thank you for watching. of course cbs will have continuing coverage of george h.w.'s funeral today. >> have a great day everyone. ♪ s in a cbs news special report. i'm norah o'donnell with john dickerson and gayle king and cbs news contributor bob scheaffer. we are here in washington with thousands of other americans to witness this morning's state funeral for president george herbert walker bush. it will be a funeral befitting a warero. the 41st president died at the

age of 94 at his houston home. and the bush family is leaving the blair house across from the white house. being led by the former president's oldest son. president george w. bush and his wife laura has been staying at the blair house. >> they are headed from the blair house to the u.s. capitol for a depart yur ceremony where the late president lay in state more than 36 hours. a long line of well wishers the whole time came to pay final respects to his life. he will be honored with a 21-gun salute. they will then enter the national cathedral, 20 minutes from the kpop. the funeral is expected to begin at 11:00 eastern time just under an hour from now. more than 3,000 guests invited including president trump and the first lady, along with all four living former presidents. >> following the service the bushes willase

drews there will be a short ceremony honoring the former president. then they will fly to jant reserve air base in houston aboard one of the planes used air force one. it will be mr. bush's final journey to his hometown. >> and there you see one of the motorcades heading from the capitol, looks like back down to washington where the national cathedral is. and there you see jared kushner and ivanka trump attending. many dignitiaries there. there have been a steady stream of mourners entering all morning. and bianna golodryga is there with cbs news anchor jeff glor. >> we have been watching the buses pull up throughout the morning. it's very the bush family. everything prompt and on time. in service is scheduled to begin in a about an hour.

the 12th state funer for a president. there will be four speakers giving eulogiys today including his oldest son. we will hear from the presidential historian jon meacham who spent four years working on his biography. alan simpson has been friends with the family since the 'sixth. and brian mulroney was in office while mr. bush was in office and they used to fish together. >> as we mentioned there are 3,200 people attending the service. capacity inside the national cathedral is supposed to be 3,000. so it will be packed. we have seen longtime establishment figures like dig cheney, defense secretary during mr. bush's presidency and other members of his dplrgs including colinoe biden and his wife.

arriving a short time ago. we have seen non-political figures as well. including peyton manning, the great peyton manning. new england patriots owner bob craft is here. there are dignitiary. prince charles, king abdullah of jordan appear angela merkel who was working in the east german government when mr. bush was president. a merkel spokesperson tweet add photo of her with mr. bush in the oval office when they first met in 1991. look at that. >> yes. >> i just spoke to the secret service. it was interesting. they said they'd been working obviously around 24/7 to coordinate this. but they were getting calls up until yesterday from leaders and dignitiaries saying we want to come and they have to coordinate that. >> it's a high class program that you have a lot of friends to come and bid you farewell. >> it is. and they said they accommodated everyone they were able to here.

the day here in washington is -- well, in contrast to two days ago when the casket arrived when it was unseasonably warm and sunny. it's seasonably cool and cloudy today. but it's impressive to watch the long line much mourners here. it's a moment. >> it is. you think about the photo of angela merkel there with the president. last week she said that the former president george h. w. bush was the father of a reunified germany, the real impact he had on a floebl stage. let's go to nancy who is at the capitol waiting for the funeral service to get underway. >> good morning. over one shoulder you see the navy band has now moved into position over our other shoulder the hearse carrying president george h. w. bush here from the capitol to the national cathedral. and a large fleet of black cars, a motorcade has just pulled up. the extended members of the bush

family now getting out. they will flank the hearse as the casket of the 41st president is carried down the steps here at the east front of the navy capitol. the navy band will play "hail to the chief," a 21-gun salute and members of the joint chiefs of staff will serve has an honor guard. really fitting. and two days of honors we have seen at the u.s. capitol. thousands of people streaming through the capitol rotunda to pay respects, very silently waiting, sometimes three to four hours to get in to witness a little piece of history. norah. >> all right. nancy thank you so much. as soon as the ceremony begins we will go back to you there on capitol hill. i want to also mention that president trump and first lady melania trump will leave the white house soon to attend president bush's funeral. the president tweeted this morning this is not a funeral,

this is a day of celebration for a great man who has led a long and distinguished life. he will be missed. weijia jiang is at the white house. good morning stwroo. >> good morning abnorah and everybody. we expect president trump and mrs. trump to leave here any minute now but they have already spent time with the bush family, visiting yesterday at the blair house across pennsylvania avenue. they got a warm greeting from former president george w. bush and former first lady laura, who also mentioned on instagram gratitude for mrs. trump for earlier welcoming the sbar family to the white house and looking at the christmas decorations. they certainly exchanged the warmth. and earlier this week the president and mrs. trump went to the capitol to pay their respects to president bush as hely in state, really from the moment president trump learned of mr. bush's passing he has shone great deference and nothing but, promptly cancelling

a press conference. picking up the phone to call sons and putting aside what has been a contentious relationship with the bush family. but it's actually mrs. trump who started that youing that over the summer when she attended the funeral for foreman first lady barbara bush and told her husband how gracious the bush family was. so they put aside any conflicts they have to really truly respect what is happening today for the entire country. norah. >> all right all right. weijia, thank you. we look back inside the national cathedral. you just saw jimmy carter, as well as former vice president al gore. this is going to be quite a state funeral here today as this is all five living presidents will be there together, many who have served this country for decades in their own right to pay tribute to the 41st president. this is actually going to be the first time since lyndon johnson's death in 1973 a

president president was not tapped to eulogize a late president. we will not hear president trump speaked to. bob scheaffer is here and even though many members of the trump family are there and the bushes invited them this has been in the works a while, it is an unusual relationship. >> it is. and can underlines how unusual it has been when president george h. w. bush shook hands yesterday with donald trump, it was actually the first time that the two men had ever met, the first they had ever shaken hands. >> this picture we see right now you see li say they never met before. >> they never met up until this time. and of course president bush went to donald trump's inauguration. but they didn't cross paths there. >> extraordinary. >> and look, this is an evolution we are going through this process bit by bit. and the bush family wanted george w. bush to deliver the

eulogy. probably not going to be a dry eye across the country when it's done. but not having president trump speak is prioritizing the president's son. let's remind ourselves that jeb bush and the bush family represented the establishment that donald trump challenge. its approach to politics and republican party and agenda items and the bush family did not react well to the way that donald trump talked about jeb bush. those things are hard to overcome in politics. but as moments like that as bob scheaffer and everyone here knows, the institutional strength of the country takes precedents over what sometimes fee feels like petty political difference. we see that minute by minute, hour by hour today. >> that's the reason this summer, early in the summer the bush people got in contact with the trump people and said there will be no slams, there will be

nothing derogatory about president trump. >> we all need to prepare in. >> we need to remember george h. w. bush. >> we need to prepare for this. let's prepare and structure ourselves and deportment in the way the nation can take cues. >> it's a god example for the nation. because it was so contentious during the campaign, petty, mean, unkind. and they can set that aside and say listen, let's come together. it sends a powerful message. i hope many people listen. >> it's also the right thing to do. >> it is. but you know bob quite often people don't do the right thing these days. that's why this is so important to see. >> speak no ill of the dead is kind of the basic thing you do as a human being. and in this case it has obviously a national implication. >> there is not only political royalty that is arriving at the cathedral but also kings and queens and members in their own

right. we just saw the king of jordan, king abdullah as well as his wife. there you see prince charles there. and he is traveling in place of his mother, the queen. and we should note that president bush and the queen did have a special bond. in fact, the queen was the first monarch to visit texas in 1991. and she put out a statement saying she was sending her best wishes that she thought of them with great fondness, that he was a patriot who served his country with honor and distinction. >> and all the dignitiaries trace us back to the george herbert walker bush. which was to have long relationships, the constant tending of connections he had, big and small, that testified to this huge group. >> and we want to show you now what is the east front of the capitol. and the hearse that will carry our 41st president through

washington to the national cathedral. and this entire ritual has been planned with military precision, down to the second. it is a funeral befitting a war hero, our commander in chief. this is a military operation. every second plans. >> when you talk about the timing when condoleezza rice was here earlier she said the thing that bothered him is when you were not late and not on time. it should be no surprise that on the day of his funeral is goes like clockwork. >> traditional traditionally however a former president's body is transported from the base of the capitol in a flag drapedhaseen that. n image oald reagan.

george h. w. bush said no. he wants a motorcade. >> let me describe some of the things just out of eye shot but notable nonetheless. the members of congressional leadership, mitch mcconnell, nancy pelosi, paul ryan, all gathered here on the east front of the capitol plaza with spouses to await the arrival of more members of the bush family. and to stand in honor as the casket is carried down the capitol steps. off to our left, hundreds of congressional staffers have gathered where they are allowed to stand. most of them were still toddlers when george h. w. bush was president. but here to pay their respects as well on the occasion of his passing. and then behind us what appear to be thousands of people, members of the public who have just gathered near the capitol visitors center in front of the where they can to catch a

glimpse of this historic moment. and it was really interesting to watch last night as more and more people gathered it was 35 degrees outside. but we saw larger crowds than we had in the past day and a half as we had seen the pictures on television of everyday americans walking through the capitol rotunda. and they wanted a chance to say goodbye as well. we met democrats, republicans, young, old, someone from boston, someone from san francisco who made the journey, a woman who came with her granddaughter. veterans, people with disabilities who were grateful that president george h. w. bush had signed into law the americans with disability's act. sairl from the uss george h. w. bush here. really a remarkable cross section of american life. people who never met him, people who met him once or with

him for decades, norah. >> nancy cortes, thank you. as we see there many members of the military and also as requested, by the president, he has asked that the honorary pal bearers be navy captains and officers from the uss george h. w. bush strike group. >> it's interesting you get to plan your funeral. >> one of the prerogatives. >> one of the prerogatives you get to plan who you want to be there and who they speak and what they do. >> nancy membered the congressional staffers. in washington word circulates widely and lasts a long time about how a political figure treats those around them, how they treat staff. we had a piece on evening news last night. december of 992 as george herbert walk are bush is leaving the white house for his staff, demoralized in defeat he brings

dana carvy to entertain and lift their spirits to show how much he appreciated all they did for him. that service creates a memory and it comes around and people honor it. >> i heard another great story when a spouse of a aide was ill. he would say i'm going home so the aide could tend to his which have. after they left he went back to work. he wanted to let people know your family is important. i'm okay and you can go. he was just so thoughtful. >> you know, another thing, he was very careful, as was gerald ford, to always make sure on christmas eve that he would make it so that the secret service could stand down a little bit. the reporters- dsh they would put a lid on everything. he was very respectful of people's families. and he wanted them. >> and his family was obviously -- >> yes. >> -- was something of great pride. >> and here we see his family arriving at the capitol.

>> if you think about -- look at that. obviously historians will debate his legacy for decades. but that's the one thing that everyone will be able to agree on, was that it was his commitment not only to civility like we discussed but his family and service. and the family that followed him into public service. i know that barbara bush said one things she was most proud of was that their children, grand children, great grandchildren all share in the same commitment to public service. the legacy when you think about that, legacy as president but his legacy lives on as well through his children sfl that is one of his daughters, doro bush and her husband, neil bush. and his wife maria. barbara bush and george h. w. bush had six children. robin died at the age of 3 of leukemia. and we have seen that cartoon that hopefully they have been all reunited in hefen >> 16 grandchildren.

8 great grandchildren. >> when it came to legacy he said his greatest legacy -- >> there is jeb. >> yes. >> was this his kids came home to see him. he said his greatest achievement was marrying barbara bush -- or barbara pierce. >> right. >> the longest marriage in presidential history. 73 years. talk about -- there is james baker. his best friend who i get choked up thinking about rubbing his feet at the very final moments. they met. >> right up to the end. >> they met upon a tennis court. he was looking for a tennis double partner and that bond lasted a lifetime you know them both well. >> the reason jim baker wound up in washington is george bush got him to come to washington to help him get over the death of his first waive. he said come up here i'll put you to work. you won't have time to think so much about it. that's how it happened. >> and there is the 43rd

president, president george w. bush and the extended family there. they're there and this is a solemn part of the ceremony, the movement of the president's casket. the last time from the u.s. capitol. that's major general howard there with the hat on. he is in charge of in whole thing. it is 4,000 people involved in planning all the movements of this. incredible service to the former president. and like i said earlier, it's a funeral befitting a war hero. everything planned to the second. >> and we keep coming back to this. but here you have one president watching the ceremonies for his father, of course but for another president. i mean, this is -- this has never happened in american history what we are watching right now to see the 43rd president ushering out the 41st. >> and then to have the son eulogize the father. i can only imagine what

president george w. bush must be thinking. it was a very touching scene yesterday when the casket came, was carried by george bush. >> it was a very difficult day. >> you could see it. >> when george w. bush, you could see it in his face. tears coming down his face. >> let's pause now to listen.

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[ playing "hail to the chief" ] ♪

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and we have just witnessed full of roughles and flouritious, "hail to thehe ch 21-"gun saluiete af,s we watch the 41st president's

casket carried down the steps of the capitol. >> norah, you could hear a pin drop as the family gets in their vehicles to follow behind the hearse. how touching to see the 43rd of the of the united states, george w. bush salute his father's casket as it was loaded into the hearse. it's important to remember how rare what we witnessed really is. he is only the 32nd person to lie in state here at the u.s. capitol in american history. the 11th president. the last gerald ford, back in 2007. what we witnessed is part of history. >> an incredible part of history. you were right to point it out. and a glimpse of first lady laura b

presidential limo with looking at the anne. once you inaugurate a new president, a helicopter takes you away from washington the last time. >> for many years in our country the east front is where the inauguration ceremony occurred. but for president reagan for whom george h. w. bush was a vice president. he was on the western side. he wanted to look out on the people, the person part, rather than the supreme court. the ceremonyual part of the plafrm remains. >> he knew it was a better picture. >> really. >> i do like how nancy pointed out what we witnessed was rare and unusual. i'm thinking about george w. bush because not only as a son but as a president. for him it's professional but also personal. to know the last words spoken

were between father and son when he said you have been a great father and i love you. his dad's final words were i love you too. i can't imagine how powerful that exchange was. it gives me goose bumps when i think about it. and how important family is. we can travel go to wonderful places and meet wonderful people. but at the end of the day all that truly truly matters is your family to be loved and to love them back in return. >> and that's why i think when we think about the services and the grand eur and the world leaders, this is a president saying goodbye to a former president. but he is a son saying goodbye to his father. and the emotions of remembering the childhood memories, the first time -- >> right. >> throwing a baseball. he is saying goodbye to his father. that's a universal thing that, you know, every son, every daughter, it's terribly difficult. >> the bush's both father and

son didn't like to be as they say put on the couch. >> not at all. >> they thought the presidency was an office where you left all that emotion aside. and yet this will be the most emotional probably speech that president bush has had to give. second gates told the story about george h. w. bush racing through a speech because he was so worried about getting too emotional. it's hard to eulogize a father. >> and the 41st president said after the fall of berlin wall. he said i'm not an emotional guy. >> holding the heart sign there. >> he gets very emotional. and in fact president george h. w. bush's daughter says he is trying to make sure he doesn't cry. today is a national day of mourning. the federal government is closed. we will see many people lining constitution avenue as the

hearse drives by. >> as we see the hearse leaving the capitol, to your point, jon meacham, the president's bioographer. said in private george herbert walker bush would weep if there was dew on the ground. at at couple invites funeral. george h. w. bush was so overcome he had to hand off the eulogiy because he lost his friend. >> and there in the front row, the front pew, the presidential row, where we see our living presidents, all there except for i believe george w. bush who chose to sit with his family. barack obama, first lady michelle obama. the clintons and then the trumps and carters all on that row.

bianna golodryga and jeff glor are just outside the capitol. and tell us who we hear from in the eulogiys inside. >> you know we will be hearing from the family reverend, russell levinson junior. the family reverend from houston who has been with the family for ten years. and that really is what this is about. it's about family and it's fitting that you just said george w. bush is going to be sitting with his family, not with the former presidents. so much time is spent on the famous family members right, the famous children, president george w. bush and governor jeb bush. there were many other children and family members this president was close with. neil bush lived next door with his wife maria, relatively new to the family. they quickly took her in. i can tell you they visited both barbara and george h. w. bush on a daily basis, really taking care of them. we are hearing from the irish

tenor ronan tinan pch he was a double amputee. he was with him there he passed away in his final moments. singing his favorite song, silent night. and he was mouthing the words to silent night in the final moments. we will hear him deliver the lord's prayer. we will hear from lauren bush lauren, sat down with norah yesterday and her sister ashley walker bush and jenna bush hager will be readers >> we expect president trump to arrive here soon. jeb bush was asked about recently why isn't the current president delivering the eulogy. he said george h. w. bush's son was president. it makes sense he is delivering the eulogy. and also sitting with the family today again as we await the arrival of the current president. but you just saw that -- the

lain -- this will be the first time all these former presidents have been together since the trump inauguration in 2017. we watched president obama sitting there, who of course awarded president george h. w. bush the presidential medal of freedom in 2011. and president obama visited the former president just days -- just days before he passed. i've also been struck by these -- the old photo we saw, the tweet we saw of angela merkel, the outgoing leader of germany, who had that relationship with george h. w. bush that goes back -- and i was struck -- what she said at the g20 was basically i won be standing here and in the position i'm in in this world if it wasn't for his policies. if it wasn't for what george h. w. bush did, and his shepherding and stewardship of the end of the cold war. beca ausy tshe

angela merkel was working for east germany. and not long after that german. >> there won't be enough time in the day if we got close from every world leader and dignitiary who president george h. w. bush worked with, helped change the world with really in an understated way which was with his character. as for what we can expect to see inside the officiating clergy with the reverend russell levinson jr. randolph marshall. holriktp. reverend canon rosemary duncan. then we hear tributes from jon meacham, the close family friend and his historian and author who wrote the bioography of george h. w. bush. we are hearing from the former ime minierf canada.

as well as a senator from wyoming, alan simpson longtime family friend fwak to the '60s. and then hearing from george w. bush. we take it now to jeff who is along the parade route. it is a federal holiday. one of the reasons you see so many people paying tribute, including the police officers as they drive by now. jeff? >> and here comes the procession. there are thousands of people lining this route along pennsylvania avenue, we're at 3th and pennsylvania right across from the reagan building. of course president bush was ronald reagan's vice president for eight years. lffer wg thisthousands of peopl esomegh.e b of the weather. this is cold by washington standards. but they are here to see

historypy talked to a woman from south carolina here with her husband on on a business trip. and she is among the crowd here paying respects. this is how america today is saying goodbye to president bush. norah. >> jeff, thank you. and as the presidential motorcade makes its way we see our former presidents, all five living presidents inside the cathedral. you see president obama, who actually visited president george h. w. bush on november 27th in houston. that was just three days before our 41st president passed away. and if you've looked at some of the reporting and what we have heard from presidential spokesman jim mcgrath. president george h. w. bush was very sick then in the final days. he was not getting out of bed. >> president obama basically dropped everything to get down there. >> um-hum. >> and when he gave him the presidential medal of freedom at the time he said his life is a

testament that public service a noble calling. a good reminder >> good to see jimmy carter and rosalind carter. and rosalind has been in somewhat ill health. and jimmy carter survived mella noma the. and the presidential row. dan kwal over president obama's shorld and lynn cheney over hillary clinton's shoulder. i think that's joe biden. >> you know, bianna and jeff were talking about angela merkel and president george herbert walker's stewardship over the cold war. look at the '92 state of the union address where president bush is trying to put in context this moment. and he says this. much good can come from the prudent use of power. and much good come from this.

a world divided recognizes one soul repremment power the united states of america. the world trusts us with power appear and the world is right tp. they trust us to be fair and restrained. they trust us to be on the side of decency. that was the president trying to put that moment in context, not just for the country, also seeking re-election but put the moment of the end of the cold war and america's role and in the future in context. >> you see now the hearse carrying the coffin of the president george h. w. bush passing by the white house where he served eight years as president and four years as president of the united states. down pennsylvania avenue. >> and, again, where he visited his son on the day of his son's inauguration. there is that famous picture of mr. president, mr. president when they greeted each other in the oval office. >> norah, you had a wonderful

interview with w. he talked about what he learned from his father. would you share that again. i love what he said about what his father taught him. >> you know, george w. bush is not often known for being reflective. but he was quite reflective in our conversation. and saying that my father taught me it was not a mission about george h. w. bush, the presidency. it was the -- the office was more important than the man. and anyone who takes that office is bound and must -- dutybound to strengthen the institution of the presidency. there is a larger purpose in the service of the nation when you occupy the oval office. and he was quite -- quite clear about that. that was something his father embeaued in him. >> so perfect to hear that as they were driving by the white house. i thought that was a powerful statement from one president to another. >> he revered his father.

the worst thing that could happen to you if you were george w. bush is if you disappointed for father. he was afraid of his mother. he said that. and he said that with love. but she was the one that ruled the roost. she made the rules and that. but their dad -- they just didn't want to disappoint him. >> he told a verychingtory after he had to deliver a speech, w. did, after 9/11. and he delivered the speech. it was an emotional time. you look at the video you see clearly how after he spoke his dad reached over and touched his hand ever spo slightly. and he said that gesture meant the world to him. because he was saying you did a god job, son. >> think about that, one of the last times they were together in the national cathedral, comforting one another. on september 14th, 2001, days after the 9/11 attacks. they are together there. this is the outside of the national cathedral, the members

of the military, officers have gathered to bring the 41st president inside to the national cathedral. there will be a number of eulogiys delivered from mien mulroney and former senator alan simpson, republican of wyoming. they first met in the 1960s. and in fact alan simpson sold his house to george h. w. bush and they said they did it over a handshake. he was asked to eulogize the president in 2012. that long ago. >> a lot of planning. >> he was very sick, in an intensive care unit. when you are in the 90s you have episodes. you get sick. it happens. this has been a long-term assignment for alan simpson. but we are looking forward to a speech from alan simpson. >> he is one of the funniest people in washington. >> is he. >> absolutely. >> and the bush family likes to crack wise.

we heard that about george herbert walker bush. if there is a moment that a crack gets offered to break the tension. can you expect alan simpson will deliver it. >> but alan simpson said he was working with his wife talking about experiences. he cried during that time. he wanted to get all the tears out of his system so he will not cry delivering the speech. it'sing from. >> does it work that way. >> sometimes, you can read it but when you talk it out loud and reflect about someone you love very much, it's difficult. >> and you're in that moment, yeah. >> each of these former presidents and former first ladies in the front row served in difficult times. and they also must be thinking about their own legacies in office. bob. and their own mortality, especially if you are advanced age you think am i the next? um-hum. >> it's a human thing.

>> but what a remarkable life though. you're 94. and when it'sr time you die surrounded by people you love. i touched by the dog sully who we saw sitting outside the flag draped casket. at pierce told you about the final moments, you die surrounded by people you love and had been a pretty healthiy life for the most part. it's a beautiful ending i think. >> we see former president bill clinton at the center of the screen there. he and the man he defeated george herbert walker bush have this fascinating post campaign relationship. bill clinton -- mrs. bush, barbara said that for bill clinton, george herbert walker bush was the father he never really had, that is again one of the themes of the day, is that politics has its own lane. it's ugly and tough. and george herbert walker bush was involved in tough campaigns. yet the relationship dwru sred

of having been presidents. so this is a particular -- of all the presidents there, bill clinton had a particular relationship with george herbert walker bush. >> i don't believe we have seen yet there -- there is president trump and first lady melania trump entering at 10:48. the ceremony about to begin in about 10 minutes from now. >> they are the last to arrive before the family. and the 41st president. jon meacham who will eulogize the president tonight -- today, i should say, asked president bush how he wanted to be remembered. and meacham said he didn't pause. and he avoided as ever the first person pronoun which his mother used to call the great i am and applied that we put the country first.

president trump shaking the hands of the obamas, the clintons did not acknowledge president trump. did not even look over. >> um-hum. >> that is a very interesting moment to see the trumps and the obamas sitting there together. but president trump has been a very harsh critic of barack obama personally and of the obama administration. that was very interesting to see that handshake. and inic mobamandsident t. >> and yet when they first met right after the election, in the oval office, those of us who were there remember seeing a different donald trump. and maybe just for that very

moment, the one day in the oval office the first time as president elect, feeling and looking a bit off balance. this was now real. and the conversation he had with president obama covered a lot of ground. and those who i talked to close to president trump regarded that in many ways as wise counsel, helpful counsel, respectful counsel. they do clash there is not a deep personal bond but president to president, the interaction was helpful and regarded as the beginnings of some kind of relationship one president to another. >> or so we thought. >> the next president. right. you know, the ex-president's club is -- it's about as exclusive a club as you can have. there are not a lot of people you can turn to when you're president. and president trump, i believe saidt tal to idince thein that' changed. y know, president obama on his inaugural day said

to president bush and said i want to call you because you are the only other person who knows what this is like. he said i'll call. >> it's a historical truth that jimmy carter has been an outsider in the presidential club. ee strangd from those who succeeded in office. not part of the dynamic conversations interactions president to president. >> when we spoke with president barack obama for ""60 minutes," he remembered george h. w. bush he said he was a good reminder that as fiercely as we fight on policy and issues, that ultimately we are americans first. and that kind of attitude is something that i think a lot of people miss. americans first. and yet i still think there is a bit of tension in that front row.

>> well, it was interesting no interaction at all with the clintons. it could be because of the location of the seats too could have made itery difficult. i think when the trumps extended their hand i think you don't have any choice, i believe oerp to say hello. it will be interesting. i don't expect -- you know whenever you would say michelle obama and george w. bush sitting next to each other. they have something special. you could a see them whispering and needling each other. and clearly great affection. i don't expect we will see much interaction between the trumps and obamas. before the trumps entered the room the clintons and obamas were engaged as the carters. i know we are getting close to the beginning of the service but i don't expect to see much interaction between them. >> remember still fresh in their mind is the loss of the matriarch of the bush family. it's been a season of reflection

for the bush family. as we await the family of president george h. w. bush. the entire family coming from the u.s. capitol. well to return to jeff glor and bianna golodryga outside the cathedral. jeff and bianna. >> so right to mention the matriarch of the bush family, what a tough year, the loss of barbara in april of this year and a few months later folded by her husband. she revered and feared. one thing george w. bush did when he became president. he gave him reverence. and there was the moment where w came back to visit his parents and he put his coffee table. and barbara said take your feet

off the table. george said he he is the cht united states of the united states you can't talk to him. >> and she said my son. you can see the tension you were noting. george w. has a special gift of breaking tension. you remember when he passed michelle obama a piece of candy. >> relieving the tension. >> and you saw the wide shot in front of the national cathedral. it's what we are talking about, this building as well, this glorious building hosted three previous state funerals, eisenhower, reagan and ford. woodrow wilson is entombed here even though his funeral wasn't held here. it's an extraordinary sight to see both from the outside and the inside and especially with what is. >> you can see on wisconsin

avenue -- we can see but the viewers at home can hear the sound of the motorcade approaching with the hearse. there you see they are just about to turn the corner and pull into the cathedral. you know, as many times as something like this can be planned for a man who was near death quite a few times the past few years, still difficult for the family and the five children to see this day approach. and you have marvin and neil and jeb, and doro and of course george w. bush here to honor their father, all of them now have lost both parents within a matter of a few months. >> i'll never forget the look on george w. bush's face on monday when the casket arrived in the capitol. as we see the police vehicles now pulling then far behind that the hearse carrying the casket of our 41st

president. >> and you think of jenna bush, our colleague at nbc, her twin sister barbara bush got married just a few months ago. one of the reasons they expedited the wedding was that they wanted their greater, george h. w. bush to be able to witness her wedding which he did, in maine, before he came back to houston. >> as the hearse comes up why don't we take a moment to watch and listen.

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present. >> present. >> arms! ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ with faith in jesus christ, we receive the body of our

brother george for burial. let us pray with confidence to god, the giver of light, that he will raise him to perfection in the company of saints. deliver your servant, george, from all evil and set him free from every bond that he may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations where with the father and the holy spirit you live and reign one god forever and ever. >> amen. >> let us pray also for all who mourn, that they may cast their care on god and know the consolation of his love. all mighty god, look with pity upon the sorrow of your servants for whom we pray, remember them

gracious god in mercy, nourish them them with a sense of your goodness, lift your count ennance upon them and give them peace through jesus christ our lord. amen.

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i'm the resurrection and the life says the lord. whoever has faith in me shall have life even though die. and everyone who has life and has committed himself to me in faith shall not die forever.

as for me, i know that my redeemer lives and at the last he will stand upon the earth. after my awakening, raise me up and in my body i shall i myself shall see and my eyes behold him. who is my friend and not a stranger, for none of us liveth to himself and none becomes his own master when he dies, for if we have life we are alive in the lord and if we die, we die in the lord so then whether we live or die, we are the lord's possession. happy from now on are those who die in the lord, so it says says the spirit for they rest from

forward march.

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♪ let us pray. oh, god who's mercies cannot be numbered, accept our prayers on behalf of your servant george and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy in the

fellowship of your saints through jesus christ our lord who lives and reigns with you and the holy spirit, one god now and forever. amen. a reading from the prophet

isaiah. arise, light and shine for your light has come for the glory of the lord has risen upon you, for darkness shall cover the earth and a thick darkness, the peoples, but the lord will arise upon you and his glory will appear over you. nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn, lift up your eyes and look around, they all gather together, they come to you, your sons shall come from far away and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms. then you shall see and be radiant. your heart shall thrill and rejoice because the abunance of the sea shall be brought to you and the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

>> violent shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders. you shall call your walls salvation and your gates praise. the sun shall no longer be your light by day nor for brightness should the moon give light to you by night, but the lord will be your ever lastilasting light your god will be your glory. your sun shall no more go down or your moon withdraw itself, for the lord will be your ever lasti everlasting light and your days of mourning shall be ended. the word of the lord.

the story was almost over even before it had fully begun. shortly after dawn on saturday,

september 2nd, 1944, lieutenant junior george herbert walker bush joined by two crewmates took off to attack a radio tower on chi chi jima. smoke filled the cockpit, flames raced across the wings. my god, lieutenant bush thought, this thing's going to go down. yet he kept the plane in its 35 degree dive, dropped its bombs and roared out to sea telling his crewmates to hit the silk. following protocol, lieutenant bush turned the plane so they could bail out, only then did bush parachute from the cockpit. the wind propelled him backward

and he gashed his head on the tail of the plane as he flew through the sky. he plunged deep into the ocean, bobbed to the surface and flopped on to a tiny raft. his head bleeding, his eyes burning, histh and throat raw from saltwater. the future 41st president of the united states was alone. sensing that his men had not made it, he was overcome. he felt the weight of responsibility as a nearly physical burden and wept. then at four minutes shy of noon, a submarine emerged to rescue the downed pilot. george herbert walker bush was

safe. the story, his story and ours, would go on by god's grace. through the ensuing decades, president bush would frequently ask nearly daily, he'd ask himself, why me? why was i spared? and in a sense, the rest of his life was a perennial effort to prove himself worthy of his salvation on that distant morning. to him his life was no longer his own. there were always more missions to undertake, more lives to touch and more love to give. and what a head long race he made of it all, he never slowed

down. on the primary campaign trail in new hampshire once, he grabbed the hand of a department store mannequin asking for votes. when he realized his mistake, he said, never know. gotta ask. you can hear the voice, can't you? as dana carvey said the key to a bush 41 impersonation is mr. rogers trying to be john wayne. george herbert walker bush was america's last great soldier statesman, a 20th century founding father. he governed with virtues that most closely resemble those of washington and of adams, of t.r. and f.d.r., of truman and of

eisenhower, of men who believed in causes larger than themselves. 6'2", handsome and dominant in person, president bush spoke making fists to underscore points. the science of human relationships, he believed that to whom much was given much is expected and because life gave him so much, he gave back again and again and again. he stood in the breach in the cold war against totalitarian, he stood in the breach in washington against unthinking partisanship, he stood in the breach against tyranny and discrimination and on his watch, a w fell in berlin, a

dictator's aggression did not stand, and doors across america opened to those with disabilities. and in his personal life, he stood in the breach against heartbreak and hurt, always offering an outstretched hand, a warm word, a sympathic tear. if you were down, he would rush to lift you up and if you were soaring, he would rush to savor your success. strong and gracious, comforting and charming, loving and loyal. he was our shield in danger's hour.

of course, there was ambitions too. to serve he can to succeed, to preside he had to prevail. politics he once admitted, isn't a pure undertaking, not if you want to win, its fect ma he lefs perfect union. it must be said that for a keenly intelligent statesman of stirring, almost unparalleled private el-oqeuen -- el-quence is not a gift. looking ahead to the '88 election, he observed, in arguably, its not exaggeration to say that the undecided could go one way or the other.

and late in his presidency, he allowed that, we're enjoying sluggish times but we're not enjoying them very much. his tongue may have run amuck at moments, but his heart was steadfast. his life code, as he said, was tell the truth, don't blame people, be strong, do your best, try hard, forgive, stay the course. and that was and is the most american of creeds. abraham lincoln's better angels of our nature and george h.w. bush's thousand points of light are companion verses in

america's national hymn for lincoln and bush both called on us to choose the right over the convenient, to hope rather than to fear and to heed not our worst impulses, but our best instincts. in this work, he had the most wonderful of allies in barbara bush, his wife of 73 years, he called her bar, the silver fox and when the situation warrante he was the only boy she ever kissed. her children, mrs. bush like to say, always wanted to throw up when they heard that. in a letter to barbara during the war, young george h.w. bush wrote, i love you precious and to know that you love me means

my life. how lucky our children will be to have a mother like you and as they will tell you, they surely were. as vice president, bush once visited a children's leukemia ward, 35 years before he and barbara had lost a daughter, robin, to the disease. a small boy wanted to greet the american vice president learning that the child was sick with the cancer that had taken robin, bush began to cry. to his diary later that day, the vice president said this, my eyes flooded with tears and behind me was a bank of television cameras and i thought, i can't turn around.

i can't dissolve because of personal tragedy in the face of the nurses that give of themselves every day. so i stood there looking at this little guy, tears running down my cheek, hoping he wouldn't see, but if he did, hoping he'd feel that i loved him. that was the real george h.w. bush, a loving man with a big, vibrant, all enveloping heart. and so we ask as we commend his soul to god and as he did, why him? why was he spared? the workings of providence are mysterious but this much is

clear, that george herbert walker bush who survived that fiery fall into the waters of the pacific three quarters of a century ago, made our lives and the lives of nations freer, better, warmer and nobler. that was his mission. that was his heartbeat. and if we listen closely enough, we can hear that heartbeat even now for its the heartbeat of a lion, a lion who not only led us but who loved us. that's why him. that's why he was spared.

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a reading from revelation to st. john. then i saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven aw and was no more. and i saw the holy city, the new jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from god, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. and i heard a loud voice from the throne saying, see, the home of god is among mortals. he will dwell with them, they will be his peoples and god himself will be with them. he will wipe every tear from their eyes, death will be no

more, mourning and crying and pain will be no more. for the first things have passed away, then he said to me, it is done. i am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. to the thirsty, i will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. those who conquer will inherit these things and i will be their god and they will be my children. and the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it for the glory of god is its light and the lamp is the lamb. the nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.

its gates will never be shut by day and there will be no night there. the word of the lor do you remember where you

were the summer you left your teenage years behind and turned 20? well, i was working as a laborer in my hometown in northern quebec, trying to make enough k into law it was a job, but i fe and secure i had thef my mot home cooking every night. on september 1944, as we have just heard from john, 20-year-old, lieutenant george bush was preparing to attack japanese war installations in the pacific. he was part of a courageous generation of young american who led the charge against overwhelming odds in the historic and bloody battle for supremacy in the pacific against the colossal military might of

imperial japan. that's what george bush did the summer he turned 20. many men of different talents and skills have served as president and many more will do so as the decades unfold bringing new strength and glory to these united states of america and 50 or 100 years from now, as historians review the accomplishments andonxt ofll wh president, i believe it will be said that in the life of his country, the united states, which is in my judgment, the greatest democratic republic that god has ever placed on the face of this earth, i believe it will be said that no occupant of the oval office was more courageous, more principled and more honorable than george

herbert walker bush. george bush was a man of high accomplishment but he also had a delightful sense of humor and was a lot of fun. at his first nato meeting in brussels as the new american president, he sat opposite me, actually, that day. george was taking copious notes as the heads of government spoke. we were all limited in time. but you know, its very flattering to have the president of the united states take notes as you speak and even someone as modest as me. throw in a few more adjectives here and there to extend the pleasure of the experience. after president metaha, prime minister thatcher and chancellor

cole had spoken, it was the prime minister of iceland's turn, who as president bush continued to write, went on and on and on and on ending only when the secretary general of nato firmly decreed a coffee break. george put down his pen, walked over to me and said, brian, i just learned the fundamental n principle of international affairs, he said the smaller the country, the longer the speech. [ laughter ] >> in the second year of the bush presidency, responding to implaquable pressures from the reagan and bush administrations, the soviet union imploded. this was, in my judgment, the

most political event of the 20th century, an ominous situation that could have become extremely menacing to world security was instead deafly challenged by president bush providing the russian people a chance for democracy in a country that had been ruled bizary czars and tyr for many years. no challenge, no challenge assumed greater importance for western solidarity than the unification of germany within an unswerving nato, but old fears in western europe and

unrelenting hostility by the military establishment in the soviet union and the warsaw pact rendered this initiative among the most complex and sensitive ever undertaken. one serious misstep and this entire process could have been compromised, perhaps irretrievably. there's obviously no more knowledgeable or competent judge of what really happened at this most vital juncture of the 20th century than chancellor cole of germany. in a speech to a parliamentary position, chancellor cole said categorically that this historic initiative of german reunification could never, ever have succeeded without the brilliant leadership of president bush. much has been written about the

first gulf war, simply put, the coalition of 29 nations assembled under the ages of the united nations, including for the first time, many influential arab countries and led by the united states will rank with the most spectacular and successful international initiatives ever undertaken in modern history, designed to punish an aggressor, defend the cause of freedom and ensure order in a region that had seen too much of the opposite for far too long. this was president bush's initiative from beginning to end. president bush was also responsible for the north american free trade agreement recently modernized and improved by new administrations, which created the largest and richest free trade area in the history of the world while also signing

into law the americans with disabilities act, which transformed the lives of millions and millions of american forever. president bush's decision to go forward with strong environmental legislation including the clean air act that resulted in the acid rain accord with canada is a splendid gift of future generations to american and canadians to savor in the air they breathe and the water they drink and the forest thez enjoy and the lakes, rivers and streams they cherish. there's a word for this. its called leadership. leadership. and let me tell you that when george bush was president of the united states of america, every single head of government in the world knew that they were dealing with a gentleman, a

genuine leader, one who was distinguished, resolute and brave. i don't keep a diary, but occasionally i write private notes after important or personal or professional event. one occurred in kennebunkport, maine, on september 2nd, 2001. neil and i had been spending our traditional labor day weekend with george and barbara and toward the end he and i had a long private conversation, my notes capture the moment. i told george how i thought his mood had shifted over the last eight years from a series of frustrations and moments of d dis-pondency in 1993 to the

launch of t presidential library and george w.'s election that year, to the delight of jeb'serps most importantly, to the serenity we found today in both barbara and george, they are truly at peace with themselves, joyous in what they and the children had achieved, gratified by the goodness that god has bestowed upon them all and genuinely content with the thrill and promise of each passing day. and at that, george, with tears in his eyes as i spoke said, you know, brian, you've got us pegged just right and the roller coaster of emotions we've experienced since 1992.

come with me. he led me down the porch at walker's point to the side of the house that fronts the ocean and pointed to a small, simple plaque that had been unobtrucively installed just some days earlier, it read cavu. george said, brian, this stands for ceiling and visibility unlimited. when i was a terrified 18 to 19-year-old pilot in the pacific, those, those were the words that we hope to hear before takeoff. it meant perfect flying and that's the way i feel about our life today, cavu. everything is perfect. bar and i could not have asked for better lives, we are truly

happy and as i looked over the waters of walker's point on that cold september afternoon, i was reminded of the line simple and truth that speak to the real nature of george bush, his botch with his wonderful family and precious surroundings. there are wooden ships, there are sailing ships, there are ships that sail the sea. but the best ships are friendships and may they always be.