Barack Obama will not attend memorial service for Muhammad Ali

Barack Obama will miss the service because it clashes with his daughter's high school graduation , he will however send a letter to the Ali family with senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.
With only a few months left in the job I guess it's a matter of priorities , no political capital to be gained attending a service for one of the greatest American sportsmen ever to have lived but plenty of Daddy points for attending your daughters high school graduation.

World leaders will be among thousands attending Friday's procession and memorial service in Louisville, Kentucky, where Ali was born in 1942.

The White House said Mr Obama and his wife Michelle will be at daughter Malia's graduation in Washington, DC. Ali died last Friday at the age of 74 in hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. The Obamas will send a letter to the Ali family with White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, who knew Ali
www.bbc.co.uk...

A concession to the Clintons maybe?

call me cynical, but there isn't much value in going to the funeral, let's face it, it's mostly a political move and nothing more, we wax poetic now that he's dead, but when is the last time anybody even thought about him? last thing i remember is him lighting up an Olympic torch at some point.
There is much more value in going to his daughter's graduation

originally posted by: gortex
no political capital to be gained attending a service for one of the greatest American sportsmen ever to have lived but plenty of Daddy points for attending your daughters high school graduation.

Alternativly, he would rather be there for his daughters special big day instead of going to some boxers funeral that he may not even be much of a fan of..

I wouldn't give a toss about going to any famous persons funeral when my family has a big event at the same time. You think "daddy points" is a real thing? you wot m8?

a reply to: SaturnFX

Alternativly, he would rather be there for his daughters special big day instead of going to some boxers funeral that he may not even be much of a fan of..

After Ali's death, Mr Obama said he kept a pair of his gloves in his private study below the photograph of Ali beating Sonny Liston in 1964.

a reply to: gortex

i suspect this is a " dammed if he does // dammed if he doesnt " tail

Criticising the man for choosing his daughter's graduation?????
You have got to be kidding me.
Let me guess, if he did the opposite this thread would be titled "Obama doesn't plan to attend his DAUGHTER'S graduation!!!"
?!?!?!

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: SaturnFX

Alternativly, he would rather be there for his daughters special big day instead of going to some boxers funeral that he may not even be much of a fan of..

After Ali's death, Mr Obama said he kept a pair of his gloves in his private study below the photograph of Ali beating Sonny Liston in 1964.

ok, still not as important as a daughters graduation. not even in the same galaxy of importance.

Off course daughter's graduation, Ali did his thing and now he's gone perhaps she would even have forgave dad for choosing Ali over her, but deep down she'd appreciate him being there for her.. RIP Ali..

a reply to: Iamnotadoctor

actually - the wingnut headline would be :

" obama skipps daughters graduation to honour dead racist islamist thug "

a reply to: Iamnotadoctor

Criticising the man for choosing his daughter's graduation?????

I'm Criticising a serving president for not attending the funeral of one of the greatest American sportsmen ever to have lived.

Let me guess, if he did the opposite this thread would be titled "Obama doesn't plan to attend his DAUGHTER'S graduation!!!"

This thread wouldn't , no.

Yep, I'd pick 'daughters graduation' too.

Can't blame the man for this.

Not like there will be a shortage of famous people at Ali's funeral. Can't blame the man for going to the graduation instead.

a reply to: IShotMyLastMuse

call me cynical, but there isn't much value in going to the funeral, let's face it, it's mostly a political move and nothing more, we wax poetic now that he's dead, but when is the last time anybody even thought about him?

Speak for yourself. I have immense respect for the man, not just as a fighter, but for taking a stand against the gubment just like Mandella did. He was a boxer and stood up for civil rights at a time when it was dangerous, too.

Way to dismiss him out of hand.

a reply to: gortex he was a draft dodger, a muslim racists, and a thug. Great shouldn't be used in the same sentence as Muhammad Ali.

Not at all a fan of Dear Leader but you do not skip on your child's high school graduation.

a reply to: AVtech34
Great sportsman should be used, not great person. He had alot of racial hatred (understandable for the time) avoided commitments to his country ( would have done the same for the reasons cassius claimed).Top 3 boxers of all time.

Oh and not even debatable. You go to your daughter graduation. Years of helping study etc etc. No brainer. They didn't plan for clays death, but they did plan for here graduation over 10 years ago.

a reply to: gortex

I think you are really plumbing the depths here Gortex. He's spoken very eloquently of his admiration for what Ali achieved both in the ring and out of it, but are you suggesting that attending the funeral should be of more importance than attending one of the biggest days in one of his daughters life? You might want to get a little perspective.

a reply to: uncommitted

Don't see how I'm "plumbing the depths" , it's my opinion to which I'm entitled.
I suspect if Obama was running for re-election his decision may have been different , again my opinion.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: uncommitted

Don't see how I'm "plumbing the depths" , it's my opinion to which I'm entitled.
I suspect if Obama was running for re-election his decision may have been different , again my opinion.

I was referring to the quote from you of "no political capital to be gained attending a service for one of the greatest American sportsmen ever to have lived" - which suggests if it hadn't been for his daughters graduation then he would only have been attending for political capital, you then suggested that if he wasn't coming to the end of his term then he may have thought differently.

That's just cynical and to me plumbing the depths. It is of course you're opinion and you are of course entitled to it - where did I suggest otherwise? I gave my opinion (as have several others theirs already) which I'm also perfectly entitled to.

a reply to: uncommitted

That's just cynical and to me plumbing the depths.

You consider cynicism of a politician to be plumbing the depths ?
Politicians invite cynicism through their actions not matching their words , Obama is no different.

As I said above , if he were running I believe his decision may have been different.