Secrets & Scandals Of America’s First Ladies

Reading the Stars and Multiple Marriages

The astrologer also predicted he would not see his presidency through. Florence’s second marriage was no less scandalous than her first. During her husband’s administration, she was often in the middle of some scandal. In 1905, she was treated for nephritis and was put under the care of Charles E. Sawyer. Florence trusted him greatly, which many people saw as controversial. During her convalescence, Harding took up an affair with one of Florence’s close friends, which led her to think about divorce. She has also been noted as serving whiskey at poker parties at the height of Prohibition – it looks like they were above the law!

Betty Ford

In June 1948, Betty Ford announced her marriage to Gerald Ford. This occurred only after he officially secured the GOP congressional nomination. They were married just weeks before Election Day. Ford was not the most natural Republican first lady, and it was said that she was not as “clean cut” as the president would have liked. Ford was concerned that his conservative base would be turned off by his marriage to Betty. She was a divorcee and had experience with modern dance. Betty and Gerald had to postpone their marriage until just before the elections because as The New York Times reported, “Jerry was running for Congress and wasn’t sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer.”