McCain, Franklin tributes show 2 Americas and cultures

Sept 1: Two farewells, both reflecting distinct but uniquely American cultures.

In Detroit, celebrities sat alongside anonymous mourners Friday in joyous remembrance of Aretha Franklin, a funeral that brought together the black church, gospel music, civil rights activism and Detroit civic pride.

Hundreds of miles away in Washington, D.C., honor guards stood ramrod straight through silent pomp and circumstance while politicians shared stories of battle and friendship with Arizona Sen. and former Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who lay in state inside the Capitol Rotunda. Mourners stood quietly in line, their sadness draping the air like a cloak, as they waited to file past McCain’s flag-draped casket.