Do we make too much of a past President death?

[chrisinhouston]

Just a thought... I did, for the most part like President Ford, but reading about all the pomp and circumstance for a former President's funeral made me wonder if we aren't treating them more like a deceased monarch?

He was the President for a short time and came to office almost by accident. He helped make the end of the Vietnam war a reality and for the most part seemed to work in a more bi-partisan way then many of our recent leaders.

The NY Times had an article on the rules and regulations for a Presiential funeral with everything from the speed of the funeral procession to who sits in what order at the service and a whole lot more. I think the flags at half staff for 30 days is fine and laying in state if that was his choice is ok but 6 days of ceremonies around the country seems a bit much to me.

Oh well, CNN and the other networks will love it, they get to cover nothing else for a week now!

[glatt]

I don't think we make too much of it. It's not like it's a common occurrence. Once every 6 years or so, on average?

[Elspode]

For American Patriots (classic variety, not the ultra-Left nor ultra-Right type), POTUS is the highest position to which one can aspire or attain. Viewed in that light, honors are due and properly rendered for one who has served in that position.

Presidents lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. James Brown is going to lie in state at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

All is right with the world.

[piercehawkeye45]

I personally think it is overdone because even if a president is more powerful than other people, he isn't any more important than anyone else, just more well known.

[Griff]

Ford really was the last of the good guys but ever since Lincoln we are never too far from worshiping these grasping bastards as godmen. We need to impeach on a regular basis. I'll take JB at the Apollo.

[busterb]

In a word, yes the media is nuts. CNN just reported that Mrs. Ford greeted the casket at church. As in hello? Then they said had worshiped for 30 years there. How in hell do they know what they were doing at church.

Depends on the president IMO.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Ford didn't want this....not his thing. How is disrespecting his wishes, respecting him? Or is it respecting the office, not the man?
Either way, it's not what he wanted and that's too bad.

[Phil]

what were his wishes?
who went against them?
how much did it cost?
where could the money have been better used?
does anyone actually deserve a funeral like this?

[wolf]

I watched some of tonight's events. It was actually very nice, tasteful, or at least as tasteful as a large scale event can be. The pause of the hearse in front of the WWII Veterans Memorial was nice, as was mounting the Capitol Steps, and the pause in front of the House Chamber. Also, the touch of leaving the doors to the House Chamber open with the Chamber lit as if in business was enough to bring a tear to the eye.

I don't know if "greatness" is a word that can be applied to his presidency, despite the number of times newsreaders said "Helped the nation heal from Watergate," etc. He did that, I think, by being relatively inoffensive in his short time in office. I view the Nixon pardon as a piece of political engineering, which would have occured no matter who was in office at that time.

[skysidhe]

I didn't mind hearing it ONCE.

[DanaC]

I think it's a really good tradition that those who become President retain the title for life and are treated as National heros/figures when they die. Regardless of how much I hate some of your ex (and soon to be ex) presidents, I still think it makes for a good tradition.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I still think it makes for a good tradition.

I hate tradition. Tradition hinders change.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Phil

what were his wishes?
who went against them?
how much did it cost?
where could the money have been better used?
does anyone actually deserve a funeral like this?

He was as genuinely humble a man, as a politician can be. The private services last week are as far as he wished to be honored. The whole dog & pony show in Washington, is about tradition and for the benefit of the office, not for Jerry Ford.

Cost? Who knows, probably enough to finance the invasion of a smallish nation...maybe a Caribbean island.

I never forgave him for pardoning Nixon. I watched the political pundits, that were in Washington at the time, on TV this morning. They seem to agree, it looked like a deal, but wasn't. Guess it's like cops not ticketing cops....don't break the tradition because you might be next.

That said, it galls me that Nixon walked away scot free. Disgrace? BFD! The son of a bitch lived in palatial splendor with the best of everything, at my expense, when he should have been in jail.

Yes Virginia, he was a crook!

[Urbane Guerrilla]

You ask me, the "I can't forgive him for pardoning Nixon" people are too damn hungry for blood, and this does not do them credit. It's partisan, and it's overdone.

While it cost him a second term -- that, and general disgust in the electorate for the behavior of all the inside-the-Beltway set because of Watergate, which was what really let Carter take the election -- it did put the whole nation in that's-over, move-on mode, which was a distinct improvement over the alternative the vengeance-takers call out for.