Washington unites to honour former senator John McCain

The flag-draped casket of John McCain is carried to a hearse at Andrews Air Force Base (Alex Brandon/AP) Credit: AP/Press Association Images

A memorial service has taken place in Washington to honour late senator John McCain.

The six-term Republican senator, who lived and worked in the US capital over four decades, is lying in state under the Capitol Rotunda until his funeral service on Saturday.

Mr McCain’s casket arrived at the Capitol on Friday morning as his family watched from the steps. It then took centre stage as family, friends, politicians and other guests gathered in the vast Rotunda to pay tribute to him.

It is the first of two days of services in Washington honouring the Arizona senator, who served in Congress for 35 years.

On Saturday, his funeral procession will pause by the Vietnam Memorial and head for Washington National Cathedral for a formal service.

At Mr McCain’s request, two former presidents – Democrat Barack Obama and Republican George Bush – are expected to speak during the funeral service.

People close to the White House and Mr McCain’s family have said President Donald Trump, who has mocked Mr McCain for getting captured during the Vietnam War, has been asked to stay away from all events.

Mr McCain’s funeral puts him back in the spotlight in the city where the senator, who died last Saturday aged 81, worked and collected friends and enemies — and some people were both at different times.

Mr McCain’s wife Cindy and son Jack waited on the steps of the Rotunda while his casket was carried inside Credit: Alex Brandon/AP

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis greeted the McCain family on Thursday night when the late senator’s casket was flown into Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

The funeral procession’s pause at the Vietnam Memorial, where Mr McCain’s widow Cindy is expected to lay a wreath, will highlight his military service and his more than five years as a prisoner of war.

The McCain farewell began on Wednesday and Thursday in Arizona, where he and his wife raised their family.

The flag-draped casket of Mr McCain will lie in state in the Rotunda until his funeral service on Saturday Credit: Morry Gash/AP

During a service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church on Thursday, former vice-president Joe Biden made what some saw as a veiled reference to Mr Trump.

He talked about Mr McCain’s character and how he parted company with those who “lacked the basic values of decency and respect, knowing this project is bigger than yourself”.

He said Mr McCain “could not stand the abuse of power wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever country”.

The church’s senior pastor Noe Garcia pronounced Mr McCain “a true American hero”.