.jpg) Reagan lies in state in the U.S. Capitol rotunda. | |
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| Date | June 9–11, 2004 (state funeral) June 5–July 3, 2004 (mourning period) |
|---|---|
| Location | Capitol Rotunda,U.S. Capitol,Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates | 34°15′32″N118°49′14″W / 34.25899°N 118.82043°W /34.25899; -118.82043 |
| Organized by | |
| Participants | Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton George W. Bush Dick Cheney Members of the108th United States Congress Margaret Thatcher Mikhail Gorbachev Brian Mulroney |
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|---|---|---|
Entertainment and personal 33rd Governor of California 40th President of the United States Tenure   | ||
On June 5, 2004,Ronald Reagan, the 40thpresident of the United States and the 33rdgovernor of California, died after havingAlzheimer's disease for almost a decade, diagnosed in 1994. Reagan was the first former U.S. president to die in 10 years sinceRichard Nixon in 1994. At the age of 93 years, 120 days, Reagan was the longest-lived U.S. president in history at the time of his death, a record which has since been surpassed byGerald Ford,George H. W. Bush, andJimmy Carter. His seven-day state funeral followed. After Reagan's death, his body was taken from hisBel Air home to the Kingsley and Gates Funeral Home inSanta Monica, California, to prepare the body for burial. On June 7, Reagan'scasket was transported byhearse and displayed at theRonald Reagan Presidential Library inSimi Valley, California, then flown toWashington, D.C., on June 9 for a service, public viewing and tributes at theU.S. Capitol.
Afterlying in state for 34 hours in theCapitol rotunda, astate funeral service was conducted at theWashington National Cathedral on June 11, the day when PresidentGeorge W. Bush declared a national day of mourning. Later that day, after the service, Reagan's casket was transported back to California forinterment at the Reagan Presidential Library. The state funeral was executed by theMilitary District of Washington (MDW). Reagan was the first former U.S. president to die in the 21st century.
On the morning of June 5, 2004, there were reports that Reagan's health had significantly deteriorated, following nine years of Alzheimer's disease.[3] According to Reagan's daughter,Patti Davis, "At the last moment, when his breathing told us this was it, he opened his eyes and looked straight at my mother. Eyes that hadn't opened for days did, and they weren't chalky or vague. They were clear and blue and full of love. If a death can be lovely, his was".[4] His wife, formerfirst ladyNancy Reagan told him that the moment was "the greatest gift you could have given me."[4] He died ofpneumonia at his home,668 St. Cloud Road, in theBel-Air district ofLos Angeles, at 1:09 PMPDT, at the age of 93.
PresidentGeorge W. Bush was inParis when Reagan died and acknowledged the death in apress conference.[5]
This is a sad hour in the life of America. A great American life has come to an end. I have just spoken to Nancy Reagan. On behalf of our whole nation, Laura and I offered her and the Reagan family our prayers and our condolences. Ronald Reagan won America's respect with his greatness, and won its love with his goodness. He had the confidence that comes with conviction, the strength that comes with character, the grace that comes with humility, and the humor that comes with wisdom. He leaves behind a nation he restored and a world he helped save. During the years of President Reagan, America laid to rest an era of division and self-doubt. And because of his leadership, the world laid to rest an era of fear and tyranny. Now, in laying our leader to rest, we say thank you. He always told us that for America, the best was yet to come. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this is true for him, too. His work is done, and now a shining city awaits him. May God bless Ronald Reagan.[6]
— President George W. Bush, June 5, 2004
Bush's competitor for the2004 presidential election, theDemocratic nomineeJohn Kerry, also commented on Reagan's death, saying "He was our oldest president . . . but he made America young again."[7]
VariousU.S. flags at theWhite House, across the United States, and around the world over official U.S. installations and operating locations, were ordered to be flown athalf-staff for 30 days in a presidential proclamation by President Bush.[8][9] In the announcement of Reagan's death, Bush also declared June 11 as aNational Day of Mourning.[8]
Some of the earlyinternational tributes to Reagan included those of QueenElizabeth II, former British prime ministerMargaret Thatcher, formerSoviet Union LeaderMikhail Gorbachev (also attending the funeral), British prime ministerTony Blair, former Canadian prime ministersBrian Mulroney andPaul Martin, and French presidentJacques Chirac.[10] Martin advised Governor GeneralAdrienne Clarkson to order allflags across Canada and at all Canadian diplomatic missions in the United States flown to half-staff on the 11th as well, in sympathy with the U.S.'s National Day of Mourning. In Germany, ChancellorGerhard Schröder orderedGerman flags flown at half-staff above government buildings on the 11th as well.[11]
Tributes and condolences were left at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, as well as at places around the country significant to Reagan's life, including his presidential library, his birthplace inTampico, Illinois, the funeral home where his body was taken after he died, and theTau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house inEureka, Illinois. The electronic signs at theMassachusetts Turnpike flashed the message "God Speed President Reagan."[7]
After Reagan's death, campaigning for the ongoing2004 United States elections was considered disrespectful during a time of mourning, and was suspended.[12] The2004 Canadian federal election was also to be held; prime minister andLiberal Party leader Martin;Opposition Leader andConservative Party leaderStephen Harper, andNew Democratic Party LeaderJack Layton suspended their campaigns, citing respect for Reagan.[13]
On June 7, Reagan's body was removed from the funeral home and driven in a 20-mile-per-hour (32 km/h)[14]motorcade, by hearse, to theRonald Reagan Presidential Library inSimi Valley.[15]
Reagan's remains were presented in a Marsellus Masterpiece model purchased from a funeral home inAlhambra.[16] It was carried by a militaryhonor guard representing all branches of theUnited States Armed Forces[17] into the lobby of the library tolie in repose.[18] There, a brief family service was conducted by theReverend Dr. Michael H. Wenning, former pastor ofBel Air Church, where Reagan worshipped.[19] When the prayer service concluded, Nancy Reagan and her family approached the casket, where Nancy laid her head on it.[19] After the family left, the doors of the presidential library opened, and the public began filing in at a rate of 2,000 an hour throughout the night. In all, about 108,000 people visited the presidential library to see the casket.[20]
On June 9, Reagan's casket was removed from the presidential library and driven in a motorcade toNAS Point Mugu inOxnard, California;[21] it was the same airfield Reagan flew into and out of during his presidency when visiting hisCalifornia ranch.[22]SAM 28000, one of the twoBoeing 747-200s, which usually serves the president asAir Force One, arrived to transport the casket to Washington. Thousands of people gathered to witness the plane's departure. Just before she boarded theVC-25A Presidential Aircraft, Nancy Reagan waved to the crowd with her military escort at her side. The plane lifted off at about 9:40 amPST.[23]
In Washington, D.C., members ofCongress, and much of the public, paid tribute to Reagan immediately after his death and throughout his funeral.
Events in the capital began when Reagan's casket arrived atAndrews Air Force Base in Maryland. It was removed from the plane, driven by hearse in aprocession through theMaryland andVirginia suburbs and the nation's capital, across theArlington Memorial Bridge, and ontoConstitution Avenue.[24]
Just before the plane arrived at Andrews AFB, the U.S. Capitol was evacuated for a brief period, when a plane carryingKentucky GovernorErnie Fletcher was reported off course and created a scare by enteringrestricted airspace; the transponder on Fletcher's plane malfunctioned, leading officials at Reagan National Airport to report an unauthorized aircraft entering restricted airspace. TwoU.S. Air ForceF-15 fighters were dispatched to investigate, and Fletcher's plane was escorted to its destination by twoUH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The plane, a 33-year-oldBeechcraft King Air, was the oldest of its model still in operation. An investigation by theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that the crew of Fletcher's plane maintained radio contact with air traffic officials and received clearance to enter the restricted air space. The investigation determined that miscommunication by air traffic controllers sparked the panic. Though the incident did not affect further funeral events, in the aftermath the FAA adopted policies to prevent future errors of a similar nature.[25]
Near theEllipse, and within sight of theWhite House, the hearse halted and Reagan's body was transferred to a horse-drawncaisson for the procession downConstitution Avenue toCapitol Hill.[24] Nancy Reagan stepped out of herlimousine to witness the casket's transfer; she was met with a warm greeting, including applause.[24] The cortege began the 45-minute journey just after 6:00 pmEST, with the Reagan family following in limousines.[24] Military units escorted the caisson as it made its way to the sounds of muffled drums. Behind the caisson was ariderless horse namedSergeant York, carrying Reagan's riding boots reversed in the stirrups.[26] The caisson paused at4th Street andConstitution Avenue, where 21 F-15s fromSeymour Johnson Air Force Base inNorth Carolina, flew over inmissing man formation.
The caisson stopped when it arrived at Capitol Hill; military units removed the casket, and "Hail to the Chief" was played amidst a21-gun salute.[27][28] The casket was carried up the west front steps of the Capitol, mainly because Reagan was firstinaugurated there and he wanted to face west, toward California.[28] Two teams of militarypallbearers carried the casket up the steps of the Capitol to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".[27][28]
When the casket reached the top of the steps, Nancy Reagan and her military escort met it. As the casket passed them, Nancy momentarily pulled away from her escort, reached out, and touched the casket.[28] They followed it inside to therotunda.
The casket was placed under the rotunda, where it lay in state onAbraham Lincoln's catafalque.[29] An eveningmemorial service then took place, with dignitaries primarily composed ofMembers of Congress, members of theUnited States Supreme Court, and thediplomatic corps;[30] the ReverendDaniel Coughlin,Chaplain of the House of Representatives, gave the invocation.[31] Eulogies were then delivered bySenate President pro temporeTed Stevens,House SpeakerDennis Hastert, andVice PresidentDick Cheney.[31]
After the eulogies, the three speakers each laid a wreath at the casket, and theSenate Chaplain, PastorBarry Black, gave the benediction.[31] Cheney escorted Nancy Reagan to the casket, where she said her goodbyes.[31] The dignitaries in the room paid their respects during the next half-hour. In a rare instance, the doors of the Capitol were then opened to the public, who stood in lines stretching many blocks to view the casket.[29]
The general public stood in long lines waiting for a turn to pay their respects to the president. About 5,000 per hour passed the casket, after waiting up to seven hours. In all, 104,684 paid their respects when Reagan lay in state.[32][33]
After returning to Washington following theG8 summit inSea Island, Georgia, PresidentGeorge W. Bush and First LadyLaura Bush visited the rotunda to pay their respects.[34] Many world leaders did the same, including interim Iraqi presidentGhazi al-Yawer, formerPolish presidentLech Wałęsa, Gorbachev, and Thatcher, Reagan's good friend and associate.[34]
While Reagan's casket lay in state, Nancy Reagan and her family took up temporary residence inBlair House, the official residence of guests of the president of the United States.[34] There, she was greeted by additional dignitaries and public figures. During a visit from Thatcher, the former prime minister wrote in theBlair House condolence book, "To Ronnie, Well done, thou good and faithful servant."[34]
After 34 hours of lying in state, the doors of the Capitol were closed to the public and Nancy Reagan was escorted in, where she had a moment alone with the casket. A military honor guard entered and carried it down the west steps of the Capitol to a21-gun salute where Nancy, holding her hand over her heart, met it.[35] After it was placed in a hearse, the motorcade departed on the five-mile-trip (8 km) to theWashington National Cathedral, where the state funeral service was to be held; crowds lined the route of the cortege as the hearse made its way.[35]
About 4,000 people gathered at the cathedral for the service, including President and Mrs. Bush, former presidentsGeorge H. W. andBarbara Bush,Gerald andBetty Ford,Jimmy andRosalynn Carter, andBill andHillary Clinton. Members of Congress and past and present governors were also present.[36]
Foreign dignitaries attended as well, coming from 167 nations. The dignitaries included more than 40 past and present heads of state and government,UN Secretary GeneralKofi Annan andPresident of the European Commission,Romano Prodi. Leading the dignitaries were formerpresident of the Soviet Union,Mikhail Gorbachev, formerprime minister of the United Kingdom,Margaret Thatcher, formerprime minister of Canada,Brian Mulroney, and thePrince of Wales,Prince Charles (representing QueenElizabeth II).[36]
Other notable world leaders included: Canadiangovernor generalAdrienne Clarkson,British Prime MinisterTony Blair and his wifeCherie,German ChancellorGerhard Schröder,Russian PresidentVladimir Putin,Japanese prime ministerJunichiro Koizumi, formerJapanese prime ministerYasuhiro Nakasone, formerFrench presidentValéry Giscard d'Estaing, formerPolish presidentLech Wałęsa, former Finnish presidentMauno Koivisto, Romanian presidentIon Iliescu, Latvian presidentVaira Vīķe-Freiberga, acting president of LithuaniaArtūras Paulauskas,Italian prime ministerSilvio Berlusconi, KingAbdullah II of Jordan,Governor-General of AustraliaMichael Jeffery,[37]Turkish prime ministerRecep Tayyip Erdogan as well as interim presidentsHamid Karzai of Afghanistan andGhazi al-Yawer of Iraq,Czech presidentVáclav Klaus and his predecessorVáclav Havel, Cypriot presidentTassos Papadopoulos,South African presidentThabo Mbeki andIrish presidentMary McAleese.[36] Prodi, Blair, Schröder, Berlusconi, Putin, Karzai, King Abdullah, Erdogan, al-Yawer, Mbeki and many others had been at the G8 summit in Sea Island, Georgia, and later decided to extend their stay in the U.S. to attend the funeral. Schröder said about attending the funeral: "It is appropriate that the German chancellor says, 'Thank you,' and that is what I'm doing.'"[11] For Karzai, the funeral was part of his week-long visit to the U.S. and it was the beginning of his visit to Washington. He scrapped a visit to the West Coast to visit theAfghan community there to attend the funeral.[38] World leaders who attended the summit, but decided not to extend their stay in the U.S. to attend the funeral, paid tribute at the summit, including Canadian prime ministerPaul Martin, French presidentJacques Chirac and Irish prime ministerBertie Ahern, also president of theEuropean Union.[39] McAleese's presence had special significance, as she paid tribute to Reagan's Irish roots, recalling his visit to Ireland in 1984.[40] In addition,Taiwan'spresident of the Control YuanFredrick Chien and RepresentativeChen Chien-jen attended the funeral.[41]
The funeral for Reagan was the largest in the United States sincethat of John F. Kennedy in 1963.[11][42] President Kennedy's daughter,Caroline, and her husband,Edwin Schlossberg, both attended.[43]
The motorcade arrived at the Cathedral and Reagan's casket was removed. The bearers carrying it paused on the Cathedral steps, and an opening prayer was given byBishopJohn Bryson Chane, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral.[44] The casket was then carried down the aisle; the Reagan family followed and Nancy Reagan was escorted to her seat by President Bush.RabbiHarold Kushner andUnited States Supreme Court Associate JusticeSandra Day O'Connor (the first female Supreme Court justice, whom Reagan appointed), then each gave a reading, which preceded theeulogies. O'Connor read theCity upon a Hill text, which was noted by Reagan in many speeches of his.[44] The choir then sang hymns—"Faire is the Heaven"; "O Love of God, How Strong and True", "Bring Us, O Lord"; "And I saw a New Heaven"[45]—before Thatcher delivered the first eulogy. In view of her failing mental faculties following several small strokes, the message had been pre-recorded several months earlier and was broadcast throughout the Cathedral onplasma television screens. During the speech, Thatcher said, "We have lost a great president, a great American and a great man, and I have lost a dear friend."[44]
Following Thatcher's eulogy, Mulroney delivered his, ending with: "In the presence of his beloved and indispensable Nancy, his children, his family, his friends and all of the American people that he so deeply revered, I sayau revoir today to a gifted leader and historic president and a gracious human being."[44]
Former president George H. W. Bush then spoke, his voice breaking at one point when describing Reagan;[44] Bush had been Reagan'svice president from 1981 to 1989, and his successor as president. His son, President George W. Bush, was the last to give a eulogy, saying in part, "Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now, but we preferred it when he belonged to us... In his last years he saw through a glass darkly. Now he sees his Savior face to face. And we look for that fine day when we will see him again, all weariness gone, clear of mind, strong and sure and smiling again, and the sorrow of this parting gone forever."[44]
The Armed Forces Chorus (LTC John Clanton, Conductor) then sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and CardinalTheodore Edgar McCarrick,Catholic Archbishop of Washington, delivered a Bible reading from theGospel of Matthew.[44] The celebrant, formerMissouri Senator the ReverendJohn Danforth, delivered the homily[46] and Irish tenorRonan Tynan sang songs such as "Ave Maria" and "Amazing Grace" at the request of Nancy Reagan.[35] The Reverend Ted Eastman, formerbishop of Maryland, delivered the benediction, flanked by Father Danforth and Bishop Chane.
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After the service, the casket was driven to Andrews Air Force Base, passing crowds along its route.[47] The family and close friends boarded theVC 25-A Presidential Aircraft,[48] and as she had done previously, Nancy Reagan waved farewell to the crowds just before boarding the plane.
About five hours after the aircraft departed Andrews, it touched down atNaval Base Ventura County,Point Mugu, California. The public, including sailors from theUSSRonald Reagan, was there to witness the plane's arrival.[49] Reagan's body was driven in a large motorcade through the streets of southern California.
The service drew 700 invited guests, including former Reagan administration officials such asGeorge P. Shultz, and noted dignitaries;Margaret Thatcher, who traveled on the plane from Washington, sat next toCalifornia GovernorArnold Schwarzenegger[50] and his wife,Maria Shriver; former California governorPete Wilson was in attendance, as well as former Los Angeles MayorRichard Riordan.[48]Hollywood actors and other celebrities also attended, including Mr. Reagan's first wife, actressJane Wyman, their granddaughter Margaret,Kirk Douglas,Charlton Heston,Mickey Rooney,Dolores Hope (widow ofBob Hope),Merv Griffin,Tommy Lasorda,Wayne Gretzky,Scott Baio,Bo Derek,Tom Selleck,Pat Sajak,Wayne Newton, and theSinatra family.[50][51] The three surviving Reagan children,Michael,Patti, andRon, gave final eulogies at the interment ceremony.[52]
Eulogies finished, and the service over, theAir Force Band of the Golden West played four "ruffles and flourishes", and theU.S. Army Chorus sang "The Star-Spangled Banner". BagpiperEric Rigler played "Amazing Grace" as the casket was moved to itsgrave site and placed on aplinth.[48] There, burial rites were given, followed by a last 21-gun salute;[50] members of the armed servicesfired three volleys and a bugler played "Taps".[50] At that time, four NavyF/A-18 fighter jets flew over inmissing man formation,[48][50] and the flag that flew over the Capitol duringPresident Reagan's 1981 inauguration was folded by the honor guard and was presented to Nancy Reagan by CaptainJames Symonds, the commanding officer of theUSSRonald Reagan.[49]
After Nancy Reagan accepted the flag, she approached the casket and spent several minutes patting and stroking it.[48] She laid her head down on the casket, before breaking down and crying;The Washington Post described Nancy as having been "stoic through nearly a week of somber rituals" but she "surrendered to her grief after being handed the flag that had covered her husband's coffin."[47] While she cried, she kissed the casket and said "I love you".[50] Her children surrounded her, and attempted to console her.[50] Nancy then walked away with her military escort, clutching the folded flag. Themilitary band began to play the Victorian hymn "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" as the Reagan children said their goodbyes. Funeral attendees had an opportunity to file past thecoffin.
The casket was lowered into the vault and closed at 3:00 amPDT the next day. The exterior of the horseshoe-shaped monument is inscribed with a quote Ronald Reagan delivered in 1991:[50]
I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.[53]
When Nancy Reagan died in 2016, she was entombed next to her husband.
Thousands of American politicians attended the funeral, including:
Such a large number of foreign dignitaries had not attended a United States president'sstate funeral since the 1963funeral of President John F. Kennedy. There were nearly 250 international delegates coming from 167 countries presented at the service, which included more than 45 current or former world leaders and 30 governmental representatives.
Delegations in attendance included:
United Nations: Secretary-generalKofi Annan, President of the General AssemblyJean Ping
UNESCO: Director-generalKoichiro Matsuura
European Union: President of the CommissionRomano Prodi
NATO: Deputy Secretary GeneralAlessandro Minuto-Rizzo
OAS: Secretary GeneralCésar Gaviria
United Kingdom:Charles, Prince of Wales, Prime MinisterTony Blair, wifeCherie Blair and former prime ministerMargaret Thatcher
CIS: Secretary GeneralVladimir Rushailo
Canada: Governor GeneralAdrienne Clarkson, former prime ministerBrian Mulroney, wifeMila Mulroney
Mexico: PresidentVicente Fox, wifeMarta Sahagún, Foreign MinisterLuis Ernesto Derbez
Peru: Former presidentAlberto Fujimori
Chile: Deputy PresidentMichelle Bachelet
Australia: Governor GeneralMichael Jeffery
New Zealand: Governor-GeneralDame Silvia Cartwright
Marshall Islands: PresidentKessai Note
Vanuatu: Prime MinisterHam Lini
Japan: Former prime ministerYasuhiro Nakasone
South Korea: Foreign MinisterLee Hai-chan
China: Foreign MinisterLi Zhaoxing
Israel: Prime MinisterShimon Peres
Germany: ChancellorGerhard Schroeder, former chancellorHelmut Kohl
Austria: ChancellorWolfgang Schüssel
Switzerland: Former presidentAdolf Ogi
Romania: PresidentIon Iliescu
Italy: Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi
France: Prime MinisterJean-Pierre Raffarin, Foreign MinisterMichel Barnier, former presidentValery Giscard d'Estaing
Denmark: Crown PrinceFrederik, former prime ministerPoul Schlüter
Norway: Prime MinisterJens Stoltenberg
Sweden: Deputy Prime MinisterLars Engqvist
Hungary: Former prime ministerViktor Orbán
Soviet Union: Former general-secretary and presidentMikhail Gorbachev
Poland: Former presidentLech Wałęsa
Slovakia: PresidentRudolf Schuster, President-electIvan Gašparovič
Slovenia: PresidentJanez Drnovšek
Finland: Prime MinisterMatti Vanhanen, former presidentMauno Koivisto
Turkey: Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan
Greece: Former kingConstantine II
Spain:Felipe, Prince of Asturias
Estonia: Prime MinisterAndrus Ansip, former presidentLennart Meri
Bulgaria: Former presidentZhelyu Zhelev
Portugal: President of the ParliamentJoão Bosco Mota Amaral
Lithuania: Acting presidentArtūras Paulauskas
Russia: PresidentVladimir Putin
Netherlands: Foreign MinisterHans van den Broek
Afghanistan: PresidentHamid Karzai
Iraq: PresidentGhazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer
Iran: Former ShahbanuFarah Pahlavi
Egypt: Foreign MinisterAhmed Maher
Ghana: PresidentJohn Kufuor
Monaco: Hereditary PrinceAlbert
Belgium: Crown PrincePhilippe
Luxembourg: Sovereign Grand DukeHenri
Liechtenstein: Deputy Prime MinisterAdrian Hasler
Jordan: KingAbdullah II, QueenRania
India: Foreign MinisterK. Natwar Singh
Pakistan: President of the SenateMohammadmian Soomro
Uganda: PresidentYoweri Museveni
Ireland: PresidentMary McAleese
Iceland: Prime MinisterDavíð Oddsson
Czech Republic: PresidentVáclav Klaus, former presidentVáclav Havel
Cyprus: PresidentTassos Papadopoulos
Bahrain: KingHamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Saudi Arabia: PrinceBandar bin Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz al Saud
South Africa: PresidentThabo Mbeki
Nigeria: PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo
Algeria: PresidentAbdelaziz Bouteflika
Ivory Coast: PresidentLaurent Gbagbo
Latvia: PresidentVaira Vīķe-Freiberga
Rwanda: PresidentPaul Kagame
Senegal: PresidentAbdoulaye Wade
Bolivia: PresidentEvo Morales
Taiwan: President of the Control YuanFredrick Chien, representative to the U.S.Chen Chien-jen
Grenada: Prime MinisterKeith Mitchell, former governor generalPaul Scoon
Yemen: PresidentAli Abdullah Saleh
Haiti: Prime MinisterGerard Latortue
Brazil: Former presidentJosé Sarney
Philippines: Foreign MinisterDelia Albert
Palestine: PresidentMahmoud Abbas
Vatican City: Secretary of StateAngelo SodanoEminent persons and envoys fromHong Kong,Moldova,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Azerbaijan, and others were also present, along with more than 200 diplomats and ambassadors.
Many celebrities attended the event, such as theSinatra family, TV personalityMerv Griffin, andWheel of Fortune hostPat Sajak.
Music played during the week-long events included fourruffles and flourishes, "Hail to the Chief", "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Amazing Grace", "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" (also known as "The Navy Hymn"), "God of Our Fathers", "Mansions of the Lord", "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "Going Home", and "On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss" by David Holsinger.[45][48][50] The US Marine Orchestra was conducted by Colonel Timothy Foley and the Armed Forces Chorus was conducted by Lieutenant Colonel John Clanton.
The state funeral marked the first time that Washington had hosted a major event sinceSeptember 11, 2001.[55] As a result, theDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the state funeral aNational Special Security Event (NSSE).[56] Special precautions were taken, since many of the events were open to the public and there were multiple protectees.[56]
Attorney GeneralJohn Ashcroft told aSenate hearing before the funeral: "It is a sad commentary when the observation of a memorial service for a former president of the United States must be labeled a National Special Security Event. Such is the fact of modern life in Washington and such is the nature of thewar against al Qaeda."[57]MPDCCharles H. Ramsey agreed, saying, "In a post-9/11 world, we have to be very concerned and aware of the potential for something to happen, not that we've received any information at all."[55][58] Ashcroft and other officials at DHS, the MPDC, and FBI said that the funeral was taking place amidst threats of a terrorist attack.[55]
Frank Sesno, former CNN White House correspondent during the Reagan White House years, said that the security measures during the funeral reflected on the fact that the age of terrorism was rooted during the Reagan years.[59] The deadliest act of terrorism against the United States before 9/11 happened during the Reagan years with the bombing ofPan Am Flight 103 overLockerbie, Scotland, which killed 189 Americans.[59][60]
DHS was handling another NSSE at the same time: theG8 Summit inSea Island, Georgia.
The majority of those commemorating Reagan were supporters of his, although not all held the 40th president in high regard. In one noted example, Paul Mays, a retired engineer who never thought much of Reagan's politics, witnessed the motorcade leave the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base; he commented "This is history".[61] Frank Dubois, an American University professor, also was there for the motorcade, though of the laudatory praise he remarked, "[Reagan] hurt the environment; there was double-digit inflation. I just don't get it."[61]
The majority of media coverage of the event was deferential. Most major news organizations broadcast the various events live multiple times; during the week, the cable channelC-SPAN broadcast uninterrupted coverage of the funeral ceremonies. A few complained, however, that the television coverage was excessive and preempted coverage of other events.CBS NewsanchorDan Rather was quoted as saying: "Even though everybody is respectful and wants to pay homage to the president, life does go on. There is other news, like the reality of Iraq. It got very short shrift this weekend."[62] Throughout the week, media experts reported that the national mourning, televised nearly non-stop on many television networks, provided Americans welcome respite from unhappy reports that American troops were being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, giving them a sense of good news they had been desperate for since theSeptember 11 attacks.[63][64]
Reagan's obituaries also included a few criticisms. Richard Goldstein ofThe Village Voice criticized the funeral for its careful orchestration, writing: "Because the networks had so long to plan for this production... this was the most precisely mounted news event in modern times. Each gesture was minutely choreographed, every tear strategically placed."[65]
Additionally, some media outlets were criticized for lionizing Reagan without paying equal attention to morecontroversial decisions made during his administration. Thomas Kunkel, dean of theUniversity of Maryland, College Park's journalism college, wrote inA magazine that the coverage "would have you believe that Reagan was a cross betweenAbe Lincoln andMother Teresa, with an overlay ofMister Rogers."[66]Howard Kurtz,The Washington Post's media columnist, said Reagan was "a far more controversial figure in his time than the largely gushing obits on television would suggest."[67]
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A planned appearance by Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon was postponed indefinitely.
'President Reagan was proud of his Irish heritage and during his time in the White House, he celebrated St Patrick's Day with great ceremony. In 1984, President Reagan visited Ireland, an occasion still remembered with great fondness by many here.'
After almost a week of mourning, Americans will bid a final farewell to former president Ronald Reagan with a full state funeral Friday, an event expected to be the largest ceremonial occasion in the U.S. capital since thefuneral of John F. Kennedy more than 40 years ago.
Caroline Kennedy...seemed to pass unnoticed...as she and her husband, Edwin A. Schlossberg...Now 46, Ms. Kennedy was just turning 6 at the time of the state funeral for her father in 1963.
Pan Am Flight 103...was the deadliest terrorist attack on American civilians until Sept. 11, 2001.
Last week was in an odd sort of way a welcomed respite, a trip back. The present returned today. It returned with news of an indictment, a suspect and an alleged plot against middle America.
Video coverage of the funeral
Newspaper and media coverage
Additional coverage and photos
Eyewitness accounts
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