United States President George Bush and his Democratic rival John Kerry cancelled campaign events on Monday as a mark of respect to Ronald Reagan, but that did not stop the former president becoming an election issue.
As a week-long nationwide farewell got under way, the Bush camp quickly sought to assert ownership over the Reagan legacy, converting its campaign website into a memorial featuring Bush’s comments on Reagan’s death and links to the late president’s speeches.
George Bush Sr, Reagan’s vice-president and successor, was brought out to work the morning television shows with eulogies to underline the association. Meanwhile Republican aides dredged up comments by Kerry which were unflattering to Reagan in the 80s.
Democrats retaliated with statements by Bush Sr in 1980, when he ran against Reagan for the Republican nomination.
Commentators were divided whether Reagan’s death would let Bush fight the election as the obvious heir to his conservative, world-changing ideas. Some thought the comparison would hurt Bush, contrasting his fumbling oratorical skillswith those of the Great Communicator.
Others warned that ostentatious attempts to claim Reagan’s mantle could backfire if the Republicans were seen to be exploiting his death.
Bush will certainly feature more prominently than Kerry in the Reagan commemoration events, delivering a speech at his funeral on Friday. Kerry may miss the service, since he is to attend his daughter Alexandra’s graduation in California
The send-off began yesterday in Simi Valley, California, where Reagan’s casket, draped in the stars and stripes, was taken by hearse to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where it will lie in state for two days. Thousands of mourners gathered: families, ardent Reaganites, businessman, a cross-section of the local community. In the first 45 minutes 1 500 mourners passed through the library. From one van in the car park a man played tapes of Reagan’s speeches set to music.
Placed on a platform in the bare, small entrance to the library, the coffin was guarded by a member of each of the US armed services: the marines, the army, the air force, the navy and the coastguard.
”It’s a sad day today,” said Frank Ofekowsky. ”He made a lot of effort for this country, he united the country, he brought it back together again.
”I don’t think we’ll see another president like him.”
His wife Mary added: ”It’s sad, it’s a big loss for this country. We pulled the children out of school today to come and see this. It’s important for them to see the president for one last time.”
Kim Kahana, another local, had a different connection to the former president than most of the other mourners.
”I voted for him and I cooked for him,” he said. ”I was an apprentice at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, where he stayed when he was president, and I had the opportunity to cook for him.
”He always had steak. He was a steak and potatoes man, but no broccoli. He never ate broccoli.
”The secret service used to taste the food. I never met the president, but the secret service guys gave me a box of cigarettes and matches with the presidential seal on them. I’ve never smoked them.” – Guardian Unlimited Â