I admired and respected Betty Ford–two things I will never say about Nancy Reagen or Barbara Bush (but I will say about Rosalynn Carter, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton). Ford supported the Equal Rights Amendment, and sincerely used the press to highlight her illnesses–cancer and alcoholism–to help other people identify and seek help. When I was young, I found her to be remarkably brave, given the shame directed at alcoholics, let alone female ones. I still believe that.