Hail to the Chief's Wife #7: Betty Ford Quiz

Answer: Martha Graham

Mrs. Ford stated that Martha Graham "shaped my life" and "gave me the ability to stand up to all the things I had to go through with much more courage than I would have had without her."

Answer: They were unsure of Michigan Republicans' reaction to a candidate with a divorced, ex-dancer wife

Betty Bloomer had been married to Bill Warren from 1942 - 1947. They had no children. It is alleged that Gerry Ford showed up to his own wedding late and with muddy shoes because he had just come in from campaigning in what would be his first Congressional win.

After the ceremony, the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Ford left for a Michigan football game and spent the rest of their "honeymoon" campaigning.

Answer: Chip

Oldest child Michael Ford became a minister and faculty member at Wake Forest University. John "Jack" Ford has been a magazine publisher, businessman and Republican Party official. Steven Ford, an actor, had roles in the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" and the movie "When Harry Met Sally." Susan Ford made headlines in the 1970s for holding her high school prom at the White House and dating "Happy Days" actor Anson (Potsy) Williams.

She was later named as Chairman of the Board of the Betty Ford Center.

Answer: An increase in the number of women seeking mammograms

Mrs. Ford was quoted as saying "maybe if I as First Lady could talk about it candidly and without embarrassment, many other people would be able to as well." By dealing with her cancer struggle with characteristic honesty and factual information she de-stigmatized the disease for millions of women throughout the world.

Answer: The Equal Rights Amendment

Betty Ford continued her support of women's rights after leaving the White House. She was named as a delegate to the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year by President Carter in 1977. She also participated in the National Women's Conference of 1978 stating her support of the conference's planks advocating the continued legalization of abortion, state-funded day care, affirmative action programs and gay/lesbian rights.

Answer: If she was young she probably would try it and her children probably had

Mrs. Ford's opinion on marijuana usage had been stated prior to this interview and so wasn't as ground-breaking as it might have seemed. She also answered Safer's questions on abortion with equal honesty which was shocking for the wife of a political figure.

Answer: While she was too young, Susan was a normal young woman, so she wouldn't be surprised and she would offer advice and support

Betty Ford later said that she herself was a bit "old fashioned" in her attitudes toward sex and hadn't meant to promote pre-marital sex but instead wanted to to show compassion and open mindedness in this hypothetical scenario.

Answer: She probably gained him 30 million votes

While the initial reaction to Mrs. Ford's "60 Minutes" interview was quite negative, over time the public generally favored her straight forward approach and appreciated that she didn't dodge sticky issues. Less than a year after her controversial remarks, Mrs. Ford had a 75% approval rating and campaign buttons were made that said "Vote for Betty's Husband."

Answer: Alcohol

It was during her husband's long absences from the home as Congressional Minority Leader that Betty Ford was treated with pain killers for a pinched nerve in her neck. Her increasing sense of isolation at this time and loneliness in raising four children virtually by herself led to a dependency on alcohol, as well.

A famous quote of Mrs. Ford's from the time reads "My makeup wasn't smeared, I wasn't disheveled, I behaved politely, and I never finished off a bottle, so how could I be alcoholic?"

After receiving treatment for her addictions at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, Mrs. Ford noted that treatment programs of the time were geared toward men and many women with addictions had different treatment needs. Throught her efforts the Betty Ford Center at the Eisenhower Medical Center was instituted which offered different, individualized approaches to helping all people achieve sobriety.

Answer: Who was called onstage at an extraordinary time

According to the book "Betty Ford: A Symbol of Strength" by Jeffrey Ashley, Betty Ford is one of the most popular, if not THE most popular First Ladies in US history. She consistently had higher approval ratings than her husband and proved that admitting to personal struggles and stating controversial opinions with honesty and dignity aren't always a political liability.