For John McCain, a cross-country funeral procession is in the works
Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, who blocked McCain’s own White House ambitions, are among those expected to speak at McCain’s funeral
Two former presidents are expected to speak at US Senator John McCain’s service and he will lie in state in both Washington and Arizona as part of a cross-country funeral procession ending with his burial at the US Naval Academy, according to plans taking shape on Sunday.
McCain had long feuded with President Donald Trump, and two White House officials said McCain’s family had asked, before the senator’s death, that Trump not attend the funeral services.
Vice-president Mike Pence is likely to attend, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private discussions.
A day after McCain died of brain cancer at 81, his family, friends and congressional and state leaders were working out details of the farewell to the decorated Vietnam war hero, prisoner of war and six-term senator.
His office website said McCain will lie in state and have funeral services in Arizona on Wednesday and Thursday. The procession will then head to Washington, where McCain will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
There will then be a procession past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and a funeral service at Washington National Cathedral. A private funeral is planned at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.