Lady Bird Johnson Dead at 94

(NEWSER) - A heady mix of past presidents and past and current first ladies paid their respects to Lady Bird Johnson, whose funeral was held in Austin, TX, today, after more 12,000 people filed past her coffin at the top of a marble staircase at the Johnson Library. She died Wednesday at 94. More»

Hollywood's man in Washington pioneered ratings system

(NEWSER) - Despite being neither movie star nor studio exec, Jack Valenti was one of Hollywood's most influential figures. An era ended Thursday when the longtime president of the film industry's trade association died at his home in Washington. The veteran lobbyist, who also served in the Johnson administration, was 85 and had suffered a stroke in March. More»

National Archives release recording of conversations day JFK was killed

(NEWSER) - A heart-wrenching call from Lyndon Johnson placed to Rose Kennedy from Air Force One has finally been released more than 48 years after her son was assassinated. "I wish to God there was something I could do," says Johnson the day John F. Kennedy was killed. "I wanted to tell you that we are grieving with you." Rose responds: "Thank you very much. I know you loved Jack. And he loved you." Johnson's wife adds: "We just want to ... we feel like we've lost ..." "Thank you," says Kennedy. More»

Gerald Ford's widow helped found the Betty Ford Center

(USER SUBMITTED) - Betty Ford has died at the age of 93, with her family at her bedside. CNN did not have additional details. From 1974 to 1977, she served as the first lady to President Gerald Ford, but she made headlines a year after leaving the White House when she announced she was seeking treatment for an addiction to painkillers and alcohol. Four years later, she helped found the treatment center that still bears her name, a desert oasis that helped pull celebrities and ordinary people from the depths of addiction. More»

His efforts in Afghanistan inspired the Tom Hanks movie

(AP) - Charlie Wilson, the former congressman from Texas whose funding of Afghanistan's resistance to the Soviet Union was chronicled in the movie Charlie Wilson's War, died today at 76. Wilson represented the 2nd district in east Texas in the House from 1973 to 1996 and was known in Washington as "Good Time Charlie" for his reputation as a hard-drinking womanizer. More»