Question ...laying in state and length of this whole thing... is this

[2Design]

normal? Didn't nixon just get buried out west and all the presidents went there to show respect?

I thought the lying in state and horse drawn hearse was for sitting president....this looks like when kennedy died....and that was only three days that I remember...I never left the TV then...this is a whole week.......

what other presidents have died besides kennedy, nixon......??? since 1948.....

What was done with others.....???

Just seems that this is done for a much higher ranking person.

Who makes the decision to have the laying in State and the capital rotunda.....????
Any one know the details for setting this all up???

My questions are curious questions???

[russian33]

1. Well, they did the laying in State and people paying respects..

...every time the Secretary of the CPSU passed away...oh wait, that was in former USSR...oops!

[tom_paine]

2. Exactly, Totalitarian Nations seek similar solutions

Imperial Amerika bears more resemblence to the Old Soviet Union than the Old American Republic which preceded it.

[Servo300]

3. I recall when Truman died in 1972....

I was 13 years old at the time, and my family lived in Independence, MO (Truman's hometown).

They had his body lying in state at the Truman Presidential Library. We joined with thousands in the area in a procession through the Truman Library to view the casket and pay their respects to the former President.

A memorable occasion. I recall it being a pretty cold evening, and shivering as we stood in line.

Jim

[2Design]

4. but the laying in state was only in the home state of the politician

That is what I don't understand...why bringing his body to the capital and doing laying in state in DC...Isn't California enough?

Why not at his library?

[Servo300]

10. You got me...

that was the only one I have any personal experience with.

[k in IA]

5. LBJ was the last ex-Prez to die and have a state funeral.

Nixon is the only other Prez to die since then and he did not have a state funeral.

It has been over 30 years since the last one.

[2Design]

13. didn't realize it has been so long since last death....

All quite interesting...

I sure don't remember all the others from hoover on up....except kennedy..... and Nixon ....

[k in IA]

14. The first one with 24 hour news coverage on multiple channels.

Why can't they at least cover some of the other news occurring in the world? It's like the world has stopped completely.

This would be a good time to dump some terrible crap, release the Energy task force names, Rummy OK'ed the torture tactics, etc. How would anyone know?

[I thought so.]

6. I heard that all the plans...

were requested by Reagan.

[LionInWinter]

7. They did almost the exact thing for LBJ when he died out of office ...

Planners say Ronald Reagan's state funeral, to include a 24-hour lying in state in the U.S. Capitol and a service at Washington National Cathedral, will closely follow that of Lyndon B. Johnson in 1973.

Reagan's family has the final say on the four days of observances, the schedule for which is expected to be finalized today, said one federal official involved in the planning. The ceremonies are being planned "down to the minute," the official said on condition of anonymity. It will be the first presidential funeral in Washington since Johnson's; Richard M. Nixon was buried in Yorba Linda, Calif., in 1994

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18984-2004Jun5.html

[sundancekid]

8. LBJ's was the last state funeral (to which ALL presidents are entitled)

it's been retold that nixon did NOT want a state funeral in washington, but only in kaleefornia (probably that watergate legacy stuff must have made a dent); all presidents are required to write out whatever funeral arrangements they would like as soon as they take office, but can modify them over their lifetimes ...

the longest I remember was Kennedy's ... all the timing on this one may have a lot to do with dimson's participation to FOLLOW the G8 summit that begins tomorrow in Georgia ... also, many world leaders would also be here and available by friday this week (the G8 summit ends thursday)

[2Design]

11. never thought of them writing up their funeral plans upon taking office

well that is an interesting fact....like a Will.....

timing and both sides of the country.....so it is a plan, he, nancy, and family probably came up with....that is comforting....

He would have had to write something at least 10 years or more ago...while he still had his mind.....

Thanks for your information

[Unperson 309]

16. All Presidents are Required To Write Funeral Preferences?

"Congratulations, Mr. Bush, you are now POTUS! Please put your funeral arrangement preferences in writing for us as soon as you can!"

"Oh... uh, gee... Will you take crayons or does it have to be in ink? Better yet, I'll dictate it to you! I want to be inside the casing of a 100 ton nukyoolear warhead and dropped over Iraq!"

"Uh... Mr President, I don't think we can arrange that..."

"Oh... that's too bad. Then I want a 100 foot pyre of blazing oil drums... and then they throw on a bunch of endangered species and Robert Kennedy! And then I want ice cream after!"

"Ice cream?!! B-but Sir... you'll be... I mean... A funeral occurs *after* you're dead, Mr. President!"

"Dead? I don't want to be DEAD! I thought you meant something like a BIRTHDAY party with ponies and clowns and..."

"Never mind, Sir, I'll just follow the new protocols the Republican Party sent over after the Supreme Court's decision, for when questions of executive decisions arise."

"What's that?"

"I'll ask Dick Cheney!"

309

[noonwitch]

9. When Detroit Mayor Coleman Young died, he laid in state

At the African-American history museum in Detroit, and all Detroiters were welcome to view the body. After he laid in state for a few days, they had his funeral at a large church on the NW side, then drove the hearse with him all over town on the way to the funeral so that average Detroiters could pay their respects.

The funeral was televised locally, Aretha Franklin sang, as did a few different gospel choirs. There were lots of speakers giving long, overly emotional speeches, but the best was by former Michigan Governor Milliken (R, last of the good republicans), who basically sounded like the one person who was going to miss an old friend and colleague, as opposed to rambling on about his legacy.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Every President except Nixon I think. Nixon's family declined, but the

offer was made. I have no problem with it.

[Unperson 309]

15. LYING in State, not LAYing!

Here's the skinny... on both questions...

A hen *lays* an egg, you *lay* something down. Once the egg is there, it LIES in the nest, the thing you LAID down LIES there.

A body LIES in state.

Answer to original question: The lying in state of a Presicent follows the general rule that if the President dies in office, the lying in state occurs in Washington DC. The horse-drawn caisson , ditto. The guy has to be *in office* to recieve such tributes. Lincoln, Kennedy, etc.

If the guy dies OUT of office, then the lying in state is a matter of the family's choice. If they want it, he does, IN his home state or the place he died.

Horse-drawn caisson is an option ONLY for MILITARY funerals! If the ex-Presidential cold-cuts never served in the armed services, (IMNSHO) they OUGHTN'T have a bloody *military* *funeral*!!

But then I'm rather a stickler.

The Reagan cold--cuts will have ALL the bells and whistles for the same reason the Mafia dons do... because they *can*!

Watch the Reagan weepfest? Naaah! I'll just pop The Godfather in the player and the experience'll be identical... but with better actors!

309

[wicket]

17. All Presidents can have a State funeral...

...if they want.

[Yupster]

18. Lincoln took a train

halfway across the country.