The original documents are located in Box 10, folder “7/29/76 - White House Spouses Briefing” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to these materials. Digitized from Box 10 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library 3301 New Mexico Ave., N.W. Suite 3}0 Washington, D.C. 20016 362·5894 ... »~ ~~~I ~.l..f~.NJ> 71'8/l'­ w~dfN.GTON DA·TEBOOK Fords Charnl· .D.~~I,ig P~rty MWhite• House . .: · By ~n~ Stackelberg : When President and Mrs. Ford had their first party at !fie vt)Ute House someone said it was like a Grand Rapids ' ~ - club on Saturday nigbt - lively, ~incerely fr!end- "'~ . .:.:.. ~ .., ..~ ,... ly, but appropnately digmfied. ~ , • : · . ' And It's been the same ever ~ . ~ since. If someone else sticceeds J to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue the: 1 Fords will be missed. i The unity and love that i came to the fore over this Bi- ··I centennial year and especia~y , .. ~ , t over the 4th of Jul! was still m : ··t~ t- ··J evidence at the reception the · ; ·· f ' l Fords gave at the White House ~i'I.._ ·at the end-of July for the foreign· chiefs of mission and members of the Organization of American States. · Ambassadors and Wives from all parts of the world :came, some in the most imP.ressive native robes. They- · arrived at the East Gate about 9 p.m. and were U3hered to lbe. south lawn. An 18th Century ·touch was given to the ilcene by 24 torches. tall iron 'poles holding burning· pine bots. which were authentic "crossets" loaned by Wil- liamsburg authorities. ' • ;..,_ ·· . The President and Mrs. Foret appeared on the up.. ~t"nrrace with a light s~ on them as the Marine &nd played "Hail to the Chief. • Mrs. Ford was stunning ln a sapphire blue ehiffon dress, ber eyes sparkling. They . then descended the stairs on the right leading to the gar-_ an and stood to receive guests: : Then everyone filed into the beautiful rose garden ·under a big .tent, where Queen Elizabeth's dinner bad been held. The Prel!ident thanked the assembled for their gener. ous response to the American Bicentennial then introduced Mrs. Ford as a "refugee from the Martha Graham dance •group." Mrs; Ford paid tribute to John Warner, the direc- tor of the Bicentennial.. She said: . , . • "Nobody could have asked for a peater success. To me it wu like a big love.in." • 1 .. lbat mood ~ed.~ the entire evenbig. Warner introduced the ormers starting off with "The World's Greatest Jau Band;' then country singer Tammy w~. and Roger Miller who- sang "King Of lbe...BDad.' Finally jazz queen Ella Fitzgerald sang like a ~ Toward the end she said:: .- • ;.7 "I am nervous, feel like I ani auditioning for the ~4fent." At. that, President Ford In bis charming way ;rt bis arm around her and she continued-to sing. .. _ Roger Millet said after his performance: "I think the most powerful thing you could do, Mt. President. is to Ji.sk. litty to be.yaiz: runniilg rate!.. · · : After that it was up to the state dining ~m for a ~ of roast beef curry puffs, salads, cheeses, brown- JesA etc. , . At. the same time; President and Mrs. Ford started _ofnli~ dancing. in the east l"OOlll. The President danced with Ella Fitzgerald. Both Fords are superb dancers and lbe. dancing 'feDt OD until well after 1 a.m. The evening was much more tun as there was more mobility than at lhe ·lisually more stiff state dinners~ With so much on his Jllind I don't see how the President can appear so relaxed -and make everyone else feel completely at ease. That night, John Warner escorted Ellzabeth Taylor who looked beautiful in an electric blue dress and big sap.. j>hire and diamond pin on her shoulder. She rather flaunt. eel a bandage on her calf which she said was the result of a fall from a motor bike she was riding at Warner's coun­ !ry place in ·Middleburg. N024 R FORD - PARTY oY FRANCES LEWINE WASHINGTON CAP) - - JAZZ , COUNTRY MUSIC AND SHUW TUNES ECHOED FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN AS PRESIDENT AND MRS . FORD GAVE A d!CENTENNIAL '' THANK YOU ' ' ?ARTY FOR THE WASHINGTON DIPLO~ATIC CORP~ . FORD SAID HE THREW THE PARTY TUESDAY NIGHT TO EXPRESS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S APPRECIATION FOR THE ' 'GENEROUS AND ENTHUSIASTIC '' ~AY OTHER NATIONS JOINED THE UNITED STATES ' 200TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION . PRESENTING THE AMERICAN MUSICAL SALUTE WERE COUNTRY SI~GER TAMMY WY~ETTE , SINGER - COMPOSER ROGER MILLER, JAZZ QUEEN ELLA FITZGERALD, AHO YANK LAWSON AND BOB HAGGART AND THEIR ''~JRLD'S LARGEST JAZZ BA~D. '' THE FORDS AND SECRETARY OF STATE AND MRS . HENRY A. KISSINGER GREETED THE 500 3UESTS ON THE SOUTH LAWN , WHERE THE MARINE BAND PLAYED AND CHAMPAGNE WAS SERVED . THE WHITE HOUSE BORROWED 24 TORCHES FROM COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG, VA ., TO PROVIDE A COLORFUL BICENTENNIAL EFFECT . BUT THE TORCHES ALSO SENT A PALL OF EYE - STI~GING SMOKE OVER THE PARTY SCENE . ''AT LEAST IT KEPT THE BUGS AWAY , '' ONE WHITE HOUSE AIDE COMMENTED . THE DRESS WAS WHITE- TIE AND THERE WAS MORE FORMALITY THAN USUAL AS THE GUESTS DINED I~ THE ROSE GARDEN UNDER A WHITE CANOPY TE~T . JOHN WARNER , THE FORMER NAVY SECRETARY WHO HEADS THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION tiICENT ~ NNIAL ADMI~ISIRATION , ATTENDED THE PARTY WITH ACTRESS ELIZABETH TAYLOR , WHO DISPLAYED A BANDAGED LEG UNDER HEF bLUE CHIFtON GOWN . SHE CONFESSED SHE GOT IT IN A FALL FROM WARNER'S MOTOR BIKE ON HIS VIRGI~IA FARM. 07- 21 - 76 10:34EDT . - tt· - WA SHI NGTO N <UP I) -- 3E TTY FORD TRIED TO TEACH HER HUSB ANJ) TO DO THE HUSTLE; THE RUSSIA J AMBASSADOR TWIRLED HIS WIFE TO THE T-U OF .. l\LEXANDE~ ' S qAGTILL;. AND " ; HOLLYWOO STAR LIZ TAYLOR SPORTED A uANDAGED LEG A .. .., HIRLEY TEMPLE BLACK MADE HER EEUT l\S CH IEF OF P~OTOCOL l\T THE WHITE HOUSE ICE ffE 'IAL CONCERT-GALA LAST ~H' HT . '.a.'ASr! INGTON ' S DIPLOMATIC CORPS MADE UP THE CORE OF THE GUEST LIST AT THE W.. ITE TIE P~RTY , 1.ilHICH BEGAN ON THE SOUTH LAWN WHERE. THE PRESIDENT AND .,RS . FORD .l\ND SECRETARY OF STAT- AND ttRS . HE\l~Y A . KISSING£ GREETED THE f\W'ASSADORS AND THEIR WIVES ON THEIR A. RIVAL . THE CROWD WAS THEN MOVED INTO THE TENT I THE ROSE GARDEN WHERE BETTY TOOK CENTER STAGE BRIEFLY TO SPEAK OF THE NATION'S FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION , AND OBSERVE THAT " TO ME IT ~AS LIKE A B IG LOVE - IN." THE SHO\IJ BEGAN WITH THE "WORLD ' S GREATEST JAZZ BAND" AND ENDED WITH ELLA FITZGERALD . UP I (Ji 7 - 2 1 11 : 14 AE 0 . -Wuhinllton Star Photoerapher Walter O&~ FORMAL AFFAIR, WHITE BANDAGE - Actress Elizabeth Taylor Is escorted by John Warner, head of the American Bicentennial Commis­ sion, through the receiving line at the White House last night wh~e they attended the first of a series of receptions held to celebrate the Bicenten­ nial. Taylor, wearing a flowing dark blue evening gown that was almost a duplicate of First Lady Betty Ford's, also wore a band88e on her right knee .... the result of a motorcycle accident suffered at Warner's farm in Virglnla's hunt country. (See Betty Beale's column on B-2.) •• The ambassador isn 't diplomatic By ANN WOOD ahead of him and the other ambassadors, who were, after all, the guests of honor. Washfogton (News Bureau) They lined up according to protocol on the Jimmy Carter likes country life and sbuth lawn of the White House with the blac~ smoke from 24 torches borrowed from Colonial fish fries and has been running against Williamsburg for the occasion swirling arougcl Washington, but before he turns in them and adding an unusual note to such a his blue jeans he should know that if formal event.,. he wins the presidency, he also gets A ch111y look the booby prize. Mrs. Jouett Shouse, patron of the arts and Whether that's the whole diplomatic corps, friend of Betty Ford, broke into the line and or just the dean, Ambassador Sevilla-Sacasa the ambassador behind her gave her a chilly of Nicaragua, is a matter of opinion. In any look that took in her lameness and cane, but case, it was not ~ proble'll when Car~r was . still conveyed the impression that his national governor of Georgia. borders had been invaded. Unlikely to leave Even Elizabeth Taylor, li:nping from . a motorscooter accident at the country home of. AmbaS£ador Sevilla-Sacas:.i Is dean because her newest Washington beau, John Warner. he has been here since 1943, 22 years longer went to the end of the line.