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Thousands bid Reagan farewell
08/06/2004 17:11 - (SA)
Los Angeles - Tens of thousands of Americans paid a personal tribute to former president Ronald Reagan on Tuesday, queueing for hours to file past his coffin ahead of a state funeral.
Reagan's presidential library stayed open all night to cope with the huge queues of people waiting for more than three hours to be able to file past the coffin of the 'Cold War Warrior' of the 1980s.
Traffic jams built up through the night on the Ronald Reagan Freeway from Los Angeles to the library in Simi Valley.
The flag-draped casket will remain on display for an extra five hours to cope with the demand to pay final respects to Reagan who died on Saturday at the age of 93.
More than 70 000 people are expected to see the coffin during the 36 hours it is on display at the library.
The library is to close at 22:00 and anyone not standing in line by 15:00 would be turned away, said library officials.
Sunset burial at the library
"The family is deeply touched by this tremendous outpouring of support and regrets that everyone will not be able to be accommodated," said library executive director R Duke Blackwood.
The coffin is to be taken to Washington on Wednesday to lie in state at the Capitol and for the first state funeral in 31 years on Friday. It will return to California the same day for a sunset burial at the library.
Reagan's widow, Nancy, set the tone for the outpouring of affection for the late leader when she briefly pressed her cheek against the casket after it was carried into the library on Monday.
During the 15-minute service, Nancy Reagan stared down, expressionless, as her daughter, Patti, tightly clutched her hand.
Reagan's longtime minister, the Rev Michael Wenning, praised him as "a great president, a great world leader" who had "reminded us of the great nation we are".
A military honour guard, made up of representatives of all the armed services, mounted a solemn watch at the catafalque as the round-the-clock viewing began.
Public mourners were led by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, like his "hero" and role model Reagan, is a Hollywood star-turned-politician.
Events were to be held across the country ahead of the state funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, where many past and present world leaders are expected to attend.
Risk of a terrorist attack
US authorities are preparing one of the biggest security operations since the September 11 2001, terror attacks for the funeral as world leaders began to confirm their attendance.
With tens of thousands of people expected to be involved, the mourning and services have been declared national special security events because of the risk of a terrorist attack, the Department of Homeland Security said.
All four surviving former US presidents - Bill Clinton, the elder George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford - have paid tribute to Reagan.
- AFP
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