President Obama to skip Nancy Reagan's funeral to speak at South by Southwest...

They asked Obama and he 'Just said no'.

It's not a crime people, a lack of respect perhaps, but it's amazing what people get offended by.

a reply to: seagull

This is really all I was getting at. I think it is classless for a sitting president to not attend.

( For the rest...)

It is an opinion only. I am not accusing anyone of war crimes...

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
They asked Obama and he 'Just said no'.

It's not a crime people, a lack of respect perhaps, but it's amazing what people get offended by.

If he'd said yes.

You'd still see the same thread - - from the opposite perspective.

a reply to: matafuchs

I will take "Who cares" for five hundred Bob.

The simple fact of the matter is that Reagan was a bloody vandal of a president, and deserves less than a tenth of the respect that he got. His wife? Who the hell cares? Guess what? If I became Prime Minister and David Cameron's wife passed on during my residence at No.10 Downing Street, then I would not show up to her funeral either, not unless I intended to drown out the hymns with vast walls of death metal, just so that her soul gets where it is going with a soundtrack to suit the destination.

I would give this particular type of outrage both middle fingers, and a black eye, personally speaking. Stop worshiping these egomaniacal fools and their faux royalty. Give respect ONLY when it is due. Reagan was worthy of none, and his wife is less relevant than that. The hell with all of it.

a reply to: Annee

I doubt that. Why would anyone be upset that he was actually attending?

a reply to: TrueBrit

So you would deal with it like Trump....

a reply to: matafuchs

No, not really. People like Trump benefit from people like the Reagans. He would owe them something.

People who actually work for their money however, owe that family nothing.

Here comes the PC police again!

When the news of her death was announced, one of the first things that popped in my mind, was that Obama would not be attending her funeral. He shuns any funeral that pays respect to America. Not surprised. I know it is invitation only, but it would look great if Trump attended in his place.

originally posted by: EightTF3
a reply to: theantediluvian

He just skipped a supreme court justices funeral. Explain that one to me and how it wasn't politically motivated and he's also skipping this for SBSW a prolonged hipster festival he could speak at another day, not an important state function.

Not actually a state function. Here in America, by default, only sitting and ex-Presidents get state funerals.

Only four out of the last seven SCOTUS justice's funerals were attended by the then President: Bush 43 attended Rehnquist's but not White's. Clinton attended Burger's, Brennan’s and Marshall's but did not attend Blackmun's or Powell's. Going back a bit further: Reagan didn't attend Potter Stewart's or Abe Fortas's funerals. I guess he had political motivations for his overt lack of respect too right?

I think I covered all the SCOTUS justice/former justice funerals from the 80's on. So that's 4 out of 9.

Is it starting to dawn on you that your opinion is more about how you feel than what you know?

a reply to: matafuchs

He has shown respect for the office, uh...when?

a reply to: theantediluvian

Only four out of the last seven SCOTUS justice's funerals were attended by the then President: Bush 43 attended Rehnquist's but not White's. Clinton attended Burger's, Brennan’s and Marshall's but did not attend Blackmun's or Powell's. Going back a bit further: Reagan didn't attend Potter Stewart's or Abe Fortas's funerals. I guess he had political motivations for his overt lack of respect too right?

It's also a matter of the why they didn't show up at the funerals, thus showing respect. Why didn't they?

Oh give me a break. No one is under any obligation whatsoever to attend anyone's funeral, former First Lady or not.

Dead people are effing dead, they don't CARE if you hover over their corpse or not.

What a hipster doofus!

a reply to: queenofswords

Sure.

The Guardian - Betty Ford's funeral is attended by US first ladies

NY Times - Lady Bird Johnson Receives Her Goodbye
C-SPAN - Lady Bird Johnson Funeral Service

NY Times - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Laid to Rest at Eternal Flame
NY Times - DEATH OF A FIRST LADY: The Overview; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Is Buried

LA Times - Pat Nixon Is Laid to Rest : Funeral: Friends, family and dignitaries gather in Yorba Linda to mourn the passing of the former First Lady.
C-SPAN - Pat Nixon Funeral

NY Times - Bess Truman Rites Held in Missouri

originally posted by: 222mockingbirdlane
When the news of her death was announced, one of the first things that popped in my mind, was that Obama would not be attending her funeral. He shuns any funeral that pays respect to America. Not surprised. I know it is invitation only, but it would look great if Trump attended in his place.

FFS, really? Man, take a step back and take a good look at our funeral rituals. Archaic, superstitious, and frankly, STUPID.

People often act like the dead are still chatting you up or scowling at you for whatever reason you regularly disappointed them for (to them) while living. They're decomposing collections of organic materials, not unlike anything else dead on this planet (unless filled with materials preventing it, but dead is still dead)

Disrespectful to not attend & brown-nose? Really? Bury or cremate, and be done with it. Ritual is only needed for those who need the psychological equivalent of a security blanket. Sheesh, when will we move past this garbage?

originally posted by: EightTF3

originally posted by: eNumbra
You know what's really classy? Turning funerary attendance into political talking points.

Or it could be because it's a completely political statement. You think he can't find time for a supreme court judge he agrees withs funeral? Or if this was a different former first lady.

So what political statement was Obama making when he opted for no cinnamon in his oatmeal and only one sugar in his coffee this morning?

If Rosalind Carter was the one who had died, do you think Obama would be there?

a reply to: queenofswords

You can't even do her the respect of knowing her name. Guess you hate America too.

originally posted by: matafuchs
So since I feel the sitting POTUS should attend the funeral of a former first lady I have no class? Everyone can have an opinion I guess.

He attended Nelson Mandelas funeral...He was there for Senator Daniel Inouye funeral. He was there for Dorothy Height’s funeral. Not to say they are not any less and surely not to say he must attend every funeral but sorry, this is just tasteless.

Mandelas was black and I think the POTUS is a closet bigot with out the guts to declare his feeling. Oh well PC sucks again.