Bill Clinton to Miss Betty Ford Funeral

Ex-President Bill Clinton will not be able to attend the funeral of former First Lady Betty Ford due to mechanical problems encountered by the airplane he was scheduled to take.

The Associated Press reported that he was planning to from New York to Washington to pick up his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and then fly on with her to the service. A spokesman for the Clintons said that Hilary will fly to the service without her husband.

Ford’s funeral will take place at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, Cal.

Ford died over the weekend at the age of 93.

Even without Clinton’s presence, the service will feature a sparkling array of prominent names, including First Lady Michelle Obama, former first ladies Clinton, Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter and former President George W. Bush.

However, former First Lady Laura Bush will also not attend