J. Strom Thurmond Laid to Rest [Live Broadcast-1PM EDT ]

The State of South Carolina- Official Funeral Program ^ | July 1, 2003 | Rev. Fred Andrea

[ewing]

Potential Presidential Candidate Joe Biden (D-Delaware) who served for 20 years on his Senate committee will deliver a eulogy and Vice President Dick Cheney will speak as well.

[ewing]

On all networks, I assume..

[smith288]

Keep Lott FAR away from any mic. :P

[ewing]

Strom would have appreciated Biden gradstanding in front of the cameras getting some attention for a possible 2004 Presidential bid..

[ken5050]

When President Reagan finally leaves us, the thought of Bill and Hillary grandstanding at that funeral makes me ill...

[ewing]

Hillary and her husband should not be allowed in the same time zone when Roaldus Maximus passes on.. (alhough tradition probably would say other wise)

[Moose4]

Good morning!

I am sitting in my cubicle at work across the streetcorner from the First Baptist Church in Columbia, SC, where the funeral will be held.

The streets here have been blocked since 8:30 am. The Secret Service is very much in evidence, of course, since Vice-President Cheney will be here. There are at least a hundred or more people already standing in a light drizzle, waiting to pass through the security tents and metal detectors to walk into the church.

Of course, the area is thick with cameramen and news trucks, including three huge satellite trucks. Everybody in the area of the church is basically stuck in our buildings until mid-afternoon when the service lets out.

I'll check back in as things happen--although those of you watching it on TV will get a far better view than I will trapped in my nasty little cubicle at work!

}:-)4

[Moose4]

By the way--Senator Thurmond's casket will be removed from the State House at noon, loaded onto a horse-drawn caisson, and brought the five blocks from the State House to the church. I saw the honor guard actually practicing carrying a casket up the church's front steps yesterday.

}:-)4

[ewing]

VP Cheney is scheduled to speak at 1:15 EDT I believe..

[ewing]

Too bad, cant they let you guys have lunch a little late to watch the procession?

[Moose4]

Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't mind, and I may go down if the rain lets up. But I doubt the rain will stop--we're getting the outer edges of what's left of Tropical Storm Bill here, and are supposed to get rain all today through tomorrow. So I may stay inside where it's dry and watch the caisson when it pulls up outside the church.

People are steadily filtering through the security checkpoints now. The sanctuary at First Baptist holds over 3,000 (3,300, I think), and I'm sure they'll fill it.

Security is very tight. The parking garage across from the church has been closed. Columbia police, State Law Enforcement Division agents, and Secret Service are all over the place. Newsmen are setting up below my window to do their stand-ups. Wish I had a big freerepublic.com sign to put in the window! :)

}:-)4

[ewing]

Keep us updated, especially when VP Cheney rolls in!

[small_l_libertarian]

Just dropped by the thread to pay my respects and say a last goodbye to Strom. What a character he was. I can't think of any among the current crop of Senate-critters who could even hope to fill his shoes.

I was thinking the other day of all the events that he witnessed over the past century - he truly lived in interesting times.

I love the photo of Strom with the two pretty girls - I bet he's chasing Marilyn Monroe around a desk somewhere in Heaven right now.

So, goodbye, Senator. You'll be missed, and I'm sure we'll never have another one like you.

[PhiKapMom]

Sen Biden is the DemocRAT Senator that offered to go home when Strom was feeling ill so there would be no advantage to the DemocRATs and Hillary hit the roof!

Personally don't like Biden's ideology but I will always remember that he stepped forward for Strom!

[Carolinamom]

In all the tributes to Thurmond I have yet to see that famous picture of him in Life Magazine standing on his head! Does anyone here have that picture or could find it?

[Moose4]

This one?

}:-)4

[Carolinamom]

I haven't seen the one you posted.....I meant the one in Life Magazine w/him in a business suit and in his office. Thanks for this one though!

[ewing]

Wasnt Hillary trying to exhaust Strom after a long day on the floor?

[Moose4]

I doubt we'll see Cheney. When Rep. Floyd Spence died a couple years ago and Cheney came to that funeral at the same church, he was whisked in the back way. We saw his motorcade, but couldn't pick out which vehicle he was in.

The crowd's mostly inside now, the only things to see are a solid row of newspeople and cameras across the street from the front of the church. Supposedly, one of our resident slightly unhinged anti-abortion protestors is down on the corner that our building sits on, with pictures of dismembered fetuses, so I'm told. I can't see him from here if indeed he's down there.

}:-)4

[ewing]

[Moose4]

Is this being shown nationally anywhere else? All I've got now is audio from the local NBC affiliate (WIS). They are now bringing him out of the State House and preparing to put him on the caisson for the trip down Sumter Street to the church.

}:-)4