Three days after the Jan. 6 anniversary, former President Jimmy Carter's funeral at the National Cathedral, with haunting footage of costumed rioters rampaging through the Capitol, turned norms upside down. It did not tell us anything about the world, but presented a different kind of historical picture. Preservability and strength.
It's President-elect Donald J. Trump sitting next to President Barack Obama in a ceremony that is sure to be commemorated and parsed for years to come, both for its occasion and its rarity, albeit privately. It was a photo of first lady Melania. I was next to George W. Bush and his wife Laura, next to Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. They all sat in the row behind President Biden and Jill Biden, wearing strikingly similar dark suits, ties in shades ranging from black to sky blue, and black suits and coats. (Michelle Obama was reportedly the only first lady not to attend due to scheduling conflicts.)
This is the first time since Trump launched his assault on what he calls the Washington swamp that he and four other living presidents, including three who campaigned against him, agree. It means that it appeared to have . Not because of the dress code, but because of the prescribed attire.
It's as clear about the transition and continuity of power as anything said during the actual election certification by the Senate earlier this week (or what Trump and Obama seemed to be giggling about in private). issued a statement. And that's what it means for Mr. Trump to appear to be a traditional part of the very exclusive club of the presidency, even as he seeks to transform it. He indicated that he was fully aware of it.
As Jason Carter, one of Carter's grandsons, told the men sitting in the Oval Office, they shared knowledge about “the human side of the presidency that no one else has.” It is said that there is
In fact, one of the rare occasions since the start of his second presidential bid has been for Trump to wear his signature uniform of flag blue suit, white shirt, and bright red tie in such a public appearance. It didn't matter that I took it off. The attire matches the national flag and has become the de facto uniform for most Republicans in the new administration.
Instead, he wore a dark suit and Democratic blue tie. One tie seemed to reach across the aisle, honoring the man who lay in state, and the other was a slightly lighter color than the one worn by Mr. Bush, the same color as the president. The tie worn by Mr. Biden. Sure, it was just an accessory, but the overtones were hard to miss in a sea of black.
At Rosalynn Carter's funeral, Mrs. Trump stood out from the other first ladies who wore black by wearing a gray Dior suit with a wide white lapel and studded with black print. Nor did it matter that she chose a black Valentino coat. white flowers. In this coat, she was seen wearing a black Schiaparelli suit (the same one worn by Dr. Biden at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in Westminster Abbey) and Clinton in a black pantsuit. He fit in perfectly with his wife. Bush in a black dress.
Trump's transition team said one difference between the president's plans for his first and second terms is that he understands how towns work this time around. In his many social media posts and public statements, Mr. Trump often appears to enjoy hurling verbal grenades at the town, but at Mr. Carter's funeral he briefly appeared It looked like he was trying to look like a member of society.
