Hostilities between US President Donald Trump and his political enemies were exchanged with what was withheld at the funeral of former US president George H W Bush.
The current US president and the Bush family had agreed to an informal truce in the feud that has dominated their relations, at least for this week, to allow the family and the nation to mourn the passing of the 41st president without toxic partisanship.
However the tension was still blindingly obvious.
Ahead of the state funeral for the late president, former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and their spouses chatted easily among themselves from their seats in the front row at Washington's National Cathedral.
The ex‑presidents leaned over their wives to chat with one another. Bill Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama shared a quiet conversation.
But the Trumps' arrival, minutes ahead of the motorcade carrying Bush's casket, cast a halt on the conversation.
First lady Melania Trump approached first, greeting both Obamas and former President Clinton with a handshake. Hillary Clinton appeared to nod at Mrs Trump but did not interact with Trump himself and stared straight ahead during the service. Jimmy Carter waved a hand. The president then shook hands with both Obamas before taking his seat.
After that, the small talk along the row largely stopped.
[Source:Stuff.co.nz]
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