Ford state funeral plans revealed

[bigworld]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6213305.stm

A state funeral has been announced for former US President Gerald Ford, who died late on Tuesday aged 93.

The funeral services will begin on Friday in California where he lived and the late president will then lie in state in Washington over the weekend.Mr Ford's body will be interred in a tomb in Michigan on Wednesday.

The main state funeral service for Mr Ford will be in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington on Saturday evening.
His body will then lie in state there for two days before being transferred to a place just outside the Senate chamber.

A funeral service will be held at the National Cathedral before Mr Ford's casket is taken to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to be interred at the Gerald Ford Museum. The US flag is to be flown at half-mast outside the White House and other government and military buildings for the next 30 days.

[mnhtnbb]

1. That takes care of the news for the next week.

[enough already]

2. I won't be able to make it

"Pardon" my absence.

[Virginia Dare]

3. It'll be interesting to see who shows up to grandstand...n/t

[Hardrada]

4. Thatcher, Mulroney, Kissinger, various German ex-chancellors

John Updike (who wrote some novel about the Ford administration)

[daleo]

5. It's a pity Pinochet had to die first

It might have been interesting, had he wanted to pay his respects. Ford backed the Pinochet coup, I believe.

[Zynx]

6. Ford wasn't in power in 1973.

[daleo]

7. No, but he supported the coup when he was in power. n/t

[mopinko]

8. national day of mourning- tuesday

banks and stock exchanges will be closed tuesday.

[MaineDem]

10. Are you sure?

Stock markets will close???

On edit... it appears you're right. But I'm not sure a date has been set yet.

Exchanges could close for a Ford memorial
The Wall Street Journal

US stock markets traditionally have closed on the day of a president's or ex-president's funeral, and the exchanges late on Wednesday were waiting for more details of President Ford's commemorations before announcing plans.

While Wall Street would likely close for a national day of mourning, the timing of any closure was unclear on Wednesday. Public events in Washington will occur December 30 and January 2. New York Stock Exchange spokesman Christiaan Brakman said the exchange was awaiting details from the government before making a statement "regarding trading in the US"

http://www.financialnews-us.com/?page=ushome&contentid=1046861762

[mopinko]

12. this is actually a problem

hubby is in this business, in the tech end of it. they are legally not allowed to close for more than 3 days. (they are always open the day after thanksgiving. even tho they do very little business.)
we don't have an announcement from the exchange yet, but there was an announcement from * that tuesday is the day of mourning. not sure what happens next.

[MaineDem]

13. I read Federal offices will be closed

I wonder if that means the Post Office?

I'm expecting mail on Tuesday that I really need (since Monday is a holiday.) THis is beginning to piss me off.

I don't remember this for other Presidents. Am I having memory loss and they really did shut down the government for previous Presidents?

[tammywammy]

15. There was a day of mourning for Reagan too

I don't remember if there was one for Nixon though.

[DawgHouse]

16. Nixon was April 27, 1994.

I don't think he had a state funeral, though. http://www.leg.state.vt.us/DOCS/1994/ACTS/ACTR154.HTM

[tammywammy]

17. No, he didn't have a state funeral

It was his request not to have one.

LBJ, Reagan and Ford have all requested state funerals.

[skipos]

9. Does every President get a state funeral? How does that get decided? nt

[Stewie]

11. I believe it's up to the family

LBJ's family wanted it, Nixon's didn't, Reagan's did.

[bigworld]

14. Actually, when leaving the office,

every president is asked about future arrangements -- do you want Secret Service protection, what kind of federal service do you want for your funeral, etc. Sort of like an exit interview. But it can, I assume, be modified after leaving office.