Wednesday commemorated first lady Betty Ford’s 98th Birthday. NPR and ABC News political commentator and author, Cokie Roberts, was in Grand Rapids Wednesday honoring Ford during a luncheon at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.
WGVU visited with Roberts.
Cokie Roberts family and the Fords have shared a long lasting friendship. Her father hale and mother Lindy Boggs served in the U.S. House of Representatives. I spoke with Cokie Roberts about that friendship and celebrating betty Ford.
“My mother and Betty Ford were really quite close and you don’t see that in Washington today and I think it’s important to talk about. Betty Ford was an extraordinary human being who, I would say, has affected hundreds of thousands of lives if not millions. And to be able to honor her is really a special thing to me.”
Betty Ford publically talked about her battle with breast cancer at a time when it was rarely discussed. As first lady she had a voice advocating for mammograms and improved treatment. Cokie Roberts is also a breast cancer survivor and supporter of breast cancer research.