The 40th
President of the United StatesThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
,
Ronald Wilson ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California .Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s...
, died on June 5, 2004, after having suffered from
Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease , also called Alzheimer disease, Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of dementia. This incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was...
for nearly a decade. A seven-day state funeral followed, spanning June 5 to 11th.
After Reagan's death his casket was taken from his
Bel-Air, Los Angeles, CaliforniaBel Air is a faux-gated residential community in the hills of the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. Together with Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills it forms the Platinum Triangle of Los Angeles neighborhoods....
home to the Gates, Kingsley and Gates Funeral Home in
Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica is a city in western Los Angeles County, California, USA. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and Venice on the...
. On June 7, it was transported by hearse and displayed at the
Ronald Reagan Presidential LibraryThe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, the library is located in Simi Valley, California, about northwest of...
in
Simi Valley, CaliforniaSimi Valley is an incorporated city located in a valley of the same name in the southeast corner of Ventura County, California, bordering the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, then flown to
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
on June 9 for a service, public viewing and tributes at the
U.S. Capitol BuildingThe United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the Federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. Though not in the geographic center of the District of...
. After
lying in stateLying in state is a term used to describe the tradition in which a coffin is placed on view to allow the public at large to pay their respects to the deceased. It traditionally takes place in the principal government building of a country or city...
for thirty-four hours in the Capitol Rotunda, a
state funeralA state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
service was conducted at the
Washington National CathedralWashington National Cathedral, whose official name is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church....
on June 11, the day that President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
declared a
national day of mourningA national day of mourning is a day marked by mourning and memorial activities observed among the majority of a country's populace. They are designated by that nation's government...
. Later that day, after the service, Reagan's casket was transported back to California for interment at the Reagan Presidential Library.
The state funeral was executed by the Military District of Washington (MDW) and was the first since that of
Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon Baines Johnson , served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969 after his service as the Vice President of the United States from 1961 to 1963...
in 1973.
Richard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States and is the only president to resign the office. He was also the 36th Vice President of the United States ....
, who presided over Johnson's funeral, did not have a state funeral.
Death
On the morning of June 5, 2004 there were reports indicating that former President Ronald Reagan's health had significantly deteriorated, following ten years of
Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease , also called Alzheimer disease, Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of dementia. This incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was...
. According to Reagan's daughter,
Patti DavisPatti Davis is the daughter of former President of the United States Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, who were married seven and a half months earlier, on March 4, 1952. She is the older sister of Ron Reagan, the half-sister of Maureen Reagan, and has an adopted half-brother Michael...
, "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." His wife, former
First LadyFirst Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president...
Nancy ReaganNancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and served as an influential First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. She was born in New York; her parents divorced soon after her birth and she grew up in Maryland, living with an aunt and uncle while her...
told him that the moment was "the greatest gift you could have given me." President Reagan died of
pneumoniaPneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the lung. Frequently, it is described as lung parenchyma/alveolar inflammation and abnormal alveolar filling with fluid ....
at his home at 13:09
PDTThe Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(20:09
UTCCoordinated Universal Time , ) is a time standard based on International Atomic Time with leap seconds added at irregular intervals to compensate for the Earth's slowing rotation...
, or 16:09
EDTEastern Daylight Time may refers to:* Eastern Daylight Time , UTC-4.* Australian Eastern Daylight Time, UTC+11....
). At his side were his wife and two of his children,
RonRonald Prescott Reagan , usually known as Ron Reagan and sometimes as Ronald Reagan, Jr., is the son of the former President of the United States Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan...
and Patti. His eldest surviving child,
MichaelMichael Edward Reagan is an American radio host and Republican strategist. His nationally-syndicated radio show, The Michael Reagan Talk Show, airs on stations throughout the United States on American Family Radio, after a long stint on Radio America...
, was with his father the day before.
A hearse transported the body down Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles to the Gates, Kingsley and Gates Funeral Home in Santa Monica. Following his death, Nancy Reagan released a statement through the office of her husband, saying:
Declarations and tributes
President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
was in Paris when Reagan died and acknowledged the death in a press conference. President Bush said this on June 5, 2004:
American flags at the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
, across the United States, and around the world over official U.S. installations and operating locations, were ordered flown at
half-staffHalf-staff or half-mast describes a flag flying approximately halfway up a flagpole or ship's mast...
for 30 days in a presidential proclamation by President Bush. In the announcement of Reagan's death, Bush also declared June 11 a
National Day of MourningFor general information on symbolic observances see: National day of mourning.Specific, annual ritual National Days of Mourning may refer to:...
.
Some of the early international tributes to Reagan included those of
Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,...
, former British Prime Minister
Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post....
, British Prime Minister
Tony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, former Canadian Prime Minister
Brian MulroneyMartin Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, GOQ was the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of highly contentious economic...
, Canadian Prime Minister
Paul MartinPaul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC is a Canadian politician who was the Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, and French President
Jacques ChiracJacques René Chirac served as the President of France from 17 May 1995 until 16 May 2007. As President he also served as an ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra and Grand Master of the French Légion d'honneur. Chirac was the second-longest serving President of France , behind François Mitterrand...
. Martin advised Governor General
Adrienne ClarksonAdrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who, until 27 September 2005, served as the Governor General of Canada. She was appointed as such by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of then Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, to replace Roméo LeBlanc as...
to order all
flagThe National Flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag...
s 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.
People marked Reagan's death by leaving tributes and condolences at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, as well as at locales around the country significant to Reagan's life, including his presidential library, his birthplace in
Tampico, IllinoisTampico is a village located in Tampico Township, Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the village had a total population of 772. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan was born there and lived there for two brief periods of his childhood.- Geography :Tampico...
, the funeral home where his body was taken after he died, and the
Tau Kappa EpsilonTau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the USA, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
fraternity house in
Eureka, IllinoisEureka is a city in Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,871 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County. The city was founded in the year 1855. Eureka is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
Massachusetts Senator
John KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, and is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee....
, the Democratic nominee for president, suspended
his campaignThe Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
until after the funeral out of respect for Reagan.
Reagan Library
On June 7, Reagan's body was removed from the funeral home and driven in a 20-mile-per-hour motorcade, by hearse, to the
Ronald Reagan Presidential LibraryThe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, the library is located in Simi Valley, California, about northwest of...
in
Simi ValleySimi Valley is an incorporated city located in a valley of the same name in the southeast corner of Ventura County, California, bordering the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in the Greater Los Angeles Area...
.
Reagan's casket, a Marsellus Masterpiece model, was carried by a military honor guard representing all branches of the
United States Armed ForcesThe United States armed forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States.The history of the United States armed forces dates to 1775, even before the Declaration of Independence marked the establishment of the United States...
into the lobby of the library to
lie in reposeLying in repose is a term used to describe when a deceased person, often of some stature, is available for public viewing. "Lying in repose" is different from the formal honor of "lying in state", which is generally held at the principal government building of the country and often accompanied by...
. There, a brief family service was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Michael H. Wenning, former pastor of
Bel Air Presbyterian ChurchBel Air Presbyterian Church is an evangelical Christian megachurch located in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The church is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and the Willow Creek Association and currently averages more than 3,000 in attendance each weekend.-History:Since...
, where Reagan worshipped. When the prayer service concluded, Nancy Reagan and her family approached the casket, where Mrs. Reagan laid her head on it. 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.
Departure to Washington
On June 9, Reagan's casket was removed from the presidential library and driven in a motorcade to NAS Point Mugu in
Ventura, CaliforniaSan Buenaventura, commonly referred to as Ventura, is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. Ventura has a population of 106,744. Ventura is accessible via U.S. Route 101, State Route 33, and State Route 126....
; it was the same airfield Reagan flew into and out of during his presidency when visiting his
California ranchRancho del Cielo, or "Sky's or Heaven's Ranch," is a ranch located on the top of the Santa Ynez Mountain range northwest of Santa Barbara, California...
. SAM 28000, one of the two Boeing 747-200s, which usually serves the president as
Air Force OneAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States...
, arrived to transport the casket to Washington. Thousands of people gathered to witness the plane's departure. Just before she boarded the
VC-25A Presidential AircraftAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States...
, Nancy Reagan waved to the crowd with her military escort at her side. The plane lifted off at about 9:40 AM PST.
Events in Washington
In Washington, D.C., members of Congress, and much of the public, paid tribute to Reagan immediately after his death and throughout his funeral.
Funeral procession
Events in the capital began when Reagan's casket arrived at
Andrews Air Force BaseJoint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington, formerly Andrews Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force base in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, eight miles east of Washington, D.C.....
, Maryland. It was removed from the plane, driven by hearse in a
processionA funeral procession is a procession, usually in motor vehicles, from a church, synagogue, or mosque to the cemetery. The deceased is usually transported in a hearse, while family and friends follow in their vehicles.- Standard procedure :...
through the Maryland and Virginia suburbs and the nation's capital, across the Memorial Bridge, and onto
Constitution AvenueIn Washington, D.C., Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street running just north of the United States Capitol in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants...
.
Just before the plane arrived at Andrews, the
Capitol buildingThe United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the Federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. Though not in the geographic center of the District of...
was evacuated for a brief period, for a plane carrying
Kentucky GovernorThe Governor of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of the U.S. state of Kentucky, and serves as commander-in-chief of the state's army, navy, and militia forces...
Ernie FletcherErnest Lee Fletcher is a Republican politician from Kentucky. He served as governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 2003-07. He previously served as U.S...
was off course and created a scare by entering restricted airspace; the incident was attributed to radio problems onboard the plane and did not affect funeral events.
Near the
EllipsePresident's Park, located in Washington, D.C., encompasses the White House, a visitor center, Lafayette Park, and The Ellipse. President's Park was the original name of Lafayette Park and Square. The current President's Park is administered by the National Park Service.-White House:Washington, D.C...
, and within sight of the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
, the hearse halted and Reagan's body was transferred to a horse-drawn caisson for the procession down
Constitution AvenueIn Washington, D.C., Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street running just north of the United States Capitol in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants...
to Capitol Hill. Nancy Reagan stepped out of her limousine to witness the body's transfer; she was met with a warm greeting, including applause. The cortege began the 45 minute journey just after 6:00 PM
ESTEastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10...
, with the Reagan family following in limousines. Military units escorted the caisson as it made its way to the sounds of muffled drums. Behind the caisson was a
riderless horseThe riderless horse or caparisoned horse is the single riderless horse with boots reversed in the stirrups that follows the caisson carrying the casket in a funeral procession.The custom is believed to date back to the time of Genghis Khan, when a horse was sacrificed to serve the fallen...
named Sergeant York, carrying Reagan's riding boots reversed in the stirrups. The caisson paused at 4th street and Constitution Avenue, where 21 Air Force
F-15The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. Developed for the United States Air Force, it first flew in July 1972, and is one of the most recognized modern fighters. The F-15 is expected to remain...
s flew over in
missing man formationThe missing man formation is an aerial salute performed as part of a flyover of aircraft at a funeral or memorial event: typically in memory of a fallen pilot. The missing man formation is often called "the missing man flyby"...
.
Capitol Hill
The caisson stopped when it arrived at Capitol Hill; military units removed it, and
Hail to the Chief"Hail to the Chief " is a march primarily associated with the President of the United States. Its playing accompanies the appearance of the President at many public appearances. For major official occasions, the United States Marine Band and other military ensembles generally are the performers,...
was played amidst a
21-gun saluteGun salutes are the firing of cannons or arms as a honour.The custom originates in naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent.As naval customs evolved, 21 volleys...
. The casket was carried up the west front steps of the Capitol, mainly because Reagan was first inaugurated there and he wanted to face west, toward California. Two teams of military body bearers carried the coffin up the steps of the Capitol to
Battle Hymn of the Republic.
When the casket reached the top of the steps, Nancy Reagan and her military escort met it. As the casket passed them, Mrs. Reagan momentarily pulled away from her escort, reached out, and touched the casket. They followed it inside to the rotunda.
The casket was placed under the rotunda, where it lay in state on
Abraham Lincoln's catafalqueThe Lincoln catafalque is a catafalque hastily constructed in 1865 to support the casket of Abraham Lincoln while the president's body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. The catafalque has since been used for all those who have lain in state in the Capitol Rotunda, as listed...
. An evening memorial service then took place, with dignitaries primarily composed of Congressional members, members of the United States Supreme Court, and the diplomatic corps; the Reverend
Daniel CoughlinDaniel P. Coughlin STL is the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives. Appointed in March 2000, he is the first Roman Catholic priest to serve as House Chaplain....
, Chaplain of the House of Representatives, gave the invocation. Eulogies were then delivered by
Senate President pro temporeThe President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate and the highest-ranking senator. The U.S...
Ted StevensTheodore Fulton Stevens is a former United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009. Stevens was President pro tempore in the 108th and 109th Congresses from January 3, 2003, to January 3, 2007...
,
House SpeakerThe Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The current Speaker is Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat representing California's 8th congressional district....
Dennis HastertJohn Dennis "Denny" Hastert is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2007, representing , and served as Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2007....
, and
Vice PresidentThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a four-year term...
Dick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 in the administration of George W. Bush....
.
After the eulogies, the three speakers each laid a wreath at the casket, and Senate Chaplain, the Reverend
Barry BlackBarry C. Black is the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate. He was elected to this position on June 27, 2003, becoming the first African-American, the first Seventh-day Adventist, and the first military chaplain to hold the office of chaplain to the United States Senate...
, gave the benediction. Cheney escorted Mrs. Reagan to the casket, where she said her goodbyes. 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.
Public viewing
The general public stood in long lines waiting for a turn to pay their respects to the president. People passed by the casket at a rate of about 5,000 per hour (83.3 per minute resp. 1.4 per second) and the wait time was about three hours. In all, 104,684 paid their respects when Reagan lay in state. The
Washington MetroMetrorail, commonly called Metro, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
subway set a then daily record in ridership of 850,636 as a result.
After returning to Washington following the
G-8 SummitThe 30th G8 summit took place in Sea Island, Georgia, United States, on June 8- June 10 2004.-Overview:The Group of Seven was an unofficial forum which brought together the heads of the richest industrialized countries: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and...
, President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
and First Lady
Laura BushLaura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the forty-third President of the United States, George W. Bush, and was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009....
visited the rotunda to pay their respects. Many world leaders did the same, including interim Iraqi President
Ghazi al-Yawer––Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawar is an Iraqi political figure. He was a Vice President of Iraq under the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, and was President of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004 to 2005....
, former Soviet leader
Mikhail GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was the second-to-last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until 1991, and the last head of state of the USSR, serving from 1988 until its collapse in 1991...
, former
PolishPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
president Lech Wałęsa, and former British Prime Minister
Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post....
.
While Reagan's casket lay in state, Nancy Reagan and her family took up temporary residence in
Blair HouseBlair House is the official state guest house for the President of the United States. It is located at 1651-1653 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., opposite the Old Executive Office Building of the White House, off the corner of Lafayette Park....
, the official residence of guests of the President of the United States. There, she was greeted by additional dignitaries and public figures. During a visit from Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister wrote in the Blair House condolence book, "To Ronnie, Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
State funeral service
After thirty-four 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 a 21-gun salute where Mrs. Reagan, holding her hand over her heart, met it. After it was placed in a hearse, the motorcade departed on the five mile-trip to the
Washington National CathedralWashington National Cathedral, whose official name is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church....
, where the state funeral service was to be held; crowds lined the route of the cortege as the hearse made its way.
Dignitaries
About 4,000 people gathered at the cathedral for the service, including President and Mrs. Bush, former president
George H. W.George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st President of the United States . He was also Ronald Reagan's Vice President , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence....
and
Barbara BushBarbara Pierce Bush is the wife of the 41st President of the United States George H. W. Bush, and mother of the 43rd President George W. Bush and 43rd Governor of Florida Jeb Bush. She is one of only two women to be both wife and mother to US presidents, the other being Abigail Adams...
,
GeraldGerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
and
Betty FordElizabeth Anne "Betty" Bloomer Ford is the widow of former United States President Gerald R. Ford and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. As first lady, Betty Ford was active in social policy and shattered precedents as a politically active presidential wife...
,
JimmyJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and
Rosalynn CarterEleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter , commonly known as Rosalynn Carter, is the wife of the former President of the United States Jimmy Carter, and in that capacity served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. As First Lady and after, she was a leading advocate for numerous causes,...
, and
BillWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the third-youngest president; only Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were younger when entering office...
and
Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving within the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she served as First Lady of...
. Members of Congress and past and present governors were also present.
Foreign dignitaries attended as well, coming from 165 nations. The dignitaries included 36 past and present heads of state and government, and U.N. Secretary General
Kofi AnnanKofi Atta Annan, Honorary GCMG is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 1997 to 1 January 2007. Annan and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.-Early years and family:Kofi Annan was born in the...
. Leading the dignitaries were
Mikhail GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was the second-to-last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until 1991, and the last head of state of the USSR, serving from 1988 until its collapse in 1991...
,
Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post....
,
BrianMartin Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, GOQ was the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of highly contentious economic...
and
Mila MulroneyMilica "Mila" Mulroney is the wife of the 18th Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney. They have one daughter, Caroline, and three sons, Benedict, Mark, and Nicholas...
, and
Prince CharlesCharles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
(representing Queen Elizabeth II and the United Kingdom). Other world leaders included
U.K. Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom and the Head of Her Majesty's Government...
Tony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and his wife
CherieCherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is an English barrister. She is married to the former British Prime Minister and current Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, Tony Blair.-Early life:...
, German Chancellor
Gerhard Schröder' is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor he was Minister-president...
, former
Japanese Prime MinisterThe is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Minister for the general administration of the Cabinet...
Yasuhiro NakasoneYasuhiro Nakasone is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from November 27, 1982 to November 6, 1987...
,
Italian Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Italy is Italy's head of government...
Silvio Berlusconiis an Italian politician, entrepreneur, real estate and insurance tycoon, bank and media proprietor, sports team owner and songwriter. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Italian Republic , a position he has held on three separate occasions: from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006 and...
,
Jordan'sJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in Western Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba. Jordan shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, the Gulf of Aqaba to the southwest,...
King AbdullahAbdullah II bin al-Hussein is the current King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah is a member of the Hashemite family and is reportedly a 43rd-generation direct descendant of Muhammad...
, as well as interim presidents
Hamid KarzaiHamid Karzai is the 12th President of Afghanistan, taking office in December 7, 2004. He became a prominent political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
of Afghanistan and
Ghazi al-Yawer––Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawar is an Iraqi political figure. He was a Vice President of Iraq under the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, and was President of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004 to 2005....
of Iraq. Blair, Schröder, Berlusconi, Karzai, King Abdullah, and al-Yawer had been at the G-8 Summit in Sea Island, Georgia, and later decided to extend their stay in the U.S. to attend the funeral. 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 the Afghan community there to attend the funeral.
Cathedral events
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 by Bishop
John Bryson ChaneJohn Bryson Chane is the Eighth Bishop of Washington in the The Episcopal Church. He was elected on the second ballot and was consecrated on June 1, 2002. In his capacity as bishop, he also served as interim dean of Washington National Cathedral while it searched for a new dean...
, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral. The casket was then carried down the aisle; the Reagan family followed and Mrs. Reagan was escorted to her seat by President Bush.
RabbiRabbi is the term in Judaism for a religious teacher. The word rabbi derives from the Hebrew root word , rav, which in biblical Hebrew means ‘great’ in many senses, including "revered." The word comes from the Semitic root R-B-B, and is cognate to Arabic ربّ rabb, meaning "lord" Rabbi ' onMouseout='HidePop("85100")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Harold_Kushner">Harold Kushner
Harold S. Kushner is a prominent American rabbi aligned with the progressive wing of Conservative Judaism.-Education:Born in Brooklyn, Kushner was educated at Columbia University and later obtained his rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1960. The same institution...
and Supreme Court Associate Justice
Sandra Day O'ConnorSandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist and was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006...
(the first female Supreme Court justice, whom Reagan appointed), then each gave a reading, which preceded the eulogies. The choir then sang hymns—"Faire is the Heaven"; "Bring Us, O Lord"; "And I saw a New Heaven"—before former Prime Minister Margaret 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 via plasma 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."
Following Baroness Thatcher's eulogy, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney delivered one. Mulroney ended 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 say
au revoir today to a gifted leader and historic president and a gracious human being."
Former President George H. W. Bush then spoke, his voice breaking at one point when describing Reagan; Bush had been Reagan's Vice President from 1981 to 1989. 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. "
The choir then partook in singing "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and
Theodore Cardinal McCarrickTheodore Edgar McCarrick is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Washington from 2001 to 2006, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2001.-Early life and education:...
, Archbishop of Washington, delivered a Bible reading from the
Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth...
. The celebrant, former
MissouriMissouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....
Senator the Reverend John C. Danforth, delivered the homily and Irish tenor
Ronan TynanRonan Tynan is a singer in the classical Irish style. He is most famous for his renditions of "God Bless America" at Yankee Stadium during important New York Yankees games, such as Opening Day, nationally-televised games, the last game at the old Yankee Stadium, and playoff games...
sang songs such as "Ave Maria" and "
Amazing Grace"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn by Englishman John Newton which first appeared in print in Newton's Olney Hymns .- John Newton and the lyrics to Amazing Grace :...
" at the request of Nancy Reagan. The Reverend Ted Eastman, former Bishop of Maryland, delivered the benediction, flanked by Reverend Danforth and Reverend Chane.
Return to California
After the service, the casket was removed from the cathedral and driven to Andrews Air Force Base for the return to California, passing crowds along its route. The family and close friends boarded the
VC 25-A Presidential AircraftAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States...
, and as she had done previously, Nancy Reagan waved farewell to the crowds just prior to boarding the plane.
About five hours after the aircraft departed Andrews, it touched down at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, California. The public, including sailors from the
USS Ronald ReaganUSS Ronald Reagan is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier in the service of the United States Navy. The ninth ship of her class, she is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan, President of the United States from 1981 to 1989...
, was there to witness the plane's arrival. Reagan's body was driven in a large motorcade on one final trip though the streets of southern California. As they had done throughout the week, crowds gathered along the motorcade route on its journey to Reagan's burial place, his
presidential libraryThe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, the library is located in Simi Valley, California, about northwest of...
in Simi Valley.
Burial service and interment
The service drew 700 invited guests, including former Reagan administration officials such as George Shultz, and noted dignitaries;
Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post....
, who travelled on the plane from Washington, sat next to
California GovernorThe Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual "State of the State" addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced.The position was...
Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian American bodybuilder, actor, businessman, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the state of California....
and his wife
Maria ShriverMaria Owings Shriver is an award-winning American journalist and author, and the First Lady of California. She is married to actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and is a member of the Kennedy family.-Early life:...
; former California Governor
Pete WilsonPeter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego ...
was in attendance, as well as former Los Angeles Mayor
Richard RiordanRichard J. Riordan is a Republican politician from California, U.S.A. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001...
. Hollywood actors and other celebrities were also attended, including
Kirk DouglasKirk Douglas is an American actor and film producer recognized for his prominent cleft chin, his gravelly voice and his recurring roles as the kinds of characters Douglas himself once described as "sons of bitches". He is the father of Hollywood actor and producer Michael Douglas...
,
Charlton HestonCharlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television.Heston is known for having played heroic roles, such as Moses in The Ten Commandments, Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar in El Cid, and Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy...
,
Mickey RooneyMickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. During his career he has won multiple awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
,
Dolores HopeDolores Hope is a singer, philanthropist and the widow of actor Bob Hope.-Early life and career:She was born as Dolores DeFina in New York City of Italian and Irish descent and raised in the Bronx...
(widow of
Bob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG was an American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO tours entertaining American military personnel...
),
Merv GriffinMervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, singer, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway...
,
Tommy LasordaThomas Charles Lasorda is a former Major League baseball pitcher and manager. marks his sixth decade in one capacity or another with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers organization, the longest non-continuous tenure anyone has had with the team, edging Dodger broadcaster Vin...
,
Wayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League...
,
Scott BaioScott Vincent James Baio is an American actor, best known for his work on the sitcoms Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, and Charles in Charge...
,
Bo Derek-Early life:Derek was born Mary Cathleen Collins in Long Beach, California. She is of Irish, German, Dutch and Welsh descent. Her father is Paul Collins, a Hobie Cat executive. Her mother is Norma Collins, hairdresser to Ann-Margret. After the parents divorced, Norma Collins married American stunt...
,
Tom SelleckThomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer, perhaps best known for his starring role on the television show Magnum, P.I., and for his recurring role as Dr...
,
Pat SajakPat Sajak , born Patrick Leonard Sajdak on October 26, 1946, is a television personality, former weatherman and a former talk show host, best known as the host of the American television game show, Wheel of Fortune.-Early life:...
,
Wayne NewtonCarson Wayne Newton , better known as Wayne Newton, is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nickname Mr. Las Vegas...
, and the
SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became a successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, being the idol of the "bobby soxers." His professional career had stalled by the...
family. The three surviving Reagan children,
MichaelMichael Edward Reagan is an American radio host and Republican strategist. His nationally-syndicated radio show, The Michael Reagan Talk Show, airs on stations throughout the United States on American Family Radio, after a long stint on Radio America...
,
PattiPatti Davis is the daughter of former President of the United States Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, who were married seven and a half months earlier, on March 4, 1952. She is the older sister of Ron Reagan, the half-sister of Maureen Reagan, and has an adopted half-brother Michael...
, and
RonRonald Prescott Reagan , usually known as Ron Reagan and sometimes as Ronald Reagan, Jr., is the son of the former President of the United States Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan...
, gave final eulogies at the interment ceremony.
Eulogies finished, and the service over, the Air Force Band of the Golden West played four "
ruffles and flourishesRuffles and flourishes are preceding fanfare for ceremonial music for distinguished people.Ruffles are played on drums, and flourishes are played on bugles...
," and the U.S. Army Chorus sang
The Star-Spangled Banner"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by Royal Navy ships in Chesapeake Bay during...
. Bagpiper
Eric RiglerEric Rigler is an American player of the Uilleann pipes, Great Highland Bagpipes, and tin whistle. He plays on his own and with the band Bad Haggis, and has been featured on a number of movie soundtracks. He has been described as "the most recorded bagpiper of all time"...
played "Amazing Grace" as the casket was moved to its grave site and placed on a plinth. There, burial rites were given, followed by a last
21-gun saluteGun salutes are the firing of cannons or arms as a honour.The custom originates in naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent.As naval customs evolved, 21 volleys...
; members of the armed services fired three volleys and a bugler played
TapsTaps is a famous musical piece, sounded by the U.S. military during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet. The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfield's Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done"....
. At that time, Four Navy
F/A-18The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. The F/A-18 was derived from the YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of...
fighter jets flew over in
missing man formationThe missing man formation is an aerial salute performed as part of a flyover of aircraft at a funeral or memorial event: typically in memory of a fallen pilot. The missing man formation is often called "the missing man flyby"...
, and the flag that flew over the Capitol during President Reagan's 1981 inauguration was folded and presented to Nancy Reagan by Captain
James SymondsRear Admiral James A. Symonds is a member of the United States Navy and former Commanding Officer of the USS Ronald Reagan . He had a prominent, symbolic role in the state funeral of former United States President Ronald Reagan in 2004....
, the commanding officer of the
USS Ronald Reagan.
After Nancy Reagan accepted the flag, she approached the casket and spent several minutes patting and stroking it. She laid her head down on the casket, before breaking down and crying;
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
described Mrs. Reagan 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." While she cried, she kissed the casket and said "I love you". Her children surrounded her, and attempted to console her. Mrs. Reagan then walked away with her military escort, clutching the folded flag. The military band began to play, as the Reagan children said their goodbyes. Funeral attendees had an opportunity to file past the coffin.
The casket was lowered into the tomb and closed approximately before 3:00 AM
PDTThe Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
; the exterior of the horseshoe shaped monument is inscribed with a quote Ronald Reagan delivered in 1991:
Music
Music played during the week-long events included four
ruffles and flourishesRuffles and flourishes are preceding fanfare for ceremonial music for distinguished people.Ruffles are played on drums, and flourishes are played on bugles...
, "
Hail to the Chief"Hail to the Chief " is a march primarily associated with the President of the United States. Its playing accompanies the appearance of the President at many public appearances. For major official occasions, the United States Marine Band and other military ensembles generally are the performers,...
," "My Country 'Tis of Thee," "
The Battle Hymn of the Republic"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is an American abolitionist song. The lyrics were written by Julia Ward Howe in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly on 1 February 1862. It became popular during the American Civil War.-History:...
," "
Amazing Grace"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn by Englishman John Newton which first appeared in print in Newton's Olney Hymns .- John Newton and the lyrics to Amazing Grace :...
," "
Eternal Father, Strong to Save"Eternal Father, Strong to Save", is a hymn often associated with the Royal Navy or the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Accordingly, it is often known as the Royal Navy Hymn or the United States Navy Hymn , and sometimes by the last line of its first verse, For those in peril on...
" (also known as "The Navy Hymn"), "God of Our Fathers," "
Mansions of the Lord"Mansions of the Lord" is a hymn written by Randall Wallace and set to the music of Nick Glennie-Smith.- Performances :"Mansions" was originally written for the 2002 film We Were Soldiers, and was performed by the United States Military Academy Glee Club....
," "
God Bless America"God Bless America" is an American patriotic song originally written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938, as sung by Kate Smith ....
," "
America the Beautiful"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The words are written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward. Bates originally wrote the words as a poem, Pikes Peak, first published in the July 4th edition of the church periodical The...
," and
Going HomeGoing Home was a drama television series produced by the SBS network in Australia that aired from 2000 to 2001.Scripted, filmed, edited and broadcast on the same day, Going Home was set in a nightly inter-urban commuter train...
.
Security measures
The state funeral marked the first time that Washington hosted a major event since September 11, 2001. As a result, the
Department of Homeland SecurityThe United States Department of Homeland Security is a Cabinet department of the United States federal government with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the U.S...
(DHS) designated the state funeral a
National Special Security EventA National Special Security Event is a status declared by the United States Department of Homeland Security for certain events,...
(NSSE). Special precautions were taken because many of the events were open to the public and there were multiple protectees. As means of assisting the
motorcadeA motorcade is a procession of vehicles. The term motorcade is a neologism coined by Lyle Abbot , and is formed after cavalcade on the false notion that "-cade" was a suffix meaning "procession"...
, many streets were temporarily blocked off by law enforcement.
However, DHS was handling another NSSE at the same time: the G-8 Summit in
Sea Island, GeorgiaSea Island is an affluent resort island located in the barrier islands just off the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia in the United States. The resort complex is located in an unincorporated Glynn County....
.
Public and media comments
The majority of those commemorating Reagan were supporters of his, although not all held the 40th president in extremely 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". 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."
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 channel
C-SPANC-SPAN , an abbreviation of Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop coverage of government proceedings and public affairs programming...
broadcasted uninterrupted coverage of the funeral ceremonies. A few complained, however, that the television coverage was excessive and preempted coverage of other events.
CBS NewsCBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. Its current president is Sean McManus who is also head of CBS Sports...
anchorA news presenter is a person who presents a news show on television, radio or the Internet.-Newscasters and newsreaders:...
Dan RatherDaniel Irvin "Dan" Rather, Jr. is a journalist and former news anchor for the CBS Evening News and is now managing editor and anchor of a television news magazine, Dan Rather Reports, on the cable channel HDNet. Rather was anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, from March 9, 1981, to March...
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."
Reagan's obituaries also included a few criticisms. Richard Goldstein of
The Village VoiceThe Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper in New York City, United States featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City...
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."
Additionally, some media outlets were criticized for lionizing Reagan without paying equal attention to more controversial decisions made during his administration. Thomas Kunkel, dean of the
University of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland...
's journalism college, wrote in
American Journalism Review magazine that the coverage "would have you believe that Reagan was a cross between
Abe LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery...
and
Mother TeresaMother Teresa , born Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu , was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun with Indian citizenship who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata , India in 1950...
, with an overlay of Mister Rogers."
Howard KurtzHoward Alan Kurtz is an American journalist, blogger, author and media writer for the Washington Post.-Biography:...
,
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
's media columnist, said Reagan was "a far more controversial figure in his time than the largely gushing obits on television would suggest."
The Nation ran a series of articles about the many controversies of his presidency.
External links
Video coverage of the funeral
Newspaper and Media coverage
Additional coverage and photos
Eyewitness account