US Says Goodbye to Reagan

The US was today bidding farewell to Ronald Reagan in funeral rites designed by the 40th president to evoke his optimism about the country.

At around 10.45am local time (1545 BST), a motorcade bearing Reagan's coffin left Capitol Hill, where it had been lying in state in the Capital Rotunda, to begin the 30-minute journey to Washington's National Cathedral.

The four living ex-US presidents - Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George Bush Snr - were attending the service there, along with dozens of current and former world leaders.

The current US president, George Bush, previewing his eulogy, described Reagan as "a great man, a historic leader and a national treasure".

US guns around the world were due to be fired in Reagan's honour during the service. There were plans for 21-gun salutes at every US military base with the artillery and staff to carry them out.

The day will end with Reagan's sunset burial at his presidential library near Los Angeles. At dusk, there will be another worldwide round of 50-gun salutes.

Today, designated a national day of mourning in the US, has been described as the biggest state funeral to take place in Washington since John F Kennedy's more than 40 years ago.

As a mark of respect, most government departments and financial markets were closing for the service, which was expected to be watched on television by millions of people across the US.

The funeral is the final public commemoration of Reagan after a week of remembrance.

More than 100,000 people filed past his coffin as it lay at the presidential library in California before being flown to Washington on Wednesday. There, Reagan's body lay in state at the Capitol Rotunda for 34 hours.

The coffin rested on a black velvet-covered catafalque that once bore the casket of President Lincoln, and police said more than 80,000 people had queued, some overnight, to pay their respects.

Among those delivering tributes at today's service were the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, whom Reagan asked to speak years ago.

Mrs Thatcher, who has given up public speaking after suffering a series of small strokes, taped her remarks months ago. In a condolence book, she wrote: "To Ronnie, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant'."

Reagan's widow, Nancy, invited Irish tenor Ronan Tynan to sing Franz Schubert's Ave Maria during the service. The Reagans specified an interfaith service, inviting participants from the Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and other religions.

Reagan's honorary pallbearers are friends from throughout his life: former aides Michael Deaver and Frederick Ryan; entertainer Merv Griffin; his White House physician, John Hutton, and Charles Wick, a former Hollywood producer and ex-head of the US information agency.

However, the casket was carried by body bearers drawn from each of the military services.

People throughout the US found ways to publicly mourn the president's passing. Church bells far and wide rang 40 times in honour of the president. Several state governors called for a moment of silence in their states during the funeral.

Las Vegas casinos planned to dim their lights briefly tonight. In Illinois, where Reagan was born, Governor Rod Blagojevich named a stretch of road after him.

Not since Lyndon Johnson died in 1973 has the US gone through the high pomp and ritual associated with a presidential state funeral. Former president Richard Nixon's family, acting on his wishes, bypassed Washington traditions when he died in 1994.

Among those to pay their respects at the Rotunda yesterday were Dave Siwiec and his wife, Greta, of Freehold, New Jersey, who queued for four hours.

Mr Siwiec said he wrote in a condolence book: "Thank you for relentlessly trying. Thank you for succeeding with grace."