Political leaders from across the state and Washington, D.C., came to Columbia to pay their last respects to Strom Thurmond.

His funeral service at First Baptist Church was attended by elected officials from the White House to Congress to the State House, as well as judges from the S.C. Supreme Court and the federal appeals court in Richmond, Va.

Many officials stood in a drizzle to greet the senator's casket. Some waited inside.

- The White House -- Vice President Dick Cheney delivered remarks for President Bush. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta also represented the administration.

- Congress -- Senators in attendance included: Democrat Fritz Hollings and Republican Lindsey Graham, both of South Carolina; Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.; Joseph Biden, D-Del.; George Allen, R-Va.; Ted Stevens, R-Alaska; and the wives of Christopher Dodd, D-Conn and Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Jackie Clegg Dodd and Frankie Roberts.

Former GOP Sens. Bob Dole of Kansas and Dennis DeConcini of Arizona also attended.

Most of South Carolina's House delegation attended: Republican U.S. Reps. Gresham Barrett, Henry Brown, Jim DeMint and Joe Wilson. Democrats Jim Clyburn and John Spratt were out of the country.

- Governors -- Mark Sanford led a contingent of former S.C. governors that included Robert McNair, James Edwards, Dick Riley, Carroll Campbell and Jim Hodges. Two did not attend: David Beasley, who provided commentary for a local TV station, and John West, who is ill.

- State leaders -- Other constitutional officers in attendance included: Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer; Attorney General Henry McMaster; Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum; Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom; Secretary of State Mark Hammond; and Adjutant General Stan Spears.

- State lawmakers -- The Senate was led by president pro tem Glenn McConnell and his predecessor John Drummond.

The House was led by Speaker David Wilkins.

Lawmakers, including black leaders such as Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Joe Neal and Robert Ford, placed their right hands across their hearts as the coffin went by them to the plaintive strains of "Amazing Grace" from a lone bagpipe.

- The courts -- William "Billy" Wilkins, chief judge of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and Justice James Moore of the S.C. Supreme Court attended.

- Higher education -- USC president Andrew Sorensen and his predecessor John Palms attended.