Inspires. Sue and edgar wachenheim, iii. Corporate funding is provided by mutual of america designing customized individual and Group Retirement products. Thats why we are your retirement company. Additional support has been provided by and by the corporation for public broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. From the tisch wnet studios at Lincoln Center in new york, hari sreenivasan. Sreenivasan good evening and thanks for joining us. Nancy reagan died today at her home in belair california. She was 94. The cause was congestive heart failure. She was first lady from 1981 to 1989, during the two terms of Ronald Reagans presidency. Nancy reagan once said, my life really began when i married my husband. Judy woodruff has more. Woodruff she was at once a traditional first lady and a power player. Nancy reagan said as much herself at a 1985 luncheon, shown years later in this pbs documentary. I see the first lady as another means to keep a president from becoming isolated. I talk to people. They tell me things. And if something is about to become a problem, im not above calling a staff person and asking about it. Im a woman who loves her husband and i make no apologies for looking out for his personal and political welfare. Woodruff she was born Anne Frances Robbins in new york in 1921, the only child of a salesman and an oftenabsent actress mother. After graduating from smith college, she became an actress herself. Billed as nancy davis, taking the last name of her adoptive father, she landed a role on broadway and then went to hollywood. There, she met Ronald Reagan in 1951. He was unlike any actor id ever known. Woodruff she recalled her initial impressions of reagan, for that pbs documentary in 2011. He never talked about himself. Had a whole world out there that he was involved with. He was very appealing to me. Good looking and attractive. I just wanted to know more about him. Woodruff they were married in a small ceremony in 1952 it was Ronald Reagans second and they went on to have two children, patti and ron. On screen, they even starred opposite one another in 1957s hellcats of the navy. Then, after years in the movies and television, the couple turned to republican politics. Ronald reagan was elected governor of california in 1966, and reelected four years later. We want Reagan Woodruff in 1980, he won the white house in a landslide, defeating a sitting democrat, jimmy carter. I, Ronald Reagan, do solemnly swear. Woodruff the following january, he took the oath as the 40th president , and nancy reagan became first lady. But crisis struck after just 69 days in office. The new president narrowly survived being shot in an assassination attempt in downtown washington. I had never seen anyone so white, really white. That was when he said honey, i forgot to duck. Woodruff as mrs. Reagan remembered, the country did not realize at first how close a call it was. All people were being told was, honey, i forgot to duck, so they obviously assumed he was okay. He wasnt okay. I almost lost him. Woodruff after that, the first lady became even more protective of her husband, and she played a pivotal role during his eight years in the oval office, serving as a sounding board and weighing in on major personnel decisions. She was the indispensable person in his political success, save and except he himself. Woodruff james baker was reagans white house chief of staff. She had a wonderful political antenna. She had a good feel for politics. She could be very instrumental and helpful, not that he would accept her judgment all the time because he wouldnt, but she could nudge and gently cajole and find a way to move him forward. Woodruff in fact, she privately helped nudge her husband toward a historic policy shift, a warming in relations with the thensoviet union. At the same time, the first lady drew notice and sometimes criticism for her glamorous tastes. For the costs of renovating and redecorating the executive mansion. And for lavish entertaining in the midst of a recession. But she also used her platform to speak out on social issues. Her Major Initiative began in 1982 the just say no drug awareness campaign. Mrs. Reagan ultimately traveled nearly 250,000 miles, campaigning against drug abuse. Nobody wanted me to do that. They said, its a real downer, you dont want to do that. I said, yes, i do. Because by that time i was finding out from home a lot of my friends children, children had gotten involved and many of them had committed suicide. Woodruff after two terms, the reagans left office in january 1989, returned to california and retired in the affluent Los Angeles Neighborhood of bel air. In 1994, in a letter to the nation, the former president revealed hed been diagnosed with alzheimers. After that, he remained largely in seclusion. Not many people saw him at that point. I didnt let them see him. I didnt want them to have the memory of him like that and i knew he wouldnt want them to see him like that. Woodruff during those years, the former first lady made a rare public appearance at the 1996 Republican National convention in san diego. The love and affection from thousands of americans has been and continues to be a strengthening force for ronnie and me each and every day. We have learned as too many other families have learned of the terrible pain and loneliness that must be endured as each day brings another reminder of this very long goodbye. Woodruff former president reagan died in 2004 at the age of 93. After a state funeral in washington, he was laid to rest in simi valley, california, on the grounds of his president ial library. With his passing, nancy reagan became an advocate for Stem Cell Research and finding a cure for alzheimers. She also labored to preserve her husbands legacy at his president ial library. Their son, ron, assessed his mothers own legacy, in 2010. I hope that history remembers her as somebody who was. Who was dedicated to the person she loved more than anybody else on earth. Thats what her life has been about. And she did her very best to make sure that he could do his very best. Woodruff nancy reagan spent her closing years at her bel air home, monitoring her husbands legacy, until the end. Sreenivasan reaction to Nancy Reagans death came from all quarters. President and First Lady Michelle Obama said, our former first lady redefined the role in her time here. Later, in her long goodbye with president reagan, she became a voice on behalf of millions families going through the depleting, aching reality of alzheimers. President and mrs. Clinton sai nancy was an extraordinary woman a gracious first lady, proud mother, and devoted wife to president reagan her ronnie. Her strength of character was legendary. President and Rosalynn Carter said, her just say no campaign prevented many young people from falling prey to the allure of drug use, and her advocacy of Stem Cell Research raised Public Awareness and influenced Decision Makers about Vital Research for alzheimers disease. Former First Lady Barbara Bush said nancy reagan was totally devoted to president reagan, and we take comfort they will be reunited once more. Former president george w. Bush, added, that devotion was matched only by her devotion to our country. Sreenivasan for more on the life of nancy reagan and her influence on her husbands presidency, i am joined by president ial historian richad norton smith. He is in grand rapids, michigan. I grew up in an era where just say no was how i would probably have my First Contact with nancy reagan, right. But she was also far more influential behind the scenes, tell us a little bit more about that . I think that is true. I think in many ways the history of the reagan presidency is still being written in part because the full extent of her influence is far from known. I think she took some pains to conceal it. To give you an example, Ronald Reagan was really as a gielless, friendly, trusting an individual as his public image suggests. And those are wonderful qualities in a human being. But in a president , they inevitably impose a burden, a come pens tore burden, if you will, maybe on a chief of staff or in some cases on a spousement and that was part of the unwritten job of the first lady. And some do it better than others. Mrs. Reagan did it su peshly. It is absolutely true her overriding objective was to protect the man she loved. And she had excellent instincts. She could spot a phoney a mile away. She could spot a selfserver probably two miles away. And washington as we all know is replete with both. An her advocacy for Stem Cell Research which broke with president bush. Yeah, she was not afraid to challenge perhaps political orthodoxy. And that is you know, that san excellent example. Of course in her case it was an intensely personal cause. After all, she was living with alzheimer disease, as were as are millions of other american households. And its not surprising just on a personal level that she would take such an interest and such a view. Sreenivasan last time a lot of people might have seen her would have been at the passing of president reagan. But what did she do in the last few years of her life. I know she was involved in the reagan library. The library i think was a great a great source of pride. And activities. She was very active from before the library was built. She and the president were both very active in the building design. I remember sitting in meetings where exhibits were being considered. And i remember thinking, you know, this woman has a very good eye. She had a remarkable visual sense. She could look at a story board which for a lot of people is a foreign kind of language. And get it immediately what the point of an exhibit was. And anyway, she was very active in the library. She used to come up regularly, do book signings. And i think she stayed pretty active really almost up until the end. I think she had a lot of friends. She wasnt a recluse. And of course she was mrs. Ronald reagan. And i think to the day she died, that was what in many ways de fined her. President ial historian Richard Norton smith groining us from grand rapid, michigan. Thanks so much. My pleasure. Thank you. 6 sreenivasan turning now to the 2016 race for the white house, there are contests today in maine and puerto rico. Maine is Holding Democratic caucuses while puerto rico is holding a republican primary. These follow yesterdays primaries and caucuses in five states. New york Businessman Donald Trump won the two biggest republican prizes the louisiana primary and kentucky caucus while texas senator ted cruz won caucuses in kansas and maine. God bless kansas and god bless, maine. Sreenivasan trump now leads in delegates needed to win the republican nomination with 382, but hes only a third of the way to the 1,237 needed. Cruz has 300 delegates, florida senator marco rubio has 128, and Ohio Governor john kasich 35. Hillary clinton won the democrats louisiana primary with 71 percent of the vote, while vermont senator Bernie Sanders easily won caucuses in kansas and nebraska, seven states in all. We have come a very, very long way closing the gap nationally with secretary clinton. Sreenivasan except clinton now has 1,121 delegates, about halfway to the number needed to win the democratic nomination, and sanders has 481 delegates. I have gotten more votes than anybody running on either side. Sreenivasan clintons delegate lead is boosted by pledges from more than 400 superdelegates Party Officials who vote on the nominee at the national convention. After yesterdays disappointing showing, rubio vowed to stay in the republican race at least until his home state primary on march 15. Heres the bottom line there will be more delegates awarded in florida than basically every state that voted tonight combined. Sreenivasan trump is calling on rubio to drop out. I would love to take on ted one on one. Sreenivasan the Republican NationalCommittee Chairman said today hes not worrying about a brokered convention or a divided party. I dont think theres anything wrong with drama and intrigue, and weve got plenty of that. No question about that. The key is can you get to a nominee, come together and then take it to the democrats. I think well get there. Sreenivasan the eyes of the political world now turn to michigan, which holds the biggest of four primaries or caucuses on tuesday, with more delegates at stake for the democrats than all of this weekends contests combined. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders meet on the debate stage tonight in flint, michigan. For more on the campaign there, i am joined now by michigan public radio reporter rick pluta from ann arbor. A pleasure. Rick, as of now where do the polls stand . Well, it seems like the polling would suggest that Hillary Clinton is far and away a frontrunner based largely on having locked down the africanamerican vote which is critical in a Michigan Democratic primary. Bernie sanders in some polls have him trailing by as much as 30 points. Hes trying to turn this in to a referendum on free trade agreements which Hillary Clinton has more of a history of supporting than he does. On the republican side, its basically a race to see if anyone can stop donald trump. Ohio Governor John Kasich is probably betting biggest in michigan. He spent the most time here and covered the most ground from the southern part of the state to metro detroit, all the way to the mar quet in the Upper Peninsula which has just 3 of the states population. So he has invested a lot here. And a lot of republicans are trying to lay claim to suite east michigans so called reagan democrats, especially in ma comb county trying to make the case that they can appeal to crossover voters as well or better than donald trump who is leading in almost all the polls right now. Sreenivasan even with all the work that kasich has put in, trump still looks like he had a lead. Any idea if the momentum that say ted cruz might have picked up last night translates into more conservative michiganers . Its possible that cruz certainly has an organization in michigan. But cruz himself has not visited the state since supertuesday, except for the Republican Debate in detroit. So it begs the question, how hard hes how hard hes playing here. Certainly marco rubio has tried a bit. Michigan was really supposed to be jeb bush country. And a lot of the states standard republican political culture was getting behind him. So when he dropped out there were a lot of people sort of wondering where to go. And that support has largely scattered among the other candidates. Sreenivasan and tonights democratic debate puts a spotlight once again on flint and the water crisis there. Oh, absolutely. That democrats have tried to make a National Issue of flint as representing republican inexes when it when it comes to governing. That is one of the big reasons why after the flint debate was convened by Democratic Party leaders that republicans felt like they had to put something in detroit. Which was supposed to be something of a Success Story in urban renewal. Sreenivasan michigan public radio reporter rick pluta joining us from ann arbor today. Thank you very much. Pleasure sreenivasan in iraq, Islamic State militants are claiming responsibility for todays suicide truckbombing that killed at least 60 people and Officials Say the isis operative drove a fuel truck carrying bombs into a crowded checkpoint in the city of hillah, 60 miles south of baghdad. Most of the People Killed were civilians. The rest were members of iraqs security forces. This was the third massive suicide bombing in the baghdad area in the past week. In turkey, the countrys biggest newspaper, zaman, has published its First Edition since being taken over by the government. The new zaman today featured articles flattering turkish president recep erdogan. Before its seizure friday, zaman was owned by a leading opponent of erdogan living in the u. S. Also published today was the first issue of an alternative newspaper published by fired zaman journalists called look to tomorrow. Its lead story was about police dispersing antigovernment protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets. Human Rights Groups and european officials have denounced the newspaper takeover as a setback for freedom of the press. Ahead of tomorrows European Union summit, the e. U. President says the number of illegal arrivals from turkey into greece remains too high. Greek Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras added today he is seeking an agreement to immediately move migrants stranded in greece. 13,000 are stranded at a camp in idomeni, greece, near the macedonian border. With little food and supplies, migrants are sleeping in muddy fields while waiting and hoping to pass into northern and central europe. But with encouragement from neighboring slovenia, croatia, and hungary, macedonia is waving through refugees only from cities considered actively under siege, such as aleppo, syria, but not the syrian capital of damascus. Today, the greek coast guard rescued 400 migrants on the aegean sea, in bound from turkey. But 18 migrants drowned when their boat sank. The e. U. Has promised turkey 3 billion dollars to handle and slow the flow of two million Syrian Refugees living in turkey. Captioning sponsored by wnet captioned by Media Access Group at wgbh access. Wgbh. Org won his second super bowl with the broncos in his final game last night tonight downton abby ends its run after six seasons. The saga of the grantham family std most watched drama in pbs history. Tomorrow Judy Woodruff hits the road to see American Cities on the rebound. Thats it for this edition of pbs fushour weekend. Im hari sreenivasan, have a good night. Pbs newshour weekend is made possible by lewis b. And Louise Hirschfeld cullman. Bernard and irene schwartz. Judy and josh weston. The cheryl and Philip Milstein family. The citi foundation. Supporting innovation and enabling urban progress. The john and Helen Glessner family trust. Supporting trustworthy journalism that informs and inspires. Sue and edgar wachenheim, iii. Corporate funding is provided by mutual of america designing customized individual and Group Retirement products. Thats why we are your retirement company. Additional support has been provided by and by the corporation for public broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. male announcer support for this program is provided in part by. [indistinct chatter, vehicular noise] [indistinct chatter] [camera shutter whirring] sold [applause]