Washington is bidding its final farewell to George HW Bush in a service of prayer and praise that is drawing together world envoys, Americans of high office and a guy from Maine who used to fix things in Mr Bush’s house on the water. A viewing for the 41st president at the hushed Capitol Rotunda closed on Wednesday morning, and his coffin was carried to Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral. The four living ex-presidents – Jimmy Carter, Mr Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama – are due at the service, and Bush Jnr will eulogise his father. Also expected in the invitation-only crowd is Mike Lovejoy, an electrician and fix-it man who has worked at Mr Bush’s Maine summer estate since 1990 and says he was shocked and heartened to be asked to come. Sully the dog (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)Mr Bush’s service dog Sully was taken to the coffin viewing — his main service in the months since Mrs Bush’s death in April being to rest his head on her husband’s lap.

Source: Irish Independent December 05, 2018 14:34 UTC