LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Nov 18 (AFP) - It was as if Elvis had never left the building.
Bill Clinton, the first rock 'n' roll US president, came back for one more national performance Thursday, dedicating his presidential library at the end week-long celebrations that drew soul queen Aretha Franklin and U2 frontman Bono.
And if the Oval Office in the library was just a mock-up, the presidential trappings were real enough, even if they would only last one day.
Past presidents and the current White House incumbent, George W. Bush, came to pay their respects and the US Air Force wrapped things up with a full-scale fly-over.
An enormously popular president with liberal Hollywood, Clinton attracted some high-wattage stars to the ceremony, including signer Barbra Streisand, Robin Williams and Kevin Spacey.
The former president's mutual love affair with the entertainment world was documented in the library's permanent exhibition, most notably in a handwritten letter from Whoopi Goldberg describing Clinton as "the cat's pajamas."
Driving rain inevitably dampened the atmosphere at the dedication ceremony, with at least one of the many speeches and testimonials cut short by waterlogged notes becoming glued together.
But there was nothing to extinguish the ardour of the tens of thousands of loyal Clinton fans who attended.
"A blizzard wouldn't have kept me away," said Little Rock resident Stephen Nolan. "He's a personal hero and a national hero. We miss him."
The steady downpour saw the group of first ladies -- Laura and Barbara Bush, Rosalynn Carter and Hillary Clinton -- take the podium in front of the library under umbrellas, while their husbands chose to follow in a more cavalier raincoats-only fashion.
When President Bush found his place, he lifted up his wife's umbrella and peeked underneath, apparently double-checking that he was standing next to the right woman.
Presidential clubs are by nature exclusive and tightly knit, and the surnames of those present -- Eisenhowers, Kennedys, Reagans and Nixons among others -- reflected the mutual recognition of shared family experiences.
"There is a special tie that binds those of us together who have lived and served in the White House and have moved on to other things," said former President Jimmy Carter.
All the living US presidents, with the exception of the 91-year-old Gerald Ford, attended the ceremony -- a turnout that Bono claimed credit for with some lyrical improvisation.
"When the rains came ... we got four presidents out of bed," he sang during a set with fellow U2 bandmember The Edge that included a rendition of the hit "Sunday, Bloody Sunday."
The presidential speeches were warm in their tributes for Clinton, with constant references to his renowned personal charm and charisma.
Former president Bush, who lost the White House to Clinton in 1992, specifically recalled his adversary's consummate abilities as a campaigner on the stump.
"Of course, it always has to be said that Bill Clinton was one of the most gifted American political figures in modern times. Trust me, I learned this the hard way," Bush said.
"Simply put, he was a natural. He made it look too easy. Oh, how I hated him for that," he added.
And the current President Bush highlighted Clinton's rugged determination.
"The president is not the kind to give up a fight. His staffers were known to say 'if Clinton were the Titanic, the iceberg would sink,'" the president quipped.
Among those present were those denied the chance of ever opening their own libraries; losing presidential candidates like Walter Mondale and the latest addition to their ranks, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry who received a special Clinton mention.
"I'm pretty sure Senator Kerry is out there. If he is, I want to thank him. I'm glad he's back on the job," Clinton said.
11/18/2004 20:38 GMT - AFP