Politisi Terkemuka AS Hadiri Pemakaman Mantan Presiden AS Bush Senior
America`s Farewell to George HW Bush: Joe Biden, Colin Powell, and Dick Cheney are among VIP Guests
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
GEORGE HW BUSH pernah khawatir bahwa pemakamannya akan menjadi peristiwa biasa, kekhawatiran yang terbukti tidak berdasar pada Rabu, ketika ribuan orang berbaris untuk mengucapkan ´selamat jalan´ tinggal kepada Presiden Amerika Serikat ke 41.
Al Gore, Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, dan Rudy Giuliani berada di antara para politisi terkemuka yang menghadiri upacara pemakaman Bush - yang akan dihadiri oleh seluruh mantan presiden yang masih hidup dan puluhan pemimpin dunia.
Mendiang Bush senior akan menerima perpisahan nasional di Washington National Cathedral pada Rabu waktu setempat setelah tiga hari masa berkabung oleh para pejabat dan warga biasa.
Ketika tamu berjalan masuk ke gedung katedral, keluarga Bush berkumpul di depan Capitol AS, di mana jenazah Bush Senior disemayamkan di rotunda selama tiga hari.
Keluarga berdiri dalam antrean ketika peti jenazah Bush Senior dipimpin oleh Prajurit Kehormatan Angkatan Udara AS.
George W Bush tampak emosional dan tak mampu menahan air mata kesedihan ketika menyaksikan jasad ayahnya menuruni tangga dan dimuat ke dalam mobil jenazah kepresidenan.
Keluarga Bush akan tiba dengan peti mati dalam iring-iringan mobil yang akan berakhir di katedral tepat sebelum pemakaman dimulai seperti dilansir MailOnline.
GEORGE HW BUSH once worried that his funeral would be a non-event, a fear that proved unfounded on Wednesday as thousands lined up to say goodbye to the 41st president of the United States.
Al Gore, Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, and Rudy Giuliani were among the first political heavyweights to arrive for Bush´s funeral - which will be attended by all four living presidents and dozens of world leaders.
Peyton Manning, who paid his respects to Bush´s casket in the Capitol Rotunda earlier this week, was also seen walking into the ceremony.
Bush will receive a national farewell at Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday following three days of remembrance by dignitaries and ordinary citizens.
As guests streamed into the cathedral, the Bush family gathered at the front of the US Capitol, where Bush´s body has been lying in state in the rotunda for three days.
The family stood in a line as Bush Senior´s casket was led out by the US Air Force Honor Guard.
George W Bush was clearly emotional and appeared to be holding back tears as he watched his father´s body taken down the steps and loaded into the presidential hearse.
The Bush family will arrive with the casket in a motorcade that will end at the cathedral just before the funeral is set to begin.
