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

. >>> 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

betty ford did not kill millions of people by her own strength but by turning around -- betty ford did not feel millions of people by her own strength but by turning around her own example and let them touch her wounds. many people in this room are alive for that very reason. lives changed, even say, are hard to measure and hard to count. cause and effect is never as neat as one would like. we never know how many people experience the novelty of hope because they have watched betty ford there her own wounds with an exacting combination of candor and grace. where shame and fear were stared down at the embrace of an uncertain future. we will never know how many people learned first from betty ford. to use the leverage of truth telling and recovery and not moral failure. women of a certain europe -- of the certainera were taught with that there are places a lady does not go on escorted. we will never know how many women moved unescorted only by betty ford's example. the new and profound gospel truth that we now hold to be self-evident, of this -- of the is that women are created equal to

lady bird and betty ford. and both of them passed just in recent years. >> larry king, doug brinkley, we thank you for joining us this evening and sharing your thoughts and perspective on betty ford who died this evening. thank you. statements are flooding in tonight with remembrances of betty ford. a statement just in from the white house says in part, and i quote "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". once again, breaking news tonight, former first lady betty ford dead at the age of 93. coming up after the break, anderson's special report, casey anthony the verdict. u'll be bre. i do believe it's part of a locust. make sure your alignments good. your brakes are good. you've got all sorts different things that you check off. your fluid levels. pretty much everyth

lady bird and betty ford. and both of them passed just in recent years. >> larry king, doug brinkley, we thank you for joining us this evening and sharing your thoughts and perspective on betty ford who died this evening. thank you. statements are flooding in tonight with remembrances of betty ford. a statement just in from the white house says in part, and i quote "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". once again, breaking news tonight, former first lady betty ford dead at the age of 93. coming up after the break, anderson's special report, casey anthony the verdict. i do believa locust. make sure your alignments good. your brakes are good. you've got all sorts different things that you check off. your fluid levels. pretty much everything you could need. it gets

betty ford broke the silence. not for the last time if she became the face not of a disease, but of recovery. if and even as she inspired other women to emulate her example, so mrs. ford's sense of humor and perspective helped improve the quality of life for millions of cancer survivors. again, she was an agent of liberation, this time releasing women and men, too, from private cells of secrecy, shame, and feel. greater still was the stigma attached to alcohol and drug abuse, especially for women, whose illness was often confused with moral failings. from the start, mrs. ford insisted that any treatment facility that bore her name must also reflect her special sensitivity toward women and their needs. she wanted it to be affordable, with charges kept low enough, as she put it, that a " -- a schoolteacher in nashville, tenn. for go there for treatment. she insisted that families be a part of this solution, just as hers had been. with the help of her friend, neighbor, and fellow patient, firestone, she mastered the

it would become betty ford's greatest legacy. since 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 m

first off, the legacy of betty ford. we have heard about the betty ford center. what is your your view of the most important thing she left behind in her legacy? guest: betty ford will be remembered for being so one of tremendous courage. she was first lady at a time when the country was going through so many changes. she expected to retire when joe ford became -- gerald ford became vice president, and then ultimately became president. pohick soon after -- soon after taking office she was diagnosed with breast cancer. in the 1970's it was taboo to discuss the topic of breast cancer in public. but she did it and it with grace. and she showed other women not only across the country, but around the world, that they had someone in their corner to talk about and share the plight of this disease with them. and later on she became very well known for her battle with addiction and the betty ford center, and in the intervening years has helped thousands of people deal with our call and drug addiction. and -- to deal with drug and of all of the action. host: take us back t

betty ford dies at the age of 93. we'll take a closer look at her life. >>> and while the country's unemployment line got longer last month we had some positive job news. ford is hiring at one of the plants. plus this -- celebrations are in the air if world is welcoming its newest country today. we will take you to south sudan live. >>> we begin with this. 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

betty ford was not your typical first lady. she talked about tattoo things like abortion rights, women in the military and her fight with breast cancer. in the 1970s, people found her honesty and candidness refreshing. she didn't shy away from talking about much of anything. >> my addiction was a combination of alcohol and the prescription drugs. >> reporter: she later opened the betty ford treatment center in california in 1982. some of hollywood's most famous went there to beat their addicti addictions, johnny cash, elizabeth taylor. "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." the last time the country saw betty ford was four years ago at the funeral for her husband, her age and frailty was noticeable but still she radiated the courage, strength and grace she was known for. betty ford will be buried alongside her husband of 58 years at the gerald ford presidential library in grand rapids, michigan. sh

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

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 children. susan, funeral details are pending, but we are told by the director of the gerald ford library in grand rapids, michigan, that she will be buried there alongside her husband. again, those details are pending, but we understand that thousands of people have already gone to the library, to fill out condolence books that are there. the library is closed today, but the lobby is open for any member of the public w

enter into that darkness, betty ford. her own wounds by now are well documented in public together with her courage, with her clarity of thought, her imagination, her capacity to put others at ease by risking connection to great joy and to deep wounds. yesterday, as i watched in here as a friend of mrs. ford briefed the honor guard about what they should expect when they encounter the ford family, he said the fords will not only speak to them but will inquire with sincere interest about how they are doing, about how their work is going, about how they came to be assigned here today. they will ask these things because that is who they are. that is how they were brought up. in short, betty ford had taught her own family to be christ- like. she changed lives not only by the example of her joys and her struggles but by allowing those of us who have no business doing so to touch her wounds and find the healing in them. god's little secret about weakness and strength is that we are perfected in our weakness not in our strength.

and the public will be able to pay their respects to betty ford tonight. her 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

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

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

betty ford. as first lady, she combined grace with candor, a candor that was tested just months after she moved into the white house when doctors discovered she had breast cancer and if -- and performed a mastectomy. her frank discussion about the ordeal is credited to learning women about the dangers of breast cancer. >> women are no longer ashamed of having mastectomies. they talk about it. i feel that i have saved many lives. >> she was known as betty plumber growing up in michigan and she dreamed of becoming a dancer. but in 1948 she married gerald ford, her second marriage. he was elected to congress. they moved to washington and have four children. when he became vice president and then president, betty ford became an advocate for women's rights. after leaving the white house, the former first lady shocked the nation by truck -- by checking herself into a treatment facility to battle a long addiction to pain pills and alcohol. soon after, she founded the california desert. and she became a

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 be free a week from tomorrow. but there are signs of a family feud between her and her mother cindy. a

betty ford was a great lady. in today's republican party she would be unwanted and that is disgusting. the republican party has gone to the store. the republican party acts like ignorant fools. host: republican line, go ahead. caller: how are you doing? thanks to that last guy for talking about republicans. i don't remember much about her but i was 10 years old. i remember the carter days. i feel like i have gone full cycle back to those days. with the unemployment rate in the arab world exploding, i feel like we have come full circle. i'm approaching 50-years old and late 40's and there are four or five rehabs that went through my younger days for drug and alcohol addiction. i was a drug addict and a methamphetamine addict all through the 1980's and 1990's and i just about died. it is great what she did but you can lock somebody in a closet for 30 days and make them sober. the only thing that matters is aa or na. you have to have a real passion for getting sober. people don't walk off the streets into aa. many o

betty ford brought people together in life and so now, in death. bill whitaker, cbs news, 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

. >> mitchell: america mourns the death of betty ford. scott pelley remembers the life of a first lady who shattered boundaries with her character and honesty. derek jeter gets his 3,000th hit, and then some. tony guida has the post-game wrap up. polo, anyone? in california, ben tracy is there as prince william and his wife raise money for british charities. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" >> mitchell: good evening. we begin tonight with news about how a once stable section of the american workforces now taking a big hit. as we told you yesterday, the unemployment rate for june rose to 9.2%. that's the highest this year. there is also news that among the ranks of government employees of all levels 39,000 jobs were lost in june. elaine quijano on the status of public workers and what that could mean for everyone. >> reporter: when emergency calls come in, it's hard for matthew bennett to sit still. >> i've got got to sit on the sidelines, like the basketball player who has a bad knee. wants to play but can't play

. >>> 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

betty ford died last night surrounded by family. she became first lady when her husband gerald ford became president in 1974 following the resignation of richard nixon. she was also a co-founder of the betty ford center, a world renowned addiction treatment facility in california. here is how neighbors in rancho mirage, california, remember her. >> it was really hard to hear because i had seen her so much. she came by where i worked a lot and it was really hard because she had such class, she was absolutely one of the most elegant first ladies ever. >> 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. >> i'm a cancer survivor, as she is too, and it's shocking. she was just a fabulous lady. fabulous. we're all going to miss her. >> an icon she is. >>> the world just added a new nation. south sudan is celebrating its independence this weekend. its capital is juba. president obama announced earlier that the united states formally recognized the newly

lady, betty ford has died. lady, betty ford has died. she was 93. the widow of 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 l

good evening, i'm dana king. > betty ford passed away. best known for the treatment center baring her name. included a series of highs and lows. sandra hughes takes a look. >> betty ford never expected to become first lady, but she was thrust into the role when richard nixon resigned. 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 four children. >> so help me god. >> congratulations mr. president. >> just weeks after her husband was sworn in as the 38th president of the united states in the wake of the water gate scandal, the new first lady found out she had breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. >> it came as a terrible shock, of course, to our family and to me. breast cancer had never entered my mind. >> at a time when cancer was spoken out of in whispers, betty ford's discussion was credited with saving thousands of lives. >> i always think well, when i go down those stairs with my husband, they ar

. >> a look back at the life of betty ford and how she was an inspiration who touched so many lives. >>> good evening, i'm ann notarangelo. a 17-year-old is in custody tonight after the chp says he stole a hummer, led them on a chase through vallejo, and crashed into several cars. the chase began on interstate 80, when chp officers were alerted by fairfield police. it continued through the streets of vallejo and ended when the hummer struck several vehicles. the hummer took the first car turning off redwood parkway on to broadway. four people were in that car including a 5-year-old who suffered serious head injuries. after that, the driver tried to make a run for it and hit three more cars waiting at a red light. in all, eight people were injured. three of them in one car. >> in that car was a 5-year-old boy who did receive major head trauma and was transported by air to children's hospital. >> the boy's mother was also injured. the hummer rolled over and the 17-year-old driver was arrested. he will face charges of stealing the vehicle, hit-and-run, and driving without a license. >>>

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

betty ford is survived by four children. we'll have more on the death of betty ford tonight at 11:00. >>> here in the bay area, santa clara county had a case of the blue flu today. 10% of county employees called in sick. the social services agency was the only department that could not get to all the people who showed up. they were given vouchers to be first in line monday. the county's chief operating officer tells us about 1,500 people called in sick. santa clara is in the middle of labor negotiations. >>> a pakistani couple escorted off a flight after hijacking hoax, after a hijacking hoax, is suing. they're going after american airlines and the san francisco police department. the couple claims they were held for several hours after being pulled off the fight. this was last august. authorities had been -- had been notified. authorities had been notified by telephone the plane would be hijacked. the threat was later deemed a hoax. >>> just hours ago in san francisco, men allegedly approached a u.s. marshal, pointed to a n

he said the one thing about betty ford is she was honest. call her up, and she would give you an answer, an it was an honest answer. when spir oh, agnew resigned, he called the fords and betty picked up and said please call me if jerry is picked for vice president, and he said i'm not calling you back because there's no way he'll be picked. the reporter that was regaling us with this story was just her blunt honesty, and you saw that in the way she lived her life during those private times. she made them public, and the country through it with her. >> very quickly, ted, can't let you go without remarking on the incredible timing of this day. this was a very important day in gerald ford's life. >> reporter: yeah. this would have been his 98th birthday, and it's ironic, if you look behind me. see the statue here of gerald ford. this was just put in on monday outside the museum. planned to be put in here because this was his birthday week, a represent cast statue that sits in the capitol rotunda in washington, so when the family arrived here wi

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

. >> betty ford was not afraid to talk about taboos from drug addiction to abortion to cancer. the legacy left behind by this accidental first lady. >> unemployment gone from bad to worse and it's not just because of the recession. what's really behind the job crisis. >>> good evening, i'm allen martin. >> and i'm dana king. a woman who never sought the spotlight, but once it found her, she didn't shy away. > betty ford captivated and shocked the nation with her discussion on her personal battles. sandra hughes gives us a look back. >> betty bloomer ford never expected to become first lady, but she was thrust into the role when richard nixon resigned. she 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 four children. >> so help me god. >> congratulations mr. president. >> just weeks after her husband was sworn in as the 38th president of the united states in the wa

and then in 1982, she co-founded the betty ford center. president obama said that she helped reduce the stigma surrounding addiction, and former president george w. bush also said that because of her leadership, many lives were saved. and as i mentioned, that's exactly what the residents say here that it will be her greatest legacy and that is how she will be remembered. >> it was really hard to hear, because i had seen her so much. she came by where i worked a lot. and it was really hard, because she had such class, she was absolutely one of the most elegant first ladies ever. >> 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. >> i'm a cancer survivor, as she is too. and it's shocking -- she was just a fabulous lady. fabulous. we're all going to miss her. >> reporter: there's been an outpouring of loving tributes throughout the country. we're told that in grand rapids, michigan, where the gerald ford presidential library is located, thousands of peo

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

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 admit while in the white house was her problem with alcohol and prescription drugs. once i was watching a videotape of a white house event where she appeared to be slurring her words. her staff insisted nothing was wrong. in later years, i was impressed that she did go public

in short, betty ford taught her own family to be christlike. she changed lives not only by the example of her choice and struggles, but by allowing those of us who have no business doing so to touch her wins and find healing in them. god's little secret about weakness and strength is that we are perfected in weakness, not in our strength because our strength gets in the way. and our weakness and not weakness, god allows us by grace to touch the lives that were all too familiar to us and by the wounds to be healed. when mothers encountered her and thanked her for what she had done for him -- for them, betty ford characteristically would return the gratitude with good wishes, but point out each person who had found her way to health and wholeness through recovery did the heavy lifting around. thank you she was. and there is of course some truth and wisdom in not. betty ford didn't heal millions of people by her own strength, but by turning around, turning around and allowing others not only to observe her example, but to touch her wounds. many pe

. >>> 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

>> 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 more from tom bearden on the search for lost ladybugs. all that and more is on our web site, newshour.pbs.org. judy? >> woodruff: and that's the newshour for tonight. on wednesday, we'll look at italy's spiraling debt crisis, fueling fears of instability in europe. i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. we'll see you online, and again here tomorrow evening. thank you, and good night. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: chevron. we may have more in common than you think. and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your

former first lady betty ford has died at the age of 93. ford was the wife of former president jarrell ford. also co-founder -- of gerald for. also co-founder of the betty ford addiction center. >> in august 1974 when nixon resigned the presidency, betty ford knew she had her work cut out for her. >> just the thought of being first lady can be very challenging. and it was. it was a demanding job. but it comes with no job description. >> from the beginning, betty ford was an unconventional and independent first lady. >> i told my husband if we have to go to the white house, okay i will go. but, i'm going as myself and it is too late to change my pattern. if they don't like it they will have to throw me out. >> elizabeth ann bloomer born april 8th, 1918 in chicago, illinois. three years later the family moved to grand rapids michigan. her passion for dance brought her to study in vermont where she met martha graham and joined her dance company. >> i always treasured my time dedicated to the graham dance company who i was with for 2 1/2 years

stevie credited betty ford with saving her life. also aerosmith's frontman steven tyler came out and he also said very recently that he was treated here for a drug addiction and said that betty ford actually took a risk at the very worst time of her life and came forward to share a message of recovery in order to serve others. so many people now speaking out, fredricka, on her wonderful legacy. >> her courage being remembered in so many different ways. thanks so much, thelma gutierrez. >>> meantime, let's talk about some news overseas now. the united states has officially recognized south sudan as an independent nation. the new african nation celebrated its independence from sudan today after a long and bloody civil war spanning 50 years. president obama says it's a reminder that after the darkness of war, the light of a new dawn is possible. >>> and despite today's celebrations, the new nation will face some big challenges. we'll have a live report from south sudan at the half hour. >>> and brand new, u.s. defense secretary leon pa

>> 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 more from tom bearden on the search for lost ladybugs. all that and more is on our web site, newshour.pbs.org. judy? >> woodruff: and that's the newshour for tonight. on wednesday, we'll look at italy's spiraling debt crisis, fueling fears of instability in europe. i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. we'll see you online, and again here tomorrow evening. thank you, and good night. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: chevron. we may have more in common than you think. and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made posble by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your p

betty ford, wife of former president gerald ford became the nation's advocate for substance abuse treatment. she died yesterday at the age of 94. >> reporter: betty ford had four children and all of them were at her side when she died yesterday afternoon. they released a statement fade saying that mother's love enriched the lives of millions she touched throughout this great nation. to be in her prison was to know the warmth of a truly great lady. it fills us with immeasurable appreciation of the life that she and dad shared together. they were married 58 years, and we understand that she will be buried in grand rapids, michigan at the presidential library where her husband is buried. >> all right, thelma thank you very much for that. >>> celebrities, among those remembers the former first lady today, former fleetwood mac singer stevie nix says she would not be here if not for betty. >> i went to betty ford at the end of 1985 for cocaine addiction and i was one of the lucky ones. no those days she would come and speak at betty ford two or three times a month and if you were lucky, you were

betty ford, the name behind the betty ford center died at the age of 93 of natural causes. one funeral in california on tuesday. the other 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? >> n