President Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation extending the usual timeframe for honoring fallen members of Congress.
“As a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding service of Senator John Sidney McCain III, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the UnitedStates of America, that the flag of the UnitedStates shall be flown at half-staff at the WhiteHouse and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the UnitedStates and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment,” Trump said in the proclamation.
Standard honors require only that the flag be held at half-staff for a day and a half following the death of a member of Congress, but Trump’s order extends that timeframe until Sunday, September 2 when McCain is scheduled to be laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetary in Annapolis, Md.
McCain will lie in state at the Arizona State Capitol on Wednesday, which would have marked his 82nd birthday. A viewing will be held for the public from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. PST, but the doors will remain open “as long as there are people in line to file through to see John,” McCain family spokesman Rick Davis said.
McCain will then be taken to the U.S. Capitol Friday where he served for nearly 4 decades. The public may pay their respects from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
McCain is only 13th Senator to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
McCain will then be taken down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Vietnam War Memorial where his family will place a wreath in his honor.
Vice President Mike Pence will attend the U.S. Capitol ceremony. Chief of Staff John Kelly, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and National Security Advisor John Bolton will represent the administration at McCain’s services.
I fundamentally oppose ALL of this as an affront to Americanism, the Constitution of the United States and the very Estate of Honor! There is all kinds of AMERICAN blood on that man’s hands – he could never pass up a “good” ILLEGAL war!
He was a liar, a fire starter, a traitor during wartime conditions, a deceiver oath breaker, a two faced NeoCon and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. You could not be a bigger HYPOCRITE than John S. McCain the 3rd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I share and understand Derrell’s expression of anger. However,…..I take the edge off by thinking of this as a show of respect ….for the office….just as I ask others to do with the office of President.
No, I didn’t like McCain….but I do love the Branches of Government that grow from our Constitutional tree.
So I will not waste time bemoaning his death, I will, instead, feel joy in the fact that we are the United States and have the privileges of speaking out….