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What say you, Sherdog? Should the sitting President of the United States skip out on the funeral ceremony of a sitting Justice of the United States Supreme Court, even if their ideologies are not the same?
Scalia's chair on the Supreme Court bench and the bench itself were draped with black wool crepe in memoriam Tuesday — a Supreme Court tradition.
President Barack Obama will not attend Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's funeral on Saturday, the White House says.
The president and first lady will instead pay their respects on Friday while Scalia lays in repose at the high court.
'I can tell you that Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will attend Justice Scalia's funeral at the Basilica on Saturday,' White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.
It was not immediately clear why the president won't go to the formal funeral.
'I don't have a sense of what the president's plans are for Saturday,' Earnest said after a reporter suggested it would be bad form for him to go golfing, a favorite weekend activity of Obama's.
The White House official had few details on the executive branch's involvement in the funeral proceedings. He could not say whether the vice president would give a eulogy.
When active Supreme Court Chief Justice Justice William Rehnquist passed away in 2005, then-President George W. Bush attended the ceremony and gave a tribute to the judge.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest:
Obama skipping Scalia's funeral because of "security footprint"
Josh Earnest, Obama's White House Press Secretary, said the president will spend a significant portion of his weekend reviewing individuals who 'may be worthy of consideration'.Obama skipping Scalia's funeral because of "security footprint"
'I would expect the president will spend a significant portion of his weekend digging into those materials,' he added.
Earlier today Obama and Michelle paid their respects at the Supreme Court as Justice Antonin Scalia's body lay in repose.
The president then spoke during a Democratic Governors Association Meeting, in which he told a group of Democratic governors he will press voting rights this year.
Earnest said on Thursday the president would be skipping Scalia's funeral on Saturday because of his 'security footprint'.
Mourners pay their respects at Justice Antonin Scalia's funeral
Justice Scalia spent more than three decades as one of the Supreme Court's most influential members.
Justice Scalia spent more than three decades as one of the Supreme Court's most influential members.
Justice Antonin Scalia's funeral was today at 11 a.m. Eastern at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The Basilica, one of the largest and most beautiful Catholic churches in the country, was also the location of the Pope Francis's mass when he visited in September. Scalia's funeral is open to family and friends and thousands are expected to be attending. If you missed the funeral, you can watch it on C-SPAN. A private burial will take place after the mass.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and his wife Jane Roberts and daughter Josie Roberts.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife Virginia Thomas.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and his wife Joanna Hare.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy and his wife Mary Davis.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Ginsburg and Scalia were the best of friends and have deep respects for each other, despite their opposite ideologies.
Former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.
The casket of of US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is carried into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The widow Maureen McCarthy Scalia walks behind the casket of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, center, and Justice Samuel A. Alito, left, at the funeral mass for the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.
The funeral mass for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.
Reverend Paul Scalia, son of Justice Antonin Scalia, leads the funeral Mass.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas delivers a reading from the Bible during the funeral mass for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.
Attendees watch during the funeral Mass for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception February 20, 2016 in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and his wife Jane Roberts and daughter Josie Roberts.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife Virginia Thomas.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and his wife Joanna Hare.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy and his wife Mary Davis.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Ginsburg and Scalia were the best of friends and have deep respects for each other, despite their opposite ideologies.
Former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.
The casket of of US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is carried into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The widow Maureen McCarthy Scalia walks behind the casket of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, center, and Justice Samuel A. Alito, left, at the funeral mass for the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.
The funeral mass for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.
Reverend Paul Scalia, son of Justice Antonin Scalia, leads the funeral Mass.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas delivers a reading from the Bible during the funeral mass for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.
Attendees watch during the funeral Mass for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception February 20, 2016 in Washington, D.C.
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