President George W. Bush, former presidents and Washington country.
Cabinet secretaries, Supreme Court justices and military leaders National Cathedral to honour the memory of Ford, the 38th president who died a week ago.
Bush, speaking with Ford's flag-draped casket lying before him, the White House probably cost him the presidency.
to Democrat Jimmy Carter.
Carter, now 82, attended the memorial service along with the remaining former presidents, Bill Clinton, 60, and Bush's father, George H.
W. Bush, 82.
"President Ford's time in office was brief, but history will trust in the workings of our democracy," Bush said.
remedy for the deception of Watergate," the scandal that drove Nixon to resign the presidency.
2007, a political truce was in effect for a national day of mourning for Ford, who will be buried in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In the audience were many critics of Bush's Iraq policy.
Seated near Bush in the front pew was Carter, a frequent critic. Honourary pallbearers included Brent Scowcroft, who was former President US troops into Baghdad in the first Gulf War in 1991.
Nearby was former Secretary of State James Baker, whose Iraq considers a change in policy to be announced soon.
Elsewhere were former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has been critical of Iraq, as well as former Vice President Al Gore.
war on the record from beyond the grave, telling The Washington Post's Bob Woodward that "I don't think I would have gone to war." death.
Bush, who sees himself as having a bit of Harry Truman's feistiness and firmness despite low public support, said Ford took office "because America needed him, not because he wanted the office," at a time of economic inflation and political turmoil and the end of the Vietnam War.
"Amid all the turmoil, Gerald Ford was a rock of stability," Bush said.
Speakers, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former NBC television anchor Tom Brokaw, praised Ford for bringing small-town American values to the White House.
Brokaw said Ford stood in deep contrast to other politicians, without mentioning Nixon or others by name.
"Gerald Ford brought to the political arena no demons, no hidden agenda, no hit list or acts of vengeance. He knew who he was, and he didn't require consultants or gurus to change him," he said.
by standing up for human rights. Former President Bush recalled to friends, 'because I'm hitting fewer spectators.
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