford Story |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092642/ |publisher=IMDB |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=2 March 1987}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Shaw |first1=Gabbi |title=Here's how 20 real-life first ladies compare to the actors who have played them |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/hereaposs-how-20-real-life-first-ladies-compare-to-the-actors-who-have-played-them/slidelist/80032479.cms#slideid=80032712 |website=Business Insider |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=30 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Pearl |first1=Diana |title=White House Couples That Have Been Portrayed on Screen |url=https://people.com/awards/white-house-first-couples-in-movies-tv/?slide=5628307#5628307 |website=People |access-date=15 May 2022 |language=en |date=February 21, 2017}}</ref> Ford is one of three former first ladies whose lives are the focus of [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]'s 2022 series ''[[The First Lady (American TV series)|The First Lady]]'', in which she is portrayed by [[Kristine Froseth]] and [[Michelle Pfeiffer]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kang |first1=Inkoo |title=Review {{!}} 'The First Lady' turns three compelling women into Emmy bait |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/tv/2022/04/14/first-lady-tv-review/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=13 May 2022 |date=14 April 2022}}</ref>

Ford was among the many celebrities featured on the cover art of the 1978 comic book ''[[Superman vs. Muhammad Ali]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=All-New Collectors' Edition #C-56 Values Publisher: DC, 1978 |url=https://comics.ha.com/comic-issue-index/all-new-collectors-edition.s?id=68931 |website=Heritage Auctions |access-date=11 January 2025}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
[[File:First Lady Betty Ford with Members of the National Women’s Party Following the Presentation of the First Alice Paul Award to Mrs. Ford in the Map Room at the White House - NARA - 23898579.jpg|thumb|The [[National Woman's Party]] presents Ford with a plaque honoring her as its inaugural "Alice Paul Award" in the [[Map Room (White House)|White House's Map Room]] on January 11, 1977 (the 92nd birthday of [[Alice Paul]]).<ref name="AlicePaul">{{cite web |title=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum • The National Women's Party honored Betty Ford as... |url=https://fordlibrarymuseum.tumblr.com/post/114493791982/1984-1-a-wooden-plaque-on-which-is-mounted-a-gold |website=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=19 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>]]

In 1975, when ''Time'' named "American women" as its "Time Person of the Year",<ref name="time1"/> the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women".<ref name="Tucker1"/>

Other honors and awards include:

*1975 [[National Woman's Party]] "Alice Paul Award"<ref name="AlicePaul"/>
*1975 Philadelphia Association for Retarded Citizens "Humanitarian Award"<ref name="awards1">{{cite web |title=The original documents are located in Box 29, folder "Awards Presented to Betty Ford" of the Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973–1977 at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0018/81556602.pdf |website=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref>
*1975 National Art Association "Distinguished Woman of the Year Award"<ref name="awards1"/>
*1975 [[Anti-Defamation League]] Women's Division "Rita V. Tishman Human Relations Award"<ref name="awards1"/>
*1975 [[Florists' Transworld Delivery]] "Golden Rose Award"<ref name="awards1"/>
*[[Order of the Pleiades (Iran)|Order of the Pleiades]] (awarded in 1975 by Shah [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] of [[Iran]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Ford Museum - Artifact Collections - Head of State Gifts Artifacts - medal from the Arab Republic of Egypt |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/museum/ArtifactCollectionSamples/Catagories/StateGifts/Medal.html |website=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |publisher=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref>
*1976 [[Parsons School of Design|Parsons]] Annual Critics Awards Show "Parsons Award" (an award given to individuals that, "not only advance the cause of American fashion, but in doing so serve as an inspiration for students who are about to assume professional and citizenship roles in American society.")<ref>{{cite web |title=The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "1976/03/29 – Parsons Award, New York City" of the Frances K. Pullen Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0003/1069090.pdf |website=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Ford Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref>
*1978 Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities Award<ref name="Awards1">{{cite web |title=Betty Ford – Awards and Honors Received |url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/grf/bbfaward.asp |website=www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov |publisher=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref>
*1981 Friends of [[Hebrew University]] "Scopus Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1982 [[American Cancer Society]] "Hubert Humphrey Inspirational Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1983 [[Susan G. Komen Foundation]] "Komen Foundation Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1984 [[National Arthritis Foundation]] "Harding Award"
*1985 [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service]] "Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged"<ref name="JeffersonAwards1">{{cite web|url=http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national|title=National – Jefferson Awards|publisher=Jefferson Awards|access-date=August 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124043935/http://jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national|archive-date=November 24, 2010}}</ref>
*1985 [[American Academy of Achievement]] "Golden Plate Award"<ref name="GPAAAA1">{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#public-service}}</ref>
*1985 [[AIDS Project Los Angeles]] "Commitment to Life Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1986 [[National Council on Alcoholism]] "Golden Key Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*Inducted into the [[Michigan Women's Hall of Fame]] in 1987<ref name="ggrwhc1"/>
*1987 [[International Center for the Disabled]] "Freedom of Human Spirit Award"
*1988 College of Communication at the [[University of Texas]] "McGovern Distinguished Leadership Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*"Citation of Layman for Distinguished Service" awarded by the [[American Medical Association]] in 1979
*[[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] (awarded in 1991 by President [[George H. W. Bush]])<ref name="FLbiogs"/><ref name="FLNHS1"/>
*1991 [[International Women's Forum]] "Hall of Fame Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1995 [[Samaritan Institute]] "National Samaritan Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1995 [[Columbia Hospital for Women]] "Breast Cancer Awareness Lifetime Achievement Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1995 [[Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse]] "Distinguished Service Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1996 [[Bob Hope Classic]] Ball awardee<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1997 [[American Institute for Public Service]] "[[Jefferson Award]]"<ref name="Awards1"/> 
*1997 Michigan Women's Foundation "Women of Achievement & Courage" award<ref name="Awards1"/> 
*1997 [[Women's International Center]] "Living Legacy Award"<ref name="Awards1"/>
*1998 Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service<ref name="Awards1"/> 
*1998 [[Ronald McDonald House Charities]] "Award of Excellence"
*Congressional Gold Medal in 1999 (jointly awarded to Betty and Gerald Ford)<ref name="FordsCGMCNN"/>
*Golden Palm Star on the [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars]] (jointly awarded to Betty and Gerald Ford in 1999)<ref name="PSWS"/>
*1999 [[American Hospital Association]] "C. Everett Koop Health Award"<ref name="Awards1"/> 
*2000 [[Lasker Foundation]] [[Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award]]<ref name="Lasker1">{{cite web |last1=Hofschneider |first1=Mark |title=Awareness, education, and treatment for substance abuse |url=https://laskerfoundation.org/winners/awareness-education-and-treatment-for-substance-abuse/ |website=Lasker Foundation |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref>
*2003 [[Smithsonian Institution]] [[Woodrow Wilson Center]] "[[Woodrow Wilson Award]]"<ref name="FLbiogs"/>
*[[National Women's Hall of Fame]] (inducted posthumously in 2013)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/betty-ford/|title=Ford, Betty|publisher=National Women's Hall of Fame|access-date=July 21, 2021}}</ref>
*2024 [[United States Postal Service]] [[Commemorative stamp|commemorative postage stamp]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-06 |title=Betty Ford (U.S. 2024) {{!}} virtualstampclub.com |url=https://virtualstampclub.com/lloydblog/?p=17517 |access-date=2024-05-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Things and places named for Ford===
*Betty Ford Cancer Research Center at [[Cedars-Sinai Hospital]] in Los Angeles, California (named after Ford in 1978)<ref name="Awards1"/> 
*Betty Ford Center for Comprehensive Breast Diagnosis at [[Columbia Hospital for Women]] in Washington, D.C. (named for Ford in 1980;<ref name="Awards1"/> hospital now defunct<ref>{{cite news |last1=Natanson |first1=Hannah |title='We lost something special': The women's hospital in D.C. that became a Trader Joe's |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/08/17/we-lost-something-special-womens-hospital-that-became-trader-joes/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=21 January 2023 |date=August 18, 2019}}</ref>)
*[[Betty Ford Alpine Gardens]] in [[Vail, Colorado]]<ref name="Awards1"/>
*[[Susan G. Komen Foundation]] "Betty Ford Award" (formerly known as the "Women Foundation Award")<ref name="Awards1"/>

== Books authored ==
* {{cite book |author1=Ford, Betty |author2-link=Chris Chase |author2=Chase, Chris  | title=The Times of My Life | year=1978 |publisher=[[Harper & Row]] | location=New York City, New York | isbn=978-0-06-011298-1}}
* {{cite book | author1=Ford, Betty | author2-link=Chris Chase | author2=Chase, Chris | title=Betty, a Glad Awakening | year=1987 | publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] | location=Garden City, New York | isbn=978-0-385-23502-0 | url=https://archive.org/details/bettygladawakeni00ford }}
* {{cite book | author1=Ford, Betty | author2=Betty Ford Center | title=Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery | year=2003 | publisher=[[Penguin Group|Putnam (Penguin Group)]] | location=New York City, New York | isbn=978-0-399-15138-5 | url=https://archive.org/details/healinghopesixwo00ford }}

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|United States|Politics}}
* [[List of breast cancer patients according to occupation]]
* [[List of first ladies of the United States]]
* [[Second-wave feminism]]
{{clear}}

== Citations ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* [https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A80605885/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=6f8aa054 Ashley, Jeffrey S. "The Social and Political Influence of Betty Ford: Betty Bloomer Blossoms" ''White House Studies'' 1.1 (2001): 101–109.]
* [http://www.jstor.org/stable/27552320 Borrelli, Maryanne. "Competing conceptions of the first ladyship: Public responses to Betty Ford's 60 Minutes interview." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 31.3 (2001): 397–414.]
* Brower, Kate Andersen. ''First women: The grace and power of America's modern First Ladies'' (HarperCollins, 2017).
* Dubriwny, Tasha N. "Constructing breast cancer in the news: Betty Ford and the evolution of the breast cancer patient." ''Journal of Communication Inquiry'' 33.2 (2009): 104–125.
* [https://www.jstor.org/stable/27550241 Gould, Lewis L. "Modern first ladies in historical perspective." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 15.3 (1985): 532–540.]
* [[doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1501344|Greene, John Robert. "Ford, Betty" ''American National Biography'' (2013)]]. {{Subscription required}}
* [https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvm202cd?turn_away=true&Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=%22Betty+Ford%22&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D%2522Betty%2BFord%2522&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_SYC-5152%2Ftest&refreqid=search%3A423a835553681e6b844ec573542511e9 Greene, John Robert. ''Betty Ford: Candor and Courage in the White House'' (2004).]
* Gregory Knight, Myra. "Issues of Openness and Privacy: Press and Public Response to Betty Ford's Breast Cancer." ''American Journalism'' 17.1 (2000): 53–71.
* Hummer, Jill Abraham. "First Ladies and the Cultural Everywoman Ideal: Gender Performance and Representation." ''White House Studies'' 9.4 (2009) pp.&nbsp;403–422. Compares Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, and Barbara Bush.
* McClellan, Michelle L. "Fame through Shame: Women Alcoholics, Celebrity, and Disclosure." ''Journal of Historical Biography'' 13 (2013): 93–122, includes Margaret Mann, Lillian Roth, and Betty Ford.
* {{cite book |last1=McCubbin |first1=Lisa |title=Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer |date=2018 |publisher=Gallery Books |location=New York |isbn=978-1501164682}}
* {{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Richard Norton |author-link=Richard Norton Smith |title=An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford |date=2023 |publisher=Harper |location=New York |isbn=978-0062684165}}
* [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20700159 Tobin, Leesa E.  "Betty Ford as first lady: A woman for women." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 20.4 (1990): 761–767.]
* Troy, Gil. ''Mr. and Mrs. President: From the Trumans to the Clintons'' (2d rev. ed., 2000).
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=ud9bCwAAQBAJ&dq=warters++ford&pg=PA181 Warters, T. Alissa. "Ford and Ford" in Scott Kaufman, ed. ''A Companion to Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter'' (2015) pp 181–95.]
* Watson, Robert P. ''The Presidents' Wives: The Office of the First Lady in US Politics'' (2nd ed. 2014).

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{wikiquote}}
* [https://archive.today/20130217093343/http://knowledgenetwork.alumni.msu.edu/knowledge-visualization/bettyfordifiguredokillmovetothewhitehousedothebesticanandiftheydontlikeittheycankickmeoutbuttheycantmakemesomebodyimnot.html Betty Ford, a Visual History] curated by Michigan State University
* {{IMDb name|0004932}}
* [http://www.life.com/gallery/52731/remembering-betty-ford#index/0 Remembering Betty Ford] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221160859/http://www.life.com/gallery/52731/remembering-betty-ford#index/0 |date=December 21, 2011 }}—slideshow by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]''
* {{C-SPAN}}
* [http://firstladies.c-span.org/FirstLady/40/Betty-Ford.aspx Betty Ford] at [[C-SPAN]]'s ''[[First Ladies: Influence & Image]]''

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