In case you missed it...

The Delta Institute Newsblog's coverage of the passing away of Gerald R. Ford is now archived, labeled under the category "Gerald Ford". You can access the coverage by clicking on this link.

Ford's Burial: Photo Spread

He helped heal a nation decades ago, and on January 3rd, Gerald R. Ford brought the nation together once again as he was laid to rest in Grand Rapids, MI. In this final installment in our Gerald Ford series, we're bringing you a series of photographs taken in the city on that day, a eyewitness account of history. With this post, we're not only saying goodbye to this particular series of post, but we're saying goodbye to President Ford as well, by showcasing some of the ceremonies that helped commemorate his life and service.

A view of the motorcade after it had passed by,
en route to Grace Episcopal Church for the final funeral.

Servicemen and women march up alongside the museum grounds,
ready to take their place in advance of the arrival ceremony.

The military stands as attention as the hearse arrives.

Dignitaries and friends of Ford walk around the back of the museum to the tomb site.
(If you click on the image to view it full-size, you can make out the face of current
Vice-President Dick Cheney, and the backside of Donald Rumsfeld's head.)

The Ford family waits for the flag-draped coffin to be taken out of the hearse.

Hidden in the shadows, the Ford family waits as the American flag,
raised to half-mast, towers above them.

The casket is carried down to Ford's final resting place.

Officers representing each branch of the Armed Services
carry the casket along the museum grounds.

A wider view of the ceremony.

Betty Ford is escorted along to the tomb site.

Spectators look off into the distance, hoping to see some
of the proceedings a few yards away.

Smoke rises as the cannons are fired.

The F15 airplanes come flying across the Grand River.

They're closer, now...

Jets go flying by overhead.

And again!

A shot of the one plane that broke away, flying straight up into the sky,
symbolizing a comrade dying and being sent up into the heavens.

The planes continue to fly down the Grand River, past the museum.

A view of the museum from across the river. This is taken at about
the time that they were folding the flag.

And... that's it. Thanks for your patience as I made this site a bit of a "shrine" to coverage of Gerald R. Ford, the only President that America has never elected, a man who never wanted to be President in the first place but who helped move the nation past Watergate, helped America celebrate it's bicentennial birthday, and lived the rest of his years in quiet dignity and peace.

Goodbye, Mr. President.

Ford's Funeral in GR: On-the-scene, Day 2

I'm going to forgo write-ups for the D.C. and Michigan funeral services... Those happened, you can look through news archives easily enough if you're really interested in what happened there. Since I was able to actually be in downtown Grand Rapids and experience some of the events first-hand, I'd rather talk about that instead of re-wording a wire article, as interesting as that may be. So that's the game plan with this post here.

Since there was a lot happening related to Ford's burial in Grand Rapids, lots of parking lots were free, especially one's near the Presidential Museum. With thousands and thousands of people expected in town, I decided to park away from all those ramps, and instead, parked my car a few blocks away at a church. It was a little bit of a walk, but, not really. Maybe like 5, 6 city blocks away? Nothing bad at all. But keep that in mind for the end of this story, 'kay? 5-6 blocks...

I arrived downtown around 11:30, 12 o'clock, anticipating the motorcade procession. The final funeral was that afternoon and the motorcade would be driving across town to Grace Episcopal Church. Walking up to Fulton Ave., I noticed groups of boy scouts gathering in groups, preparing to salute the motorcade as it drove by. There were hundreds upon hundreds of scouts, most waving American flags. It was an impressive sight, to be sure. But after having the Eagle scouts block my view the day before, I still wasn't exactly in a nice mood towards the scouts. So I made sure I wasn't near any. ^_^

For the "locals", I stood outside the Cottage Bar and Grill for the procession. While I was waiting, I had a group of ladies come and set up some chairs, then asked if I would save their spot while they got some food. Since I was going to be standing there anyways, I was more than happy to oblige. To pass the time, people gathered around that corner started to talk about the ceremonies, and how we wished all schools had off that day so the kids could be allowed to go downtown without getting a tardy.

The thing about a funeral procession for a former President is, it doesn't actually move very slow at all. Seriously, I think I've seen civilian processions move slower. It's boom-bang, the car's gone. You see the hearse? Now you don't! You see Jimmy Carter's vehicle? Now you don't! All in all, it was a pretty quick affair, but still, knowing the history surrounding the motorcade, it was a pretty neat sight to witness. One thing about the motorcade that amuses me is that it has a back-up coffin-car at the end of the procession. I understand that they should "be prepared" and all, but, it seems kind of... weird to have an extra hearse. Are they preparing, in case someone else's number is called? I... don't quite get it.

After the procession was over, I went into the Grand Rapids Public Library to warm up a bit. There's really nothing else to this side-story. Once I was good-to-go I left the premises and walked down to the Ford Museum.

Now, to get to the Ford Museum, you have to walk through the main hallway in the DeVos Convention Center. While it looks really cool through the street, with it's glass windows and unique design inside, it's actually very large and kind of intimidating when you're inside it, especially when there's only a handful of other people in there at the same time. Although, looking at that picture just now, you can kind of imagine that hallway being part of a fancy airport. So now, the Convention Center will now look like a bit of an airport in my mind and I have no one to blame but me. Great.

Having spent a few seconds to walk across the hallway, I walked over to the Gillette pedestrian bridge. (Which, if you stop to read the historical marker, used to be a trolley bridge.) I saw a few media types and took their pictures without permission, which makes me an awful photographer and pretty much goes against at least a dozen ethical standards. I didn't care, which is bad, but I think also means I have the potential to be like the photographer's equivalent of Jack Bauer on 24, breaking all kinds of rules for the greater good. Although, it's kind of hard to compare a government anti-terrorism agent to a photographer. That would be a blog post best suited for Epsilon, I think.

At the end of the bridge, I saw there was a small group of people gathered on the grass, right up against a fence. Intrigued, I decided to do what any sensible person would do in such a situation: stand there. I was only interested in finding out where pedestrians could be, close to the museum grounds, for the proceedings. A few minutes into standing there, I got confirmation that pedestrians could stand right on that little bit of museum ground. So basically, I had a great, almost un-interrupted view of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, on the biggest day in Grand Rapid's history. How cool!

Except, even the best things on earth have a drawback: I had to stand on an incline for a few hours. Standing on hilly ground, that was bound to happen. And unfortunately, the spot I got had maybe a 35, 40 degree incline, which wasn't bad for the first hour, but after a while it became really uncomfortable for my feet. And yes, I had a great view to history and I'm complaining. Shut up. As always, people passed the time by talking to each other and making new friends. This one lady I was standing next to had witnessed a plane crash in Peru in the 90's, had been in a same event as Hugo Chavez and other important Latino leaders, and is a principle at a GR school. I was also next to this family, and I spent some time talking to this younger kid who knew everything there was to know about remote-controlled airplanes, and we discussed how cool it would be to fly some of those around the museum grounds, and then talked about all the possible ways the Secret Service might deal with the planes. (Snipers, guns, bombs, you name it, we covered it.) That was pretty fun, I enjoyed it.

There was this Secret Service agent who was standing right near us, whose name I don't know, and should probably never know, for security reasons, but for this blog, I'll call him Steve. He would come up to us every know and then and chat for a little bit, talking about his job a bit and talking about the weather. He mentioned that when he saw that the weather was 40 degrees, he thought that "oh, I can handle that!", but he didn't see the part about 20-mph winds. Ha! When a family had left for a little bit to get some hot chocolate, he asked them where his hot chocolate was. He even came up to us at one point and told this one lady next to me that he got some new information, and that he was very sorry, but that they decided to move the ceremonies to the back of the museum, so the casket wouldn't be carried by the front. Just as shock started to settle in, the agent smiled and told us that he was joking and wanted us all to make sure that we knew that the Secret Service had a sense of humor. Heh.

We saw the jets in the early afternoon, the one's that would be flying over for the 21-plane salute, but they were just flying by as they were killing time in the air. The funeral started late and went late, so the ceremonies on the museum grounds were pushed back a fair chunk of time.

Basically, we all just stood there for a couple of hours. We saw some military officers practicing walking lock-step, and then later on we got to see the armed forces taking their spots in front of the museum. Which, instantly makes you think that "Oh, somethings going to happen now!" Except, it didn't, not for at least another half-hour. But we had new people to stare at now, which was nice. And since they had to look straight ahead and not flinch a muscle, they couldn't glare back, which was cool. (I felt bad for one officer, who had a coughing fit for about a minute straight. That was uncomfortable to even listen to. But, the officer soldiered through it. Ha!)

(BTW - When I saw "we", I mean myself and the other people in the crowd.)

I'll just flash-forward a bunch of time to when the motorcade arrived, because up until then, it was just standing around as everybody else called people on cell phones to find out where the funeral service was at. So, the motorcade arrived and the hearse went into park, and it was dead silent on the museum grounds. Silence. More silence. And.... more silence. Eventually, I could see some of the dignitaries sneaking around the back of the museum to the grave site. I got a little bit better picture of Carter, but, it was from far away. And if you look closely, you can make out Cheney and Rumsfeld's faces. No important dignitary can hide from my lens! (Should I be speaking like that when writing up my experiences at a burial? Probably not.)

Then, the Ford family came into view over by the hearse. The military band started to play, and let me tell you what: There are some things that can translate to television very well. The military band is not one of them. It is sooo much more powerful hearing them in person, it's crazy. After their two numbers were done, the casket was carried by us, and everybody leaned into take pictures. This is pretty much my view for the whole thing. Of course, I was pretty much taking pictures the entire time, but still, I was *that* close to the casket. And I'll bet you thought that the picture I posted earlier was a wire image...

I was still focused on the casket when I saw that Mrs. Ford was moving on by as well. Not thinking to have my camera on "sport" mode or something fast-acting, my shots of her didn't turn out that great. It was still something to see her and the Ford family, here on the last day of a whirlwind, multi-state funeral tour. I watched them walk down, until they were both too far away for my camera lens, and when they walked past my line of vision. (I had a tree obscuring my view of the tombstone.)

With nobody else walking my way, I walked a few yards back to the Gillette pedestrian bridge, in anticipation of the 21-plane flyover. While on the bridge, I could hear the cannon's firing off and could see the smoke that rose as a result of that salute. Very shortly thereafter, everyone spotted the planes flying in. And... there's no real words to describe that flyby other than awesome. After witnessing part of a State burial, seeing the coffin again, hearing the cannons and seeing and hearing the fly-by, I felt very..... humbled. It was an incredible experience, one that I was very glad to be a part of. It's hard to describe the emotions I was feeling then, and why I was feeling those emotions, but all these elements that you wouldn't think would make you emotional, did. I know I wouldn't have gotten goosebumps by watching it on TV, but in person, I did get goosebumps. It was amazing, simply amazing.

Now, with thousands and thousands of people who are ready to go home, foot traffic was very, very heavy. The parking lots closest to the museum were already backed up with cars wanting to get out, but couldn't because of foot traffic. As I walked back towards the church I was parked at, foot traffic got less and less, until I was the only person on the sidewalk. I decided to take the side streets home, choosing not to join thousands of people staring at each other's bumpers on the highway. I had to wait probably 10 minutes tops because of additional traffic on two streets, but after that, it was pretty much smooth sailing all the way back home. So not only did I witness something historic, but I avoided the heaviest traffic, too. And I got some great pictures out of the whole deal. So, as a photographer and a lover of public events, I was very, very happy. (Yeah, the humility had passed by then.)

And... that's it! I'll post a photo essay later, but then, it'll be updates as normal on this site. Until then, thanks for clicking on and enjoy the day.

Goodbye, Mr. President

TDIN's coverage may not yet be done, but the ceremonies are. And today, Gerald R. Ford was welcomed back home for one last time. We wish you a fond farewell, Mr. President. Thanks for your years of service to your fellow Americans.

Ford's Funeral in GR: On the scene, Day 1

Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2007.
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Time spent on location: Approximately ten hours (combined)

I'm going to forgo formality with this report. I could smash it all into an AP-style report, or even make it a nice 5-6 paragraph essay, but instead of using a format that's so... standard, I'll go with the incoherent "stream of consciousness"-style of reporting. It's more interesting that way, I feel. For me, at any rate.

I arrived in downtown Grand Rapids a little bit before noon and was surprised to find that it really wasn't all that busy downtown yet. I walked about to and fro, snapping pictures of the general scenery, plus pictures of all the satellite trucks in town for this event. There were a couple recognizable faces, but for the most part, they were all reporters from out of this television market. And I'll tell you what... For the entire day, the out-of-town guys were WAAAY more into on-the-street interviews than the local guys were. At least, at the certain times I was there, in the certain places I was at.

Around 12:30ish or so, I was walking alongside the Amway Grand Plaza, gawking at a news reporter who was coaxing a couple into being interviewed on-camera. They eventually agreed, and started the interview, when suddenly... There was this loud rumbling. And after a second or two, it became apparent that it wasn't a really loud truck. *SWOOOSH!* Suddenly, two fighter jets could be seen flying across the Grand River. The loud rumble continued. *SWOOOSH!* Another pair flew by. And another. Then another. And for the last set, one plane broke off from formation, put on it's burners and sped away. Goodness, what a noise that was! It was all practice for the 21-plane-salute for Wednesday's ceremonies. But, oh, how fun that was! Without warning, suddenly getting a military fly-over? Totally sweet.

After the noise had faded away, the couple and the reporter continued the interview. (Because I know you were dying to hear the rest of that story.)

A short while after, the Gillette pedestrian bridge (formally a trolley bride, FYI) was closed off and police started emptying out people from the museum grounds. I went up to a officer and asked him where the motorcade would be coming, and he more than helpfully pointed me in a direction where I could stand and get a great view.

I have to stop the story a second and say that the police, secret service and military prescience in Grand Rapids for these ceremonies are the nicest, most-approachable people EVER. It's not sucking up, it's the truth. They are so kind and courteous, it's awesome.

Back to the story, I took my place behind a metal gate right across the street from the Ford Museum and waited for the motorcade. For the sake of pitying the author, I took my spot at 1:00 pm ET, and the motorcade didn't arrive until slightly after 4:00 pm ET. Waiting wasn't too bad, though, as there were some fun people around me who kept a lively conversation. Now, with a gathering of a few hundred people, there's bound to be someone that you *think* you recognize, but you really don't think you know them, but that person looks SO familiar, you just aren't certain. Yeah, I had that during the wait, and, it was kind of driving me crazy. But I never did find that person and ask her, so, who knows?

And those of us who were there early and waited for hours to stake out a spot had a GREAT view of the proceedings. That is, until about 3 pm ET, when the Eagle Scouts took their spot in front of everyone. Everyone (sans me, because, I'm shy) complained bitterly and openly, grumbling that they lost their view. (Those under 5'5 were especially upset) The Eagle Scouts, to their credit, thought that it was stupid as well. They could have been on the museum grounds, or, in a different spot, or, some place other than IN FRONT OF US. But, the Secret Service ordered it, so, they couldn't really go against them.

So when the procession DID arrive (preceded by a MI state police chopper, 'cause.), the cars moved fast. This wasn't a parade, folks. They had a memorial service to attend, for pete's sake! Why go under 15 mph? I did manage to catch a glimpse at the hearse (and the casket inside), and I saw Jimmy Carter. Apart from that, they were all black cars. And after a minute or two, it was done, and that was that.

I didn't stick around for when the processional left, mainly because I was fearing that my legs would literally freeze together. So I waddled back home for a couple hours to warm up, eat dinner and relax for a little bit.

After I accomplished all three of those things, I went back downtown to view the casket lying in repose at the Ford Museum. I got in line at around 7:45, and waited in line for just over four hours. Which, mind you, was actually excellent, because police were warning people that it would be a six hour wait. They must have found a way to speed up the lines, because, four hours is DEFINITELY not six hours. And I heard some people were in line for as long as eight hours. And I also heard a rumour in the crowd that Terry Lynn Land, Michigan's Secretary of State, stood in line with the 'common folk', which I can so totally see her doing, and that makes her even more awesome. If true. Thankfully, I was surrounded by really cool, fun people, none of whom I ever learned their names, but we had a nice time chatting in line. Which was nice, especially when the line was outside, because it was COLD. Not only was it cold, but it was windy, AND the wind is amplified by the Grand River, so... Everyone was complaining. (Like complaining will change anything, but.... It helps relieve short-term stress, so it's worth it.)

For a while, the line to get inside the Ford Museum snakes through the new Convention Center. I made a very crude drawing of how the lines were set up. This stage probably took 1 1/2, maybe 2 hours to get through.

Around midnight, I finally got inside the Ford Museum and viewed the casket laying in repose. The most incredible part of this sight are the guards who are standing at attention. I saw one soldier blink, and that was the only indication I had that they were real, live human beings and not wax statues, because they did not move ONE. MUSCLE. It was really a incredible sight to behold. Even though I probably only saw the casket for about thirty seconds, it was definitely worth the wait. It was pretty awe-inspiring.

I wasn't interviewed by any news media during the entire day, but I saw dozens being interviewed all over the museum grounds and the surrounding area. Maybe on Day 2.

... I *think* that's pretty much all the relevant details from that day. Okay, well, time for some sleep, then I'm back in Grand Rapids on Wednesday to see the motorcade again, and, more importantly, to see the 21-plane fly-over. Enjoy the day!

Exclusive: Photos from the Ford Museum Grounds

Saturday, December 30th, 2006, I had the opportunity to go to downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan to visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum grounds. The museum will become the epicenter of attention for manypoliticians , dignitaries, media and spectators on Tuesday and Wednesday when the former President will be honored and laid to rest in Grand Rapids. Already the media has begun staking out space, wanting the best backdrop for their live shots on Wednesday. The impromptu memorial has grown in size, now with an abundance of flags, candles, hats, notes, cards and mementos, all commemorating the life of a man who represented the area for over two decades. Even though only a few photos show my name, I did take all of these photos. (I didn't steal them off a wire service, fret not!) I hope you enjoy this glimpse into Grand Rapids.

Gerald Ford's multi-state funeral begins in California

Gerald R. Ford's flag-draped casket was set insides St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, California today. "Hail to the Chief" played as the coffin was removed from a hearse, then "O God Our Help in Ages Past" sounded as military pallbearers carried the coffin inside the church. A private family service was held, followed by a visitation for invited friends. Former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Rep. Jack Kemp and former California Gov. Pete Wilson were in attendance. After the service, Betty Ford left in a motorcade to return to her home in Rancho Mirage, while the closed casket was left on display, expected to draw thousands throughout the day.

On Tuesday, the major stock markets will be closed as part of a national day of mourning. Wall Street has done this since the 1885 burial of President Grant. In Grand Rapids, fighter jets will do a flyover with a "missing man" formation. The family had asked that the flyover be done in Grand Rapids, rather than the nation's capitol, because Ford had spent most of his childhood there, practiced law there and represented the area in Congress for 25 years. The U.S. Postal Service announced that there will be no regular mail deliveries or retail services at offices that day, out of respect for the former President. All other federal agencies will be closed that day as well.

In Grand Rapids, where funeral services will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, dignitaries are starting to RSVP for the funeral. One of the military pallbearers will be Donald Rumsfeld, who was Ford's Chief of Staff. Vice-President Dick Cheney will also be attending the service. Former President Jimmy Carter is said to "likely" be attending. British Ambassador Sir David Manning is expected to represent Great Britain at the funeral. Hungary, Thailand, Austria and Finland are also expected to send ambassadors as well. Germany, Portugal, Spain and Sweden will send embassy diplomats or staff. Max van der Stoel, who was the Dutch foreign minister during Ford's administration, will represent the Netherlands under the honorary title of minister of state. (source)

More funeral coverage throughout the coming days. Stay tuned for next week when your editor is hoping to spend time downtown on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing back first-hand accounts and photographs of the ceremonies.

Itenerary for Ford's State Funeral Announced

Former President of the United States, Gerald Ford, will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, then be entombed in Grand Rapids, MI. For a short period of time as well, the casket will lie in repose outside the doors of both the House and the Senate for a short while, to commemorate his service in the Congress. Ford will become only the 11th President to have lied in state in the Capitol Rotunda.

Similar to plans for Ronald Reagan's farewell ceremonies, the funeral for Ford will take place in three stages. Stage One will occur in Palm Desert, California. Stage Two will occur in Washington, D.C., and the third stage will be in Grand Rapids, MI. The official schedule of events is as follows:

Stage One: California
Friday, December 29, 2006:
12:20 pm PST: Ford's remains will be received with a military ceremony at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, where there will be an arrival ceremony, a private family prayer service and visitation.

Saturday, December 30, 2006:
9 - 9:45 am PST - Ford's remains will lie in repose at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church. A Guard of Honor will attend the remains. The public is invited to attend this repose.
9:45 am PST - The casket will depart the church with a ceremony and will be transported to Palm Springs Regional Airport. The public is invited to pay their respects along the motorcade route.
10:15 am PST - Plan departs airport with remains and will be flown to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Stage Two: Washington, D.C.
Saturday, December 30, 2006:
5:20 pm EST: President Ford's remains will arrive with a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base. Casket will then be part of a motorcade en route to the U.S. Capitol. The motorcade will travel through Alexandria, Virginia, in remembrance to Ford's long residence in that city as both a Congressman and as Vice President of the United States. 5:35 pm EST: Motorcade will pause at the World War II Memorial. Veterans of any war, as well as the public, are invited to attend this tribute.
6:30 pm EST: Motorcade will proceed to the U.S. Capitol and be received with a ceremony at the East Steps to the U.S. House of Representatives. The casket will proceed up to the East House Steps in honor of his 24 years as a U.S. Congressman. Former House colleagues will be in attendance.

The casket will then be carried through Statuary Hall, then moved to the Rotunda to lay in State. President Ford's remains will lie in state with a Guard of Honor until Tuesday, January 2 at 9:15 am EST. Public viewing will be allowed during this time.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007:
9:30 am EST: The remains will depart the Rotunda and rest at the closed Senate doors in honor of his service as both Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. The motorcade will then proceed to the Washington National Cathedral, passing the White House en route.
10 am EST: The remains will be received with a ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. At 10:30 am, a national funeral service will be held.
11:30 am EST: Following the service, the remains will depart with another ceremony. A motorcade will transport the casket from the cathedral to Andrews Air Force Base, with a departure ceremony scheduled for 12:15 pm EST.

Stage Three: Michigan.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007:
2:15 pm EST: President Ford's remains will arrive and be received with a ceremony at Gerald R. Ford International Airport. A motorcade will then move the casket to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for a brief private service. During the service, wreaths will be placed at the casket by the presidents of Yale University and the University of Michigan in honor of Ford's college careers at both institutions.
3:30 pm EST: Service will conclude and President Ford's remains will lie in repose. The public is invited to pay their respects at the museum during repose.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007:
1 pm EST - President Ford's remains will depart the museum with a ceremony and then proceed to Grace Episcopal Church for a private funeral service for invited guests only. The casket will be received with a ceremony at 1:30.
3 pm EST - The remains will depart the church with another ceremony and then proceed back to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for a private interment service, which will last a half-hour.

(Click here to view the official press release page)

Gerald Ford passes away at 93

Former President of the United States, Gerald Ford, has died at the age of 93. "Our believed husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away," Betty Ford said in a brief statement issued. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country." He was the 38th American President, taking office after Richard Nixon resigned in the midst of the infamous Watergate scandal. Ford has been battling pneumonia since the beginning of the year and has undergone two heart treatments at the Mayo Clinic. He was the longest living president, followed by Ronald Reagan, who also died at 93.

"Our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of lows and not of men. Here the people rule." Known as the "accidental" President, Ford was the only unelected President to serve in office and had the daunting task of unifying the country in the wake of the polarizing Watergate scandal. While in office, Ford pardoned his former boss, Nixon, in a controversial move that he said would help the nation move forward. He was only in the Oval Office for 895 days.

(Click here to visit the Gerald Ford Memorial website for the latest information)

(For a full biography/news article on Gerald Ford, click here)
(Click here for full coverage from Grand Rapids' WOOD TV8)

Services will be held in California, then in Washington, D.C., then Ford will be laid to rest at his museum in Grand Rapids, MI.

President George W. Bush released this statement:

Laura and I are greatly saddened by the passing of former President Gerald R. Ford.

President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country. On Aug. 9, 1974, after a long career in the House of Representatives and service as vice president, he assumed the presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division. With his quiet integrity, commonsense and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency.

The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character and the honorable conduct of his administration. We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th president will always have a special place in our nation's memory. On behalf of all Americans, Laura and I offer our deepest sympathies to Betty Ford and all of President Ford's family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them in the hours and days ahead.

Nancy Reagan has released this statement:

"Ronnie and I always considered him a dear friend and close political ally."

"His accomplishments and devotion to our country are vast, and even long after he left the presidency he made it a point to speak out on issues important to us all. I know that his early support of stem cell research has been important in getting the U.S. Congress to debate the potential lifesaving cures and treatments that may result."

More updates to come sporadically throughout the coming days...

"Zuzu" celebrates a "wonderful" life at 66

We're going to borrow a cue from Daryn Kagen and highlight a story that's a little bit inspirational, and something that should hopefully brighten your day a little. Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" so many years ago, is still getting noticed for her role in the story, signing autographs and posing for pictures at the Zuzu Cafe. She is smiling and outgoing, but she would have reason if she were ever to frown.

At age 14, Grimes lost her mother. A year later, her father died in a car accident. In 1989, her 18-year-old son killed himself. Her first husband had died in a hunting accident and her second died of cancer. In 2001, she lost her nest egg in the economic downturn and now relies on these appearances to make ends meet. "You have a choice," she says. "You can drown in your sorrows, be the grumpy old Mr. Potter and be hurt and be in pain ... but I think you need to put that behind you because, my gosh, life is a wonderful gift."
(Click here to read the full profile of Karolyn Grimes, expertly written by the AP's Michael Hill.)

Piergiogio Welby: Died peacefully, or murdered?

Enter the death of Piergiogio Welby, the most controversial end-of-life ethics case since Terri Schaivo. Welby was a paralyzed Italian author who fought muscular dystrophy. Hooked up to a respirator, Welby, 60, fought with doctors and politicians to be allowed to end his life, even writing a book detailing his thoughts on the subject. Piergiogio Welby's widow is defending the doctor who disconnected his respirator, saying: "For me it was not murder, absolutely. Piero died naturally, falling asleep and giving back his soul to the creator."

The Roman Catholic Church has denied a religious funeral for him, saying that it would treat his public wish to end his life as a willful suicide. Anti-euthanasia campaigners are calling Welby's death a murder. The Vatican, which still has a strong influence in Italian politics, vehemently opposes euthanasia, saying that life must be protected from the beginning to it's "natural" end. The Vicar of Rome said that a religious funeral was denied for Welby because of his "repeated and publicly affirmed" desire to "end his life."

Not too long before Welby's life was ended, a judge in Rome recognized Welby's right to refuse treatment. However, the judge also ruled that there is no law that could "force a doctor to take measures" that would lead to a patent's death, even at the patent's request. Because of this contradiction, basically, the judge said, the doctor can do whatever on earth he feels like.

Piergiogio Welby's life may have been very complicated and complex, but the issues that he raised leading to his death, and the questions asked in his wake, could help to shape the discussion of the right-to-die debates for years to come, for better or for worse.

(Click here to read a article on the subject by the AP's Ariel David.)

U.N. extends mision in Sierra Leone

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously recently to extend the mandate of their peace building mission in Sierra Leone. Outgoing Secretary General Kofi Annan calls this mission a true success story, as the team helped put the country back on the path to peace after a bloody 11-year civil war which ended in 2002. Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emry Jones Parry said that the council "rightly recognizes the huge steps that Sierra Leone has taken over the past two years," and compared to two years ago, the country has made progress. The mission has 10 military observers, 18 international police officers, and about 130 civilian staff members. The extension keeps the team on through the democratic elections in July, 2007.
(Click here to read more from the article written by the AP's Tracee Herbaugh.)