Betty Ford’s Memorial: A wonderful tribute to a Women’s Rights Advocate

If you haven’t had a chance to read Cokie Roberts’ Eulogy for Former First Lady Betty Ford, you really should.

Over the years, as she spoke out more forcefully for women’s rights, Mrs. Ford strongly defended the housewife’s role: “Downgrading this work has been part of the pattern in our society that downgrades individual women’s talents in all areas.”

No wonder women all over the country have spent this past weekend loving her anew.

One talent political wives were expected to cultivate that they didn’t share with most women was that of first rate campaigner, especially wives of House members – the House wives – who faced an election every two years. By the time he ran for president, Ford supporters sported “Elect Betty’s Husband” buttons, but people in Michigan had been doing that for decades. It was another activity that brought political wives together – even if they were on different sides, they had the same complaints – and forged tightly joined connections that extended ot the men as well. They would bring the men together, serve them some drinks and a good meal, listen to their stories and make them behave. And some of that good behavior carried over to the corridors of Congress. It was a role political wives had played since the beginning of the republic and it worked.

Former First Lady Rosalynm Carter delivered the other eulogy. Mrs Ford requested this of both women.

Delivering the first eulogy, former first lady Rosalynn Carter said she had “an excellent role model and a hard act to follow.”

“Millions are forever in her debt today because she was never afraid to tell the truth,” Carter said. “Betty was my friend.”

Others paid tribute to the woman who was embraced by a generation of women who were just coming into their own. A social pioneer, Ford spoke openly about sex, cancer and addiction.

The service played on CSPAN 2 today and will undoubtedly be available for viewing this week.  I’d just like to remember Mrs. Ford as a woman who was a tireless fighter for the ERA and women’s health at a time when both abortion rights and support for the ERA were solid parts of the Republican platform as well as the Democratic party platform.  It’s difficult to remember that many Republican women were committed to women’s rights in this day of Republican women that stand against these rights.