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It's no surprise the funerals for former First Lady Betty Ford were invitation-only events. The wife of Republican President Gerald Ford became an icon for more than just her stint in the White House. She was a woman who talked about addiction when no one else did, and the clinic that bears her name has turned around countless lives. Without a cap on guests, people would have been beating down the doors to get in and pay their respects for the 93-year-old Elizabeth Bloomer Ford. Even at her second funeral.
Instead we've been stuck with the "guests" at the funerals representing our feelings about this formidable woman. Appropriate enough for a woman who was out there in the political eye, often making her own statements about politics in our representative democracy, isn't it? Here's who is attending today's second funeral and paying their respects on behalf of the American public in Grand Rapids, Michigan today:
President Bill Clinton -- Unable to make it to the event earlier in the week in California because of mechanical problems on his airplane, he was represented by his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the first time around. But today he was in the First Lady's native Michigan to say goodbye.
First Lady Barbara Bush -- Her son, President George W. Bush, attended the service earlier this week.
Lynne Cheney -- Her husband, former Vice President Dick Cheney, served as President Ford's deputy chief of staff, and today Lynne delivered the eulogy.
Governor Rick Snyder -- The Republican governor of Michigan
This second funeral is the last for Mrs. Ford, who will be laid to rest beside her husband. It speaks volumes about her that even at the second event, she's still packing them in.
Image via Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum
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