that's not all betty ford did for love. mi mining possibility from her own pain, she banished the addiction. by being herself she made it easier for countless others to follow suit. the choices she made. the leadership she provided all entitled her to rank alongside other great champions of women's rights. in her last years she lived out the feminist cravedo. whn the pleasures of youth are past, children grown up, married and gone, the hurry and bustle of life in a measure over, when the hands of weary of active service, when the old armchair and the fire side of a chosen resorts and men and women alike must fall back on their resources. more than once in recent years mrs. ford asked her children when are you going to let me go be with my boyfriend? today her wish is granted. parting is all we know of heaven, wrote emily dickinson, and all we need of hell. for betty ford the last four and a half years were a kind purgatory. but one whose were eased by the loving members of her family. in the immediate aftermath of the presi

the betty ford support for the equal rights amendment did not become full-blown as first lady. e had been pushing this for years and made sure her husband got the message. president ford told me years later that he had a lot of pressure politically on the outside but inside my own family. mrs. ford was a very ardent supporter of equal rights for women and he used to get a lecture is quite frequently. he got pushed to act on the floor of the house in favor of it and he did. he voted for it and he thought was a good approach but it was a very controversial provision. there is your midwestern understatement. as susan said in an interview, been firstly did not change her mother. it gave her a podium to stand on to express the views she had formed in her years as a congressional wife. betty ford also always know when to step off the podium and how to avoid the worst of labels for any woman of the era, especially the political wife. she was never strident. she could use her candid good humor to diffuse any discussion about whether she was overstepping her bounds as first lady, some of

betty ford was known of course as a first lady. her husband gerald ford ford was sworn in as president in 1974. but she became perhaps even better known as an advocate for those suffering addiction. samantha hayes has a look back at betty ford's remarkable life. >> reporter: betty ford's life in the political spotlight started quickly after her marriage to gerald ford, who was elected to congress two weeks after their wedding. as first lady, she developed her own persona beyond the white house and was known for speaking out on abortion rights and women in the workplace. also the mother of four children, she was considered strong, active, and most of all candid. >> it has been my own health that has made it possible for me to go ahead and in my way share what i learned with others. >> reporter: before 1974 it was almost unheard of for a first lady to publicly mention personal problems. in the first year of her husband's presidency. she announced she had breast cancer and would undergo a mastectomy. but it is the betty ford center for

betty ford was known of course as a first lady. her husband gerald ford ford was sworn in as president in 1974. but she became perhaps even better known as an advocate for those suffering addiction. samantha hayes has a look back at betty ford's remarkable life. >> reporter: betty ford's life in the political spotlight started quickly after her marriage to gerald ford, who was elected to congress two weeks after their wedding. as first lady, she developed her own persona beyond the white house and was known for speaking out on abortion rights and women in the workplace. also the mother of four children, she was considered strong, active, and most of all candid. >> it has been my own health that has made it possible for me to go ahead and in my way share what i learned with others. >> reporter: before 1974 it was almost unheard of for a first lady to publicly mention personal problems. in the first year of her husband's presidency. she announced she had breast cancer and would undergo a mastectomy. but it is the betty ford center for

. >>> remembering betty ford. the former first lady who inspired a generation with her candor and her personal struggles. >>> on the front lines. of the new secretary of defense in afghanistan with a striking new assessment of al qaeda. >>> final edition for a tabloid caught up in its own scandal. is there more to come? >>> and royal treatment. will and kate bring their charming style to the u.s. carrying on a long family tradition. captions paid for by nbc-universal television >>> good evening. betty ford, a former dancer, stay-at-home mom of four, and wife of a michigan congressman, never could have imaged the strange circumstances that in 1974 would land her and her husband, gerald ford, into the white house, but for a role she was unprepared for, first lady of the united states, she made a lot of it and changed thousands if not millions of lives in the process. betty ford died last night in california at the age of 93. she was known for speaking her mind, even when it didn't jive with her husband's political a

millions more wished they could. -- if they knew betty ford. could they took inspiration from her to confront their own demons. in 1974, the fords of grand rapids and alexandria first attracted the public's interest. many assumed the family to be cut from the cost of the 1950's sitcom. after all, hadn't and early profile of then congressman for's wife singled out this one time cubs scout den mother for her taste in "quiet suits and slightly more talkative hats. of more labels. more limits. bible forrd's living august 9, 1974, the day's recommended first proclaimed, "i will keep a muzzle on my mouth." it was advice she conspicuously ignored. [laughter] for by then, this lady like a revolutionary -- this lady-like revolutionary, once mistaken for june cleaver, found her voice. she had a history making an appearance on the mary tyler moore show. if nothing else, it showed how far mrs. ford and the rest of us had traveled from "father's nose solve -- "father knows best." many pored over her 60 minutes interview in which she candidly confessed to boo

it would become betty ford's greatest legacy.then the clinic has treated more than 90,000 patients including celebrities like lindsay lohan, billy joel, elizabeth taylor and kelsey grammer. >> it takes a sense of community and love and sense of faith to actually overcome this disease. >> reporter: the betty ford center would launch the medical careers of hundreds of men and women who now specialize in addiction. >> i was so inspired that people, who though they were in hollywood or though they were high in the political field or the white house were able to deal with diseases and disorders and real-life issues that they themselves had an onus. >> reporter: at 93 betty ford will be remembered as a pioneer who redefined the role of first lady. and we want to go back to new york and ron claiborne with a look at the morning's other headlines. good morning to you, ron. >> hey, good morning, bianna. good morning, everyone. >>> in the news oil giant bp is arguing that victims of last year's gulf oil spill should not be paid any more for

the death of former first lady betty ford. she was 93 years old. ford was surrounded by family when she passed away last night. she became first lady when her husband gerald ford became president in 1974. to heing the resignation of richard nixon. betty ford made headlines when she revealed her bat with breast cancer. then she entered a rehab center. it was a place for sentity and others to get the help they needed to fight addictions. president obama spoke out. mrs. ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. while her death is a cause for sadness, we know that organizations such as the betty ford center will honor her legacy by giving countless americans a new lease on life. former president george w. bush said laura and i are deeply saddened by the passing of betty ford. we admired her as first lady and valued her as a friend. she made countless contributions to our country, and we especially appreciate her courage in calling attention to breast cancer and substance abuse. becau

host: noella rodriguez, did you ever given a chance to meet betty ford -- get a chance to meet betty ford? or did you ever look back at her career and tried to push laura bush in that direction? guest: i never got the opportunity to meet mrs. ford, but was suddenly well aware of her legacy. -- certainly well aware of her legacy. we used her legacy as a way to inform what we would do. mrs. bush, of course, have three issues that she was focused on, primarily early childhood education and women's health issues. but she also focused on breast cancer. it is not a very, known trade that breast cancer is obviously a disease that strikes women across america, but close to it is hard disease. mrs. bush focused on those two diseases to make sure that women have information that could help save their lives. that was in the shadow of betty ford's legacy at the white house. host: 1974-76. the first ladies did not give a lot of speeches at that time. mrs. bush gave a lot of speeches, didn't she? guest: she certainly did, especially after 9/11. she felt she had a tremendous opportunity to be the co

first off, the legacy of betty ford. we've heard about the betty ford center. what in your view is the most important thing about betty ford? >> well, betty ford really will be remembered for being somebody of tremendous courage. she was first lady in a time when the country was going through so many changes and never expected to be first lady. she was expecting to retire when gerald ford was elected vice president. so the candid demeanor she had at the white house, especially soon after taking office, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. and in the 1970's, it was taboo to discuss the topic of breast cancer in public, and she showed women across the country around the world that they had somebody in their corner to talk about and share the plight of this disease with them. and then of course later on she became very well known for her battles with addiction, and the betty ford center in the following years has helped people also deal with alcohol and drug addiction. so her legacy will be one of courage and candidness. >> so take us back to the mid 1970's when

betty ford will be buried alongside her husband of 58 years at the gerald ford presidential library inisten, thank you for being with us this morning. of course this is an incredible legacy that she leaves behind. we are going to take a look at this issue and the addiction issues that she has faced and also that so many in this country are facing. now here's russ. >> rebecca and kristen thanks so much. >>> "atlantis" is spending its second day in space this morning, blast off from the kennedy space center friday for a 12-day mission to the international space station and final day of flight. mark strassmann what is the word this morning? so far so good? >> reporter: so far so good. an enormous amount of pride. many of the employees have been with the shuttle program for most, if not all 135 shuttle missions. the goal here is to bring home commander chris ferguson and hisat lhis "atlantis" crew. this also of course sentimentality. everybody recognizes this is the last mission of all they want to be sure that this thing does come home not only safelyÑi but this is one more triumph for th

thelma gutierrez is at the betty ford center in rancho san francisco. i know the fords retired there. they were such a part of the community. >> reporter: they really were. people here remember them as people who were very kind, who were very giving toward this community. now, we have not heard from the ford family since the passing of betty ford yesterday evening. just a short time ago, though, they did release a statement. betty ford had four children. three sons and one daughter. and they said, it is with great sadness that we inform you that our beloved mother, betty ford, has passed away at 93 years of age. she died peacefully at the eisenhower medical center in rancho mirage, california. mother's love, candor, devotion, and laughter enriched our lives and the lives of the millions she touched throughout this great nation. to be in her presence was to know the warmth of a truly great lady. mother's passing leaves a deep void, but it also fills us with immeasurable appreciation for the life that we and dad shared with her. that is from the ford child

the betty ford support for the equal rights amendment did not become full-blown as first lady. pushing this for years and made sure her husband got the message. president ford told me years later that he did not have a lot of pressure politically on the outside but from inside his own family. mrs. ford was a very ardent supporter of equal rights for women and he used to get lectures quite frequently. he got pushed to act on the floor of the house in favor of it and he did. he voted for it and he thought it was a good approach but it was a very controversial provision. there is your midwestern understatement. as susan said in an interview, been first lady did not change her mother. it gave her a podium to stand on to express the views she had formed in her years as a congressional wife. betty ford also always knew when to step off the podium and how to avoid the worst of labels for any woman of the era, especially the political wife. she was never strident. she could use her candid good humor to diffuse any discussion about whether she was overstepping her bounds as first lady,

betty ford was admired by millions. a lot more coming up. >> the latest on the space shuttle, "atlantis" is in orbit right now high above the earth. it's a force of bittersweet but historic moment. what is next for nasa and space flight? the latest coming up. >> overseas, there are new developments for the widening phone hacking scandal out of britain. the newspaper that tapped into the voice mail of the widows of former soldiers and other victims. it's going to close tomorrow. a key aide to the british prime minister is arrested in relation to the investigation. >>> we have the story of one lucky kitten. it was thrown out of a car in the verazano bridge here in new york. a driver who saw the whole thing was able to rescue the little guy. that hero driver is in the studio. so is that little kitten that he saved. wow is he cute? >> you love the outcome. but the horrible thought of someone tossing a cat out the window. we want to begin with the death of betty ford, the former first lady helped sparked some important conve

and the public will be able to pay their respects to betty ford tonight.er body is lying in repose until midnight tonight at the church and tomorrow her body will be flown to michigan where she'll be buried next to her husband at the gerald ford library in grand rapids. >> lee, thank you very much. >>> brian williams when we come back, from the memorial service with reflections on this day. >>> and later, his exclusive interview with today's recipients of the medal of honor. an army ranger who put his life on the line for his brothers in arms. >>> among the guests today, our own brian williams and he joins us from palm desert, california. brian? >> ann what was so impressive and so appropriate was the sweep of history. i sat there realizing that in the six rows in front of me wb were representatives by either bloodline or marriage of every president of the united states going back to john f. kennedy. so appropriate and so interesting to see members of the ford family. for our generation and above in this country we watched them grow up. we watched their fa

betty ford was a very progressive person just like ellen r. ford. we don't need more resources but we need less. host: republican line, go ahead. caller: i'm a young republican and i want to move no more about the force. there's not too much about them in the history books. i would be honored to learn about any major acts that happened during president ford's presidency. host: we have that on the cspan site and our video library. mrs. ford gave several talks and we have recorded them. if you go to our video library or to our front page, you will get access to information and passed videos. our main page, c-span.org, houses a lot of information about president ford and his accomplishments. also twitter this morning -- a springfield, massachusetts, democrats line. caller: betty ford convened a meeting in washington, d.c. the presidents of organizations. i was fortunate enough to go as a vice president of a labor organization. it was a many day conference discussing all kinds of issues that affected women and allowed the leadership of women to develop

and it is vintage betty ford. >> betty ford, through the lens and the words of david hume kennerly. that's our broadcast for this monday night. thank you for being here. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. innebib gb whitre bg ,ws a pstterot a a akr.a.b.t. atoustbr sn tceghvier halt. sit ilt s i happening as we speak. the civic center station its closed. thank you for joining us on our 6:00 newscast. we bring it up now. the height of rush hour. this is causing havoc for commuters. why the protest. once again the protest at civic

i was deeply saddened this afternoon when i heard of betty ford's death. she was jerry ford's strength. >> betty ford's children were with her in her final moments. >> reporter: betty ford had four children and all of them were at her side when she died yesterday afternoon. they released a statement today saying that mother's love, devotion, candor and laughter touched our lives like millions she touched throughout the nation. her passing leaves a deep void but it also fills us with immeasurable appreciation for a life that she and dad shared with her. betty ford's funeral details are pending, but we understand that she will be buried in grand rapids, michigan at the presidential library where her husband is buried. >> thanks so much thelma. >>> in other news, a brazen escape in houston caught on surveillance camera. our affiliate khou says the two men new jailers would open the door to an area to break up a fight that was allegedly staged late last month. one inmate was caught two days later, the other didn't make it out of the jail. >>> casey anthony will

becky ford was the -- betty ford was the former u.s.irst lady and a founder of an addiction clinic. she died at the age of 93. hello and welcome. south sudan has become the world's newest nation after decades of conflict with the north. huge independence celebrations started as the clock struck midnight central time. it will be one of the poorest nations in the world. there are still many conflicts. >> people have flooded goout ino the street. there is an air of jubilation here. people are banging a homemade drums to celebrate the independence of south sudan. people are driving all the way up and down the roads. the police, the army, everyone, even a fire engine spring water. people have been waiting so many years for this moment. the southern sudanese are waving goodbye to the north. their new nation is born. >> will ross in the south sudan. the libyans have said that they have made significant gains against colonel gaddafi's forces in a strategically important town. they had been stationary in misrata for six weeks. the rebels taking

betty ford brought people together in life and so now, in death.ws, palm desert, california. ♪ ♪ >> pelley: that's "the cbs evening news" with thanks to the jones day law firm for this window on the capital, i'm scott pelley. for all of us at cbs news all around the world, goodnight. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org young girls, and h >>> your realtime captioner is linda marie macdonald. ♪ [ music ] i can see them real good. >> how nancy and phillip garrido preyed on children. >> what did i do? i would like to know. please tell me. >> first, it apologized. now hear why pg&e is blank the victims for the san bruno blast. >> you're saying no neighborhood, no street corner is immune. >> cocaine packing more than an

about taking care with vesicare. >> mitchell: americans, today, are remembering former first lady betty forddied in california yesterday at the age of 93. in grand rapids, michigan, mourners are signing a book of condolence at the gerald ford presidential movements president obama today praised mrs. ford for what he called her courage and compassion. from relative obscurity, betty ford became one of the most popular special respected women in america. cbs news anchor scott pelley looks back. >> reporter: born elizabeth ann bloomer, she grew up in grand rapids, michigan and grew up dreaming of becoming a professional dancer and after high school moved east to study under martha graham, the high priestess of modern dance. she earned a spot in graham's auxiliary dance troupe but her mother pressured her to leave the group, and new york, in 1941. she got a job back home in grand rapids, performed in her own dance troupe, married and divorced her first husband and then met a young lawyer named gerald ford. they married in 1948, just weeks before ford was elected to his first term in congress. for

we'll hear from betty ford in her own words over the years. >>> betty ford went home to grand rapids, michigan today and was buried next to the man she always called her boyfriend, former president gerald ford. honor guards carried her casket into the church where they were married almost 60 years ago to the day. among the mourners today, former vice president dick cheney, first lady barbara bush and former president clinton. ford's daughter susan read from scriptures and her son a former navy man offered the eulogy. >> if our family was a fleet of ships, dad was the aircraft carrier, i know that. and if mom was in our fleet, which she was, she was the hospital ship. she was the one with the love and the comfort and she was the first one there to put her arms around you. >> and we wanted to end our broadcast tonight with some of the humor and the humanity and the honesty of betty ford over the years and in her own words. >> i do not believe that being first lady should prevent me from expressing my ideas. [ applause ] i think it's time that the women step up and take their place. i ca

. >>> stars remember betty ford. the outspoken former first lady and advocate for addiction recovery. >>> william and kate visit california. we're going to take you there live, and what is this all about? ♪ >> i'll explain all that straight ahead. the news starts right now. >>> we begin with this tonight, in article fon texas, a father and son out for a night at the ballpark, then a shocking tragedy. >> that's why there was time taken. wow! >> shannon stone reached for a ball only to fall head first over the railing dropping about 20 feet and sadly to his death. his 6-year-old son right next to him, seeing the whole thing happen. a man beside stone tried to pull him back, but he just couldn't. the player that tossed stone the ball josh hamilton, beside himself now. >> he's definitely in my mind and my heart. like i said, i can't stop praying enough for him, and my family is, and i just can't imagine. >> who could. the rangers' organization took a moment of silence the day after. >> we ask that each of you join the oa

lady, betty ford has died. lady, betty ford has died. she was 93.f president gerald >>> we continue to follow breaking news this hour. former first lady betty ford has died. she was 93. the widow of president gerald ford died this afternoon in her home in southern california. she was surrounded by family. sandra hughes takes a look back at betty ford's life, which was filled with plenty of highs and lows. >> reporter: betty blumer ford never expected to become first lady but she was thrust in the role when richard nixon resigned. she had been raised in michigan, spent time in new york city as a student of modern dance pioneer martha graham. she modeled and then married twice the second time to a young lawyer just entering politics. 28 years were spent living in washington as congressman gerald ford's wife raising their foyer children. >> so help me god. >> congratulations, mr. president. >> reporter: just weeks after her husband was sworn in as the 38th president of the united states, in the wake of the watergate scandal, the new first lady found ou

public about breast cancer and that had helped a lot of people. >> afterwards she helped found betty ford treatment center. one of the most prominent facilities. mrs. ford spent three or four days a week counseling patients. work she said contributed to her own sobriety. >> i have always been open about my life. probably sometimes too much so. >> but betty ford's openness turned out to be her greatest gift to her country. her frail presence at funeral services for her husband of 58 years served as a poignant reminder of a woman whose reign as first lady while brief and totally unexpected was remarkable. sandra hughes, cbs news. >>> two children are among the four people killed in a watsonville plane crash. a passer by video taped the aftermath last night. this is outside an unoccupied building outside the hospital. now initial reports were two were dead, but while examining the wreckage, the bodies of two boys were discovered all from the same family. the single engine had just taken off from the airport. federal safety investigators are still looking into the cause. >>> federal agents ar

president obama released a statement saying, today we take comfort in the knowledge that betty ford and her husband former president gerald ford, are together once more. michele and i send out our thoughts and prayers to their children, michael, john, steven, and susan. former first lady nancy reagan said, i was deeply saddened this afternoon when i heard of betty ford's death. she has been an inspiration to so many through her efforts to educate women about breast cancer and her wonderful work at the betty ford center and susan, without doubt, that is one of her greatest legacies. since 1982, when the center was founded, 90,000 people, including many celebrities and their families, have been treated here for substance abuse. she went very public a year after her husband left office with her own struggles with her addictions to alcohol and prescription pain medications. the fords retired here after public life. they spent many years here. residents say they are saddened at her death. >> she paved the way for so many people. certainly an inspiration. thank you so much. >>> we have this j

betty ford was married to former president gerald ford for 58 years. he also died in 2006 at the age of 93. elizabeth ann warren ford was born april 8, 1918. she was known as betty ford and won't to also serve as the first lady of the united states from 1974 to 1977. she was very active in social policy, shattering lots of precedents and had a very moderate and liberal position on social issues despite being a republican. she was noted for fundraise go for breast cancer, for her also equal rights amendment pro-choice on abortion and the women's movement. but she probably was best known for being so candid about her issues with addiction. founding the betty ford center also, and being very raising awareness of addiction when she herself announced she was battling alcoholism in the 1970s. former first lady nancy reagan issued a statement a short while ago on the death of betty ford saying she is deeply saddened this afternoon when hearing of betty ford's death, saying, quote, she had been an inspiration to so many through her efforts to educate women abo

the park will be remaining open but the coaster is closed indefinitely. >>> former first lady betty fordis being remembered today as an inspirational figure. mourners in mrs. ford's hometown of grand rapids, michigan, waited in line to pay their respects at the gerald ford presidential museum. the widow of president ford died yesterday, in southern california. shelby lynn looks back on the legacy that is beyond the first lady's role as a political wife. >> reporter: iconic. special. unsurpass able. those are just some of the words used to describe former first lady betty ford. >> the whole nation lost someone very special. >> i know icon is an overused term these days, but she truly is one. her vision, and her mission for the betty ford center is unsurpassable. >> reporter: the 93-year-old passed away friday surrounded by friends and family at the eisenhower medical center in california. soon after, condolences began pouring in from president obama, prominent political figures, and even celebrities, who sought addiction treatment at the betty ford center. >> i don't think she even really

museum that really hit home with me, the amount of people in grand rapids that really looked at betty ford jerry ford as one of their own because they were. they came from michigan, and this community rode that crazy wild, you know, roller coaster as they went to washington and served for so many years, and then eventually became president, and then afterwards, when betty ford not only brought that photographer in to document her recovery from breast cancer, but then brought the national consciousness towards addiction and shared her own addiction troubles and then her contributions post-presidency with all of the cancer centers and addiction centers that she has helped -- that she helped build through her life, so the outpouring, very significant here in grand rapids, as you might imagine. >> ted works can we expect to be speaking today at this service? >> reporter: lynne cheney is actually going to do one of the eulogies, one of the ford sons steve ford will do a reading, and then -- but lynne cheney is set to do one of the eulogies so we'll hear that coming up in the next hour. followin

betty ford died peacefully in her home in palm desert, california, at the age of 93. her husband geralds ford, served as the 38th president for two and a half years, filling out the remainder of president nixon's second term in 1974. president ford died five years ago. as first lady, betty ford advocated for many social causes, sump as early detection for breast cancer and other women's rights generally. perhaps her most memorable public service was that of di stigmatizing alcohol i've. treating it as a physical chemical addiction. not a moral weakness. a character flaw. a year after her husband left office, defeated by jimmy carter in the '76 election, betty ford announced she had suffered from alcoholism for many years. if 1978, at the age of 60, she checked herself into california's long beach naval hospital. her treatment was successful. she became more of a crusader. in 1982, she brought no chieftains a alcohol and drug clinic. alcoholics and other drug add 46 almost everywhere have or have been treated at the betty ford center including elizabeth taylor, johnny c

magical taste. >> osgood: which words and deeds, former first lady betty ford left her mark on a generationhe other first ladies i'd been fascinated by growing up. with maimy eisenhower it was all about the bangs. jackie kennedy was elegant and aristocrat i can. lady bird johnson was always a lady. pat nixon seemed scripted and formal. but betty ford was funny and down to earth. she wasn't afraid to talk about her relationship with her husband, joking she and the president slept together as often as possible. frankly the fords always seemed like the nice neighbors down the street who genuinely adored each other and their four grown kids who she admitted might have tried marijuana. as a young journalist, just starting to cover washington and beginning to understand that public figures rarely say what they really think, i was surprised by betty ford. she was a feminist when that still put off some people. she said she favored abortion rights. and she openly announced that she had breast cancer in the days when people didn't say the c-word outloud. the one thing i think she did not want to adm

public about breast cancer and that it helped a lot of people. >> afterwards she helped found the betty ford center. mrs. ford served as its chairman and spent three or four days a week counseling patients there. work she said contributed to her own sobriety. >> i have always been kind of open about my life. probably sometimes too much so. >> but betty ford's openness turned out to be her greatest gift to her country. her frail presence at the funeral service to her husband served as a poignant reminder. cbs news. >>> a south bay soldier whose name means victorious died in afghanistan. 36-year-old army sergeant was killed tuesday in a fire fight. he joined the marines straight out of westmont high school in campbell. he later joined the army and served 16 years in the military. friends say he was due home in a few months. he leaves behind a wife and two sons. >>> despite a forecast that called for rain and thick clouds, four astronauts blasted into space on the last flight for a shuttle mission. >> two, one, zero, and liftoff. the final liftoff of atlantis. >> the crew is delivering a year's

checking top stories, former first lady, betty ford, the widow of late president gerald f ford, died mrs. ford's lasting legacy may be the substance abuse treatment center that bears her name, helping millions. betty ford died at the age of 93. >>> the republic of south sudan is hoisting the flag of the new nation. people there voted overwhelmingly to separate the government in khartoum. >>> and in los angeles, it is day two of the duke and duchess of cambridge touring tinseltown. plenty of sightseeing and hand shaking for the recently married couple. today the prince is set to play in a charity polo match. >>> want to take you live now to washington, where the dalai lama has taken the stage. you're looking at it as it is happening. he is there to promote world peace. >>> two, one, zero, and liftoff! the final liftoff of "atlantis," on the shoulders of the space shuttle, america will continue the dream. >> what a sight to see. that was yesterday as the shuttle "atlantis" races towards the international space station one last time. we can't help but wonder, what is next? everyday citi

the betty ford center is there. and mrs. ford died yesterday in california at the age of 93. she leaves behind a powerful legacy. this evening, in her own words, how she described her addiction while in the white house and the moment her family confronted her. it was the kind of courage and candor never before seen from a first lady, who admitted to an entire country that she was struggling with addiction to alcohol and painkillers. and she would famously open the betty ford center, to help others like her. >> she has, as all of you know, responded strongly by admitting the challenge to recover her own health. we're very proud of you. >> reporter: there were the known names that sought help. elizabeth taylor. stevie knicks. but so many more, unknown. this young woman, just 25 at the time, addicted to alcohol and marijuana. >> thank you for being an inspiration. >> appreciate that. you know, somebody was an inspiration to me. so, we just pass it along. >> reporter: but betty ford had blazed a path long before, weighing in on abortion and the equal rights amendment. then, the a

. >>> betty ford has died. she's being remembered today for speaking out about her own problems and for changing the role of first lady. >>> britain's newest royal couple, william and catherine are in california today, from ponies to celebrities, it promises to be a very busy day. >>> and the final shuttle has been launched into space. we will look ahead to what's next for nasa. >>> we begin this morning with the death of former first lady betty ford. she was 93 years old. ford was surrounded by family when she passed away last night. she became first lady back in 1974 when her husband gerald ford took over following the resignation of richard nixon. her greatest legacy may be the contribution she made against the battle against addiction. here what is president obama had to say about her passing. he says today we take comfort in the knowledge that betty and her husband former president gerald ford are together once more. michele and i send our thoughts and prayers to their children, michael, john, steven and s

betty ford supports of the equal rights amendment in the rise full-blown as she became first lady. pressure, not only politically on the outside, but inside my own family. mrs. ford was a very ardent supporter of equal rights for women and i used to get a lecture quite frequently and i got pushed to act on the floor of the house in favor of it. and i did. i voted for it. i think it's a good approach, but is a very controversial provision. there is your midwestern understatement. as susan said in an interview, dean first lady didn't change her mother. rather it gave her a podium to stand on to express the views she had formed in her years as a congressional wife. the betty ford always knew when to step off the podium, how to avoid the worst of labels for any women of the area, especially the political wife. she was never strident. she could use her candid good humor for discussion about whether she was overstepping their bounds as first lady, sent a none of you have ever heard anything about. at the national press club, she told the men assembled, the women oppressed were still confi

all of us over many years praise you betty ford and this congressional brat along with the rest of the country, especially the women who has been keeping this republic. thank you. >> ifill: mrs. ford's body will be flown to grand rapids, michigan, for a second memorial service thursday. she'll be buried later that day alongside her husband at the gerald r. ford presidential library and museum. >> woodruff: again, the other major developments of the day. a blistering heat wave broke more records and triggered health warnings in dozens of states. the half-brother of afghan president karzai was assassinated. ahmed wali karzai was a power figure in southern afghanistan. >> the political barb grew sharper in washington's struggle to cut the national debt. there were no solutions in cyte. and to hari sreenivasan for what's on the newshour online. hari? >> sreenivasan: watch all of the betty ford documentary on the rundown blog. on the debt ceiling, use our interactive graphic to explore the day-by-day consequences if lawmakers miss the deadline next month. that's on making sense. plus, read

vogel, fox news. >> reporter: if you are just joining us, fox news confirming, former first lady betty ford has died at the age of 93. she was the wife of former president gerald ford and co-founder of the betty ford center in california. want to read a statement we just received from former president george h.w. bush: barbara and i betty ford very much she was a wonderful wife, mother, great friend and courageous first lady. no one confronted lives struggles with more fortitude and honesty. as a result we all learned from the challenges she faced. the betzy ford center which changed the lives of thousands -- will be her lasting leggy of care and concern. we were proud to know her. proud to call her a friend. we will miss her very much. more about her life. in 1973 the fords were planning retirement from congress. of course, there was a turn of political events which shook the nation. and reshaped their own future. they ended up in the white house. she did a lot for women's rights and a lot of other things in this country. we'll have more, after this break. ♪ that's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh

first chevy, yea, it gets under your skin. ♪ >>> checking our top stories, americans are mourning betty fordhe age of 93. her family was at her side. the four children say her death was peaceful. ford is being remembered as a champion for women's health and women's rights. no word yet on funeral arrangements. >>> and our other top story, new defense secretary leon panetta has strong words for al qaeda today. he landed in afghanistan on his first official visit as america's top military man. he tells reporters since killing osama bin laden, quote, we have them on the run, end quote. etch as we begin drawing down troops, panetta says the u.s. can cripple al qaeda as a threat to american by pressuring them now. >>> every map you own is incomplete today. that's because the world officially has one more country than it did yesterday. it is on the continent of africa, sudan, as we knew it, is no more. a new international border now splits the country in half. south sudan is now africa's 54th country. it is a breakaway that more than 99% of the people of south sudan voted for. and it comes after 50

betty ford, the name behind the betty ford center died at the age of 93 of natural causes.er is thursday in michigan. the public is invited to pay respects. the wife of former president gerald ford was honest and forthcoming about her addiction to alcohol and painkillers. larry king interviewed ford several times and found that out firsthand. he spoke with me by phone. >> she lived a glorious life. she had a great family. in fact, one of the best moments in all the years i have been on cnn was when gerald ford described what her intervention scene was like when the family gathered around to tell their mother and wife that she's an alcoholic. she had to accept that and come forward with it. >> you were helped by an intervention which your husband brilliantly described on this show one night. >> yes. >> what happened? >> it was a terrible shock to me. i knew i didn't feel well. all of the sudden the family walked in -- >> the whole family. >> surprising, yes. everybody had come from all around the country. >> you were in bed? >> no, no. i was up, but i wasn't dressed. it was

realize how truly great they are. >> political leaders also expressed their other sorrow over betty ford'sth. from president obama, today we take comfort in the knowledge that betty and her husband, former president gerald nord are together once more. and this from the 41st president, george h.w. bush. barbara and i loved betty ford very much, she was a wonderful wife and mother, and a courageous you first late. no one confronted life's struggles with more fortitude or honesty and we all know the challenges she faced. >>> one of the world's most popular tabloids is printing its last issue today. it was undone over revelations that reporters had possibly hacked into the voicemail boxes of thousands of people. we're going to speak with our international correspondent dan rivers in just a moment. as a matter of fact why don't we go to him now. at the tabloid offices in london is where he's standing now where former employees have been leaving all day, dan what do you know? >> reporter: it's been a very emotional evening for the 160 or so employees who just came down. just in the last 15 or 20

tumultuous time catapulted gerald ford and his wife betty into the whitehouse. he was plain spoken, she was outspoken. >> it is impossible to overestimate the impact thatre f ford had on the office of the first lady. she changes everything about the role of the first lady. >> in betty ford's brief and unexpected reign of first lady, she broke the mold. she was a pro choice republican who became the first first lady to take on a female anyone agenda and the first to debate it with her husband. >> i'm outspoken sometimes at the detriment of my husband's role. >> for her to be honest about her bout of breast cancer and drug and alcohol abuse saved millions. it was an incredible and sometimes painful journey. on august 8th, 1974 a shocked nation watched president nixon's final broadcast. >> i shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow. vice president ford will be sworn in as president at that hour in this office. >> it was in my mind the saddest day of my life. i can't remember when i felt so totally unable to handle something. >> minutes after the nixons