funny thing about don rickles. the news today that he died didn't make people cry. it made them laugh. jim axelrod remembers the king of the zing. >> reporter: don rickles never put the knife in anyone's back. >> how much you weigh, big fella? >> reporter: he hit them right between the eyes. >> 200 on the left side of your

ass you weigh 200. >> reporter: an equal opportunity offender. no one was immune from his r ridicule. >> i wish you wouldn't touch me, sammy. you people rust. >> reporter: no race, no religion. >> i'm a jew and you're an italian. and here we have -- what? >> reporter: in fact, the bigger they were the more rickles loved going after them. >> is this too fast, ronnie? >> reporter: even the president of the united states. >> he's sitting there looking at the program going, "where is he saying he makes fun of me? where does it say that?" >> reporter: born 90 years ago in queens, don rickles studied acting after the navy. he got some bit parts in movies. >> i guess it's area 7, mr. bledsoe. >> did you hear the captain read the operation orders? >> reporter: but short, squad, and balding, he saw his future in nightclubs, not the big screen. >> is that your wife, sir? jesus. i tell you -- [ laughter ] >> ages 3 and up. it's on my box. >> reporter: the later generations who would know him as mr. potato head in "toy story" --

>> gee, i'd better shave. >> reporter: -- may not have appreciated his old-school insult act. but rickles explained to charlie rose he wasn't really hurting anyone. >> i don't know how, but i have a knack of making fun of somebody and exaggerating without hurting them and doing it in such a way that they say oh, that was great. you know. >> reporter: and according to many who knew him best, the prince of putdown spiel was all an act. "one of the sweetest and most lovely people," tweeted jimmy kimmel today. >> give me a break. i'm so lonely. >> reporter: if it's true don rickles' jokes were something from another time, there is a quality to the way he made many laugh that is timeless. jim axelrod, cbs news, new york. and that's the overnight news for this friday. for some of you the news continues. for others check back with us a little bit later. for the morning news and "cbs this morning." from the broadcast center in new york city, i'm scott pelley.

♪ late-breaking news. the u.s. launches a military attack on syria in response to the chemical attack on syrian civilians. and the trump administration says assad has to go. also tonight, republican chairman devin nunes accused of mishandling intelligence drops out of the russia investigation. >> the house investigation can now go forward without laboring under the cloud that had been created. going nuclear. republicans change senate rules to put gorsuch on the supreme court. the attorney general considers a crackdown on pot. >> i reject the idea that we're going to be a better place if we have more marijuana.

and remembering don rickles. he turned insults into an art form. >> the governor is a great politician of all time. he laughs at anything. my brother died. ha, ha, ha. >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." president trump has just made his first public comments on the attack that he ordered tonight against the assad dictatorship in syria. u.s. navy destroyers fired 59 tomahawk cruise missiles against a syrian air base. now, this was retaliation for tuesday's nerve gas attack that was launched apparently from that syrian base, an attack that killed more than 80 syrian civilians. david martin has been breaking the news on this story at the pentagon. david, what more can you tell us? >> reporter: well, scott, the target for this air strike was

the air field believed to have been the location from which the plane that dropped those chemical weapons took off. so this was a direct retaliation against the syrian air force for having carried out that chemical attack. the air field itself was located about 50 miles directly south of the village that was hit, and it was the target of, as you said, 59 cruise missiles. they landed at about 8:45 east coast time tonight. that would have been the early morning hours in syria. and they were aimed at various locations around the air field, the aircraft hangars, the fuel storage areas, and they were all designed to go off within the space of one minute. that's 59 missiles each with a

warhead of 1,000 pounds going off in the space of 60 seconds. >> and david martin at the pentagon, thank you. this was the president speaking from his mar-a-lago resort just a few minutes ago. >> on tuesday syrian dictator bashar al assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians. using a deadly nerve agent, assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women, and children. it was a slow and brutal death for so many. even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. no child of god should ever suffer such horror. tonight i ordered a target ed

military strike on the air field in syria from where the chemical attack was launched. it is in this vital national security interest of the united states to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons. there can be no dispute that syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the chemical weapons convention, and ignored the urging of the u.n. security council. years of previous attempts at changing assad's behavior have all failed and failed very dramatically. as a result the refugee crisis continues to deepen and the

region continues to destabilize, threatening the united states and its allies. tonight i call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in syria and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types. we ask for god's wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world. we pray for the lives of the wounded and for the souls of those who have passed. and we hope that as long as america stands for justice then peace and harmony will in the end prevail. good night, and god bless america and the entire world.

thank you. >> the president of the united states a few minutes ago announcing what is a narrowly targeted and limited military strike. 59 cruise missiles launched tonight against a single syrian air base which the united states says was the base that launched the attack earlier this week, dropping sarin nerve gas on 80 and more civilians. margaret brennan is traveling with the president in florida. margaret, what have you learned? >> reporter: well, scott, this is not a declaration of war but it is a declaration that president trump is putting the credible threat of military force back on the table when it comes to any threat he's looking at right now and specifically when it comes to the use of sarin gas as you just said which the u.s. now assesses with a high degree of confidence was the nerve agent used to kill those civilians in northern syria this week. >> sarin gas banned all around

the world, banned 20 years ago this month as an illegal weapon. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back. i was wondering if an electric toothbrush really cleans...

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11 weeks into the trump administration and a new poll shows the american people like this president less than ever. only 35% of those polled say they approve of mr. trump's performance as president. that's down 2% from two weeks ago. 57% say they disapprove. that's the lowest approval rating recorded for any president at this point in his administration. one member of the trump team that's scoring high marks is his daughter, ivanka. she sat down for a chat with gail king. >> when you spoke with "60 minutes," you said it was your intention to be a daughter, that you were not going to play a role in the administration. what changed your mind? >> when i spoke to "60 minutes," it was i think five or six days fllowing the election and i was processing real-time the new

reality and what it would mean. i realized that having one foot in and one foot out wouldn't work. and the reality is it all happened very organically for me. i had to determine that my husband and i would both want to be in d.c., that it was viable to move our children, that they would be happy in their new environment. after i decided i wanted to try, i needed to divest of numerous businesses. so did my husband. and i wanted to understand where i could be an asset to the administration, how i could help my father and ultimately the country. >> what will you be doing? >> i think for me what it means is that i'll continue the advocacy work i was doing in the private sector, advocating for the economic empowerment of women. i'm very focused on the role of education. i'm still my father's daughter. so to me this particular title

was about giving critics the comfort that i'm holding myself to that highest ethical standard. but i'll weigh in with my father on the issues i feel strongly about. >> you say that you are your father's daughter, and we all get that. you also talk about the critics. and you have a couple who say why isn't ivanka speaking out? where is she on planned parenthood? where is she on gay rights? where is she on the rights of women? where is she on climate change? and it's like you're being held personally accountable for not speaking up. what do you say to your critics? >> i would say not to conflate lack of public denouncement with silence. i think there are multiple ways to have your voice heard. in some case it's through protest and it's through going on the nightly news and talking about or denouncing every issue which you disagree with. other times it is quietly and directly and candidly. so where i disagree with my father he knows it and i express

myself with total candor. where i agree i fully lean in and support the agenda and hope that i can be an asset to him and make a positive impact. but i respect the fact that he always listens. it's how he was in business. it's how he is as president. and on a more serious note, the new smurf movie opens today. it's called "the lost village" and it stars demi lovato, mandy patinkin, and julia roberts. roberts sat down for a chat with our gayle king who wanted to know how she got started in show business. >> i was 17 when i moved to new york. it was a big difference from smyrna, georgia. i spent a lot of time by myself, and i was just lonely and the city was so fast and big. so i would get on the phone with my mom crying, i want to come home. you stay right where you are. you work this out. >> and you did. >> yeah.

>> as stunning as she is on screen her fans say no one makes a character more relatable than julia roberts. >> my reception, ferns and dance and tons of people -- >> reporter: but early success led to a landmark payday. >> these people don't dream about being rich. they dream about being able to watch their kids swim in a pool without worrying that they'll have to have a hysterectomy at the age of 20. >> reporter: when roberts became the first woman in hollywood to earn $20 million for the film "erin brockovich." >> i'm erin. >> erin. >> when did you realize that you could make a career out of this and think all right, i'll be all right? >> i think when i got nominated for an oscar for "pretty woman." ♪ you just leave it all up to me ♪ and it was the second nomination, and i thought maybe it's not a fluke. like maybe i really am able to get all of my creative feeling across. >> i don't want you to get too

excited. it's only a loan. >> reporter: starring alongside richard gere in "pretty woman" may have selected roberts as america's sweetheart. remember that laugh? >> oh! ha, ha, ha, ha! >> but it was over a decade later on the set of the film "the mexican" that she found real love with cameraman danny moder. >> he was great friends with brad. >> brad pitt, yeah. >> so they were always just chatting. and i would kind of go oh, i read that book. >> i can contribute to this conversation. yeah. >> it was long after that. but that's what started. it was the two of them and their conversations about music and movies and books and stuff that i would just sort of chime in. >> reporter: the two married back in 2002 and have three children -- twins phinneas and hazel and henry. >>ou do? by now they're old enough to understand -- do they really get you are who you are? >> one of them said, so are you famous? >> yeah. >> i guess there are people that

know me that i don't know. are you more famous than taylor swift? >> did they ask you that? >> no, i am not. so i think that kind of put it in some kind of -- >> okay. >> i'm smurf willow, leader of the smurfs. >> i'm afraid that's quite impossible because i happen to be the leader of the smurfs. >> whatever you say, papa thing. >> reporter: now roberts' kids can hear their mom in the latest take on the animated classic "smurfs: the lost village." >> i think smurfs are these timeless fun little creatures. they always have had these sweet lessons and teaching and this movie is no different in that it's so much about being kind and accepting our differences and right now if we can take that in all the better. just to soften the edges a

little bit of what's happening in the world right now. >> we had an election in this country and there was a women's march. it was reported that you were there. >> mm-hmm. >> and that you took hazel. >> mm-hmm. >> why did you go and why did you take her? >> she had a very strong interest in the election. and i think the result was so surprising to her, as it was to many of us. and i felt it was important for her to feel a sense of participating -- you know, that you're not just in your heart and this thing has happened. we as women have certain ideas and beliefs and we just want to be really sure that you are aware of them. >> julia roberts, julia fiona roberts, is turning 50 this year. i like it. >> gale. >> i like it. >> gosh, you're breaking the girl code.

>> no, it's published everywhere, julia. listen, i'm 62, and i think it's great. and i wonder do you have those kind of hang-ups that you know, when you reach a milestone birthday? >> well, there's nothing to be done. it will arrive. >> god willing, yeah. >> that's the thing. that's the only other option to turning 50. so i'll go for 50. >> i was hoping you wouldn't have the hang-ups about that number. i don't really think you do. >> i don't think i do. but i think it has so much to do with being settled and happy. but i do have a mirror in my many people clean their dentures with toothpaste or plain water. and even though their dentures look clean, in reality they're not. if a denture were to be put under a microscope, we can see all the bacteria that still exists on the denture, and that bacteria multiplies very rapidly. that's why dentists recommend cleaning with polident everyday.

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five-second rule protection. new lysol kitchen pro eliminates 99.9% of bacteria without any harsh chemical residue. ♪ lysol. what it takes to protect. these days a lot of public schools don't have the money for a full-time librarian. dean reynolds found one educator crisscrossing the nation to bring a love of books to kids. >> reporter: john schumacher's job keeps him on the road about 200 days out of the year. and this is what he does for a livig. >> my job is to tell teachers and librarians and principals and superintendents and parents about the power of letting kids read the books that they want to re read. >> reporter: with a boundless enthusiasm -- >> give me a drum roll, please. >> reporter: this 35-year-old

librarian may be the foremost advocate for school-age reading in the country. >> being in the library, being in this magical sacred place, is one of the most rewarding things. >> reporter: we were with him when he visited the kendall elementary school in naperville, illinois. >> holy mackerel! >> holy mackerel! >> reporter: where there are plenty of page turners and enthusiastic readers. >> what does reading do for you? >> it exercises the brain. >> it stirs your imagination. >> how old were you when you read your first book? >> i was like 5 in kindergarten. >> really? >> i think like 1 or 2. >> 1 or 2? wow. >> i have three copies to give away. >> reporter: schumacher's actual title is ambassador of school libraries for scholastic book fairs. and as such he tours schools all over the country. but even that broad label is too narrow for his impact. >> as you're reading the book your heart is growing. as you're reading the book your soul is billowing out.

>> i think the key to everything. >> reporter: veronica donovan teaches third grade here. >> library's the heart of our school. the students are excited to go. and without the library i'm just not sure how a school could function. >> reporter: not every school is so lucky. according to a recent survey, 39% of school principals nationwide reported not having a full-time librarian. carla hayden is the librarian of congress. >> many schools are under severe fiscal challenges. and they have to make hard decisions. that has affected many school libraries. >> it shouldn't be viewed as a privilege. it should be seen as a right. we cannot cut school libraries. >> reporter: but even if librarians are on hand it's doubtful they'd be quite like mr. schumacher. >> do you all love the smell of books? there is nothing, there is nothing better than the smell of books. >> reporter: over the years he's given away more best smellers

than he can count. >> would somebody like this? and you can take it home and smell it. >> reporter: his work is so important because he's giving inspiration to school librarians. not an oxymoron. a rock star's librarian. >> and last night i had so much work to do but i had to keep reading this book. >> reporter: schumacher, who reads about 800 to 1,000 books a year, says that growing up he had little use for the school library because it was the place where he was always being shushed. >> i actually would ask to go to the nurse a lot on library day because i just -- i knew i was going to be miserable when i got there. >> have you read this book before? no. it's one of my favorites. >> reporter: that changed when he spent time as an educator and saw what a good book could do. >> by putting a book into the hands of a child we can put hope directly into that child's hands. we can put love directly into that child's hands. we can show them, look, you have the power to make this world better. >> i love your enthusiasm. there's three -- >> reporter: the joy that came off of the kids that we met

off of the kids that we met today,,,,,,,,,,

christian tradition teaches that the pope is the keeper of the keys to heaven while every other earthly key in the vatican is kept by a man you're about to meet. in this report from seth doan. >> reporter: it's one of the busiest tourist sites on earth. but at 5:00 a.m. gianni crea has it much to himself. his job here is as ancient as these tools. he's a clavigiro, or key man. he and his team are responsible for opening 300 doors in the vatican museums every morning. there are nearly 2,800 keys in his charge. he's the first in the famed gallery of maps.

>> [ speaking foreign language ]. now it's only for you. >> reporter: "yes, it's emotional to be in the museum all alone," he said. "i'm privileged in this job." the doors he opens reveal masterpieces. quintaricchio and michelangelo. >> this is van gogh. >> your job would be the envy of many art historians. "i have the chance to appreciate some of the most important pieces of art in the world," he said. sometimes the doors themselves impress. "this is the oldest key," he explained. "it's from the 1700s. key number 401." the most important key, though, does not have a number, and it's kept inside a sealed envelope. as the lights came on inside the sistine chapel, we saw how for him this is far more than a job.

"it's extraordinary. it's incredible," he marvelled. "i cannot say anything because this artwork speaks for itself." as the sun rose he let us peek at bmt rimante's spiral staircase. the doors were open and the museum was ready. does this ever get mundane? "no, absolutely not," he insist. "every day i discover something new here, a work of art, a painting, something." the vatican museum sees more than 6 million visitors a year, but no one gets to see it quite as gianni crea does. seth doan, cbs news, vatican city. and that's the "overnight news" for this friday. for some of you the news continues. for others check back a little bit later for the morning news and "cbs this morning." from the broadcast center in new york city, i'm tony duh coup'll. ♪

captioning funded by cbs captioning funded by cbs it's friday, april 7th, 2017. this is the "cbs morning news." tonight i ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in syria from where the chemical attack was launched. >> dozens of missiles hit the air base. syria calls the attack an aggression, while russia says the u.s. violated international good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs news