Thanks for your compassionate and courteous comments on this thread. They are appreciated. George H.W. Bush was far from my favorite President, but he had many good qualities. The needless rancorous comments on this thread do not compliment those who make them. Too many among us seem to be becoming more like the Democrats in character each day. Thanks for being a bright spot on a dark thread...a point of light.
Ditto!
The relief from the spectacle of the McCain circus was reason enough to simply appreciate the higher-class decorum from which this family sprang. GHWB was not a president I admired particularly, but his love of friends and family was unmistakeable. I appreciated the worship of Christ, as well, and was shocked to see Obama mouthing the words of the Apostle's Creed while President Trump did not; however, these actions on one or both parts may also have been a deliberate illusion.
As for the smarmy Episcopal establishment and dykey priests, at least they all behaved with discretion and there was no special-victim-issue grandstanding like that loon pastor at Prince Harry's wedding slating the Queen over slavery, which England outlawed almost 200 years ago.
The speech by Brian Mulroney was exceptional, certainly including his tribute to the United States as the greatest democracy the world has ever seen—this from the former PM of Canada. How I pray that the U.S.A. survives the current crisis.
It was very good to see photos and video of the rapprochement between the Dubya family and the Trumps the day before at Blair House, with genuine smiles. Laura was very animated, and the men were cordial. This is a good thing.
When the pastor spoke of James Baker's long friendship, and devotion at the end of HW's life, it was very touching to see Baker's wife clasp his hand as he broke down in tears, as did Senator Alan Simpson sitting behind him, whose earlier eulogy about the buddy relationship between the Bushes and the Simpsons was very enjoyable and made everyone laugh heartily a dozen times or more—surely a needed relief. Simpson and Bush41 seemed to be eternal frat boys for one another.
I was also struck by the sense of humor that GHWB possessed and clearly transmitted to his family members. He certainly instilled great confidence in his descendants by teaching them to understand that failures are a part of life, but to keep going and not wallow in uncertainty. That kind of forgiveness and encouragement was the wind beneath the wings of his dorky sons, who with a harsh father would not have achieved what they did.
This funeral has given me a lot to think about.