MOURN. THIS. LOSS.

Betty Ford passed away today. No qualifications, no "ifs", "ands", or "buts". She was simply one of the so many decorous first ladies who brought grace and charm to that role -- and despite her personal difficulties as a breast cancer and her addiction to pain killers. -- she presided over the social aspects of the White House as the wife of a president who arguably inherited the job as our chief executive in a most difficult time.

There were many rude and inconsiderate jokes made about her husband, Gerald Ford, and his clumsiness. (Lyndon B. Johnson once remarked, "He's a nice fellow but he spent too much time playing football without a helmet.") But these two were of good Midwestern stock and the type of people you would want in the White House after Watergate and Richard Nixon's resignation.

They came within a whisker of getting Gerry re-elected but, nonetheless, carried off their apres-POTUS and FLOTUS years with that quiet, plain, simple dignity that was their hallmark.

May she find happiness in being reunited with her husband and God bless them.

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