Two Great Americans: Elijah Cummings and Barack Obama

[AGBF]

I was driving when I heard Barack Obama eulogizing Elijah Cummings. I had been following the honors surrounding Elijah Cummings, but did not have a chance to watch the coverage of the funeral on television. When I heard President Obama on the radio, I was swept back in time to the era when he was our president and we used to hear him speak regularly. I was so used to hearing his empathic, intelligent voice, often quoting scripure or alluding to it, when there was a tragedy or when there was a funeral. I realized what a hole had been left in my life since he left office.

Later that day on the MSNBC news shows one broadcaster said that He had mixed feelings about President Clinton, but that he felt that Presient Clinton had spoken well at at Elijah Cummings' funeral. (I have not yet listened to Presient Clinton's speech.) He then said that "of course our president spoke beautifully" or words to that effect. He was obviously unaware that he had referred to President Obama as if he were still our president. I understood why.

When Barack Obama was president I knew that if there was a mass shooting that the president would show up, caring, and sing, "Amazing Grace" among the other parishioners as our equal as well as bend a truly mighty intellect to our problems.

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Obama, Clintons, widow honor Baltimore’s Elijah Cummings for fighting through pain to bring justice to others

Two former presidents, congressional colleagues and thousands of residents of his beloved Baltimore said goodbye to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings at his longtime church Friday in a poignant service tha…

www.pilotonline.com

Here is an excerpt from another article about the funeral.

"Two former presidents, congressional colleagues and thousands of residents of his beloved Baltimore said goodbye to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings at his longtime church Friday in a poignant service that was also a resounding appreciation of the city and a congressman who overcame adversity.

The funeral — attended by former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton — was at times buoyant as about 4,000 mourners thundered applause for Cummings, the marquee speakers and mentions of Baltimore.

His widow, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, thanked the attendees at New Psalmist Baptist Church for their support of her husband, who she said struggled with physical and emotional pain.

She said the Democratic congressman, who had cancer and other ailments, was stung by political attacks. Cummings, 68, was the focus of criticism by Republican President Donald Trump and his supporters this year as he intensified his pursuit of documents and testimony to investigate Trump’s administration.

She said she was determined to see him receive his due, in part with a ceremony Thursday in which he lay in state at the U.S. Capitol.

'They were trying to tear him down,' Rockeymoore Cummings said. 'And we needed to make sure that he went out with the respect and the dignity that he deserved. He was a man of utmost integrity. Do you hear me?'

Obama, the first African American president, sat in the front row.

'President Obama, he was so proud,' Rockeymoore Cummings said, and Obama bowed his head and closed his eyes.

Rockeymoore Cummings, who is chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party, told Obama that her husband was one of his chief defenders, but 'you didn’t have any challenges like what we have going on now.'

She said Cummings, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, one of the key committees pursuing an impeachment inquiry of Trump, had to 'fight, for the soul of our democracy, the very real corruption.'

His widow also referred indirectly to Trump’s weeklong series of attacks on Cummings and Baltimore this summer, when the president called the city rat-infested and corrupt.

'He sustained personal attacks — and attacks on our beloved city'” she said. She said he carried himself 'with grace and dignity in all public forums. But it hurt him.'


During a speech Friday in South Carolina, Trump sent regards to Cummings’ family and friends at the funeral. The president said he had seen Cummings’ 'passion' for lowering prescription drug prices — an issue the two met about early in Trump’s presidency.

Cummings disappeared from public view in mid-September, missing votes in the House and committee meetings, and died Oct. 17 after a rapid decline. But he had a series of health problems in recent years, including an heart valve replacement in 2017 and a later knee infection. He used a wheelchair to get around and a walker while giving remarks.

At the funeral, his widow said he faced a serious health challenge even earlier.

'Do you know that he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness more than 25 years ago?' Rockeymoore Cummings said. A spokeswoman for Cummings, Trudy Perkins, said she didn’t have any information on the disease.

Harry Spikes, a Cummings staff member who served as his driver during the past several years, said as he drove his mentor to speaking engagements, the congressman was always in pain. But when he stood before audiences — especially children — 'it was as if he had discovered a cure to his pain.'

'If he were here, he’d say, "Remember to be greater than your pain. If one leg doesn’t work, use a walker. At least you’ll be standing," ' Spikes said.

Obama told the congregation of Cummings: 'His life validates the things we tell people about what’s possible in this country — not guaranteed, but possible.'"