Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

NEWPORT -- U.S. Vice president-elect Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy have arrived at Trinity Episcopal Church in Newport for the funeral of former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell.

The dignitaries were among those who arrived in motorcades and limousines. Members of the Pell family, including the senator's widow, Nuala, arrived at the church at about 9: 16 a.m.

Biden, who served many years in the Senate with Pell, is planning to give a eulogy, so are former President Clinton and Sen. Kennedy.

Some other notables at the church include U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, from Rhode Island, John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) and Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) as well as U.S. Reps. Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin.

Other local leaders in attendance include Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch, Rhode Island Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, former governors Lincoln Almond and Bruce Sundlun, former lieutenant governor Richard Licht, state Sen. M. Teresa Paiva Weed, Newport Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, and Rhode Island State Police Col. Brendan Doherty.

Doors of the church were open to the public shortly before 9:30 a.m.

-- Journal staff writers Kate Bramson, G. Wayne Miller and Tom Mooney

 Tags  Claiborne Pell

Comments

Henry said:

How nice. We have opposite ends of the political spectrum here. Senator Pell, who gave so much to this country, and ex-president Clinton who.............

Link | January 5, 2009 10:03 AM
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