White House: President Obama will NOT attend the funeral for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

[KOQ24]

How the fuq did this descend into another partisant catfight? Get your shit together, Sherdog!

I think a State man attending the funeral of a fellow State man is all about common courtesy and human decency, to be honest. You can talk in circle about how funerals doesn't mean anything, but then you're just lying to yourself.

If it doesn't mean anything, why do you think would our President would take the time to fly across the great ocean to attend the funerals for people who aren't even his countrymen?

Attending - or skipping - the funeral for a civil servant of this stature always mean something, not just to you registered Democrats and Republicans, but to us human beings.

As far as snubs go, this is not nearly as shameful on an international scale as the time when President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton ALL declined the United Kingdom's invitation for the U.S to attend the funeral ceremony for Reagan's bff Margaret Thatcher. Now THAT was a bitter pill to swallow for all the British and Americans who still fondly remember the era of the Special Relationships between the U.S and the U.K.

GB hated her guts,why should US members honour Thatcher?

 

[GearSolidMetal]

Don't care what the politics are. If you are a sitting president and a supreme Court Justice dies, you attend. Same goes for Senators and Governors(regardless of state size and importance).

+10 Respect Points to you.

For the story that Obama isn't attending the funeral, it would have been surprising if Obama was going to attend the funeral.

As the poster on the first page said, Obama's pettiness is synonymous with his reputation.

 

[uncommon]

would the majority of the people there even want obama attending?

he might be doing everyone a favor...

 

[sloppypie]

I guess Justice Antonin Scalia's wife and son can try to find solace in the fact that after the well-respected judge devoted 30 years of his life to his country, at least the Vice President will be there to represent the Executive branch of the U.S government to pay its respect in some nominal capacity.

or they'll just see the president on friday at the supreme court building.

 

[oldshadow]

If he was retired and passed there would be no reason for Obama to attend.

He was a sitting justice so he should out of respect attend.

He is doing just enough going to the viewing to not be a complete petty ass hole.

I don't know why anyone is surprised by this Obama has always acted like this.

All in all it doesn't matter because this is just the way he views things and people that disagree with him.

 

[My Spot]

I'd go if I was in Obama's shoes but at the same time it's not a big deal.
Now why he still hasn't invited the parents of those who were wounded or killed looking for Bergdahl to the White House is puzzling and admittedly does rustle me.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

How the fuq did this descend into another partisant catfight? Get your shit together, Sherdog!

I think a State man attending the funeral of a fellow State man is all about common courtesy and human decency, to be honest. You can argue in circle about how funerals doesn't mean anything, but then you're just lying to yourself.

If funerals don't mean anything, why do you think would our Presidents would take the time to fly across the great ocean to attend the funerals for people who aren't even his countrymen?!

Attending - or skipping - the funeral for a civil servant of this stature always mean something, not just to you registered Democrats and Republicans, but to us human beings.

As far as snubs go, this is not nearly as shameful on an international scale as the time when Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton ALL declined the United Kingdom's invitation for the U.S government to attend the funeral ceremony for Reagan's bff Margaret Thatcher. Now THAT was a bitter pill to swallow for all the British and Americans who still fondly remember the era of the Special Relationships between the U.S and the U.K.

I guess Justice Antonin Scalia's wife and son can try to find solace in the fact that after the well-respected judge devoted 30 years of his life to his country, at least the Vice President will be there to represent the Executive branch of the U.S government to pay its respect in some nominal capacity.

Ruth will be disappointed, too.

 

[ShoelessRye]

He should have went. HOWEVER funerals in the past are not the same as this funeral will be - it's going likely be hyper partisan and celebrate Scalia's views, many of them taking direct shots at Pres Obama, who would have to sit there and look like a fool. But then again SCOTUS justices have to do that at SOTU addresses. Should have just took it, and announced his nominee to replace him the next day.

 

[dempseyroll]

 

[djacobox372]

How about we wait until we know why he's not attending before we trash Obama.

We all know that politically it's better if he attends, perhaps he's putting something more important above politics.

Could be security concerns, could be attending another funeral, etc. etc.

 

[Arkain2K]

would the majority of the people there even want obama attending?

he might be doing everyone a favor...

Human beings generally go to another human being's funeral ceremony to pay the respect to the deceased, but just as importantly, share their condolences and show their support in solidarity to a grieving family in a time of great sorrow as they say the final farewell. That's the only thing that really matters on that day.

That's the common human decentcy I spoke of earlier.

In that aspect, I have respect for the New York mayor who manned up and attended the funerals for the slained officers killed in the line of duty during the social unrest a year ago, even though nearly the entire NYPD didn't want to see him there because of his prior sympathetic remarks towards violent rioters.

The President should do his duty as an elected leader as well as a decent human being, it doesn't matter how other people in the crowd reacts. I think that's how Antonin Scalia earned the universal respects from all his colleages on both sides of the bench in the first place.

 

[UpaLoompa]

let the dead, bury the dead, obama you should be there

Remember how you were criticizing other people's comments about Scalia's death?

You're an awful poster and, if your posting is representative, an awful person.

 

[ehtheist]

I've been a bit pissed at this administration over their funeral politics ever since they snubbed Thatcher. Love or hate the old bag, she was one of America's greatest political allies in a tough time and I daresay deserved more recognition than Mandela who got a regular old love fest. An influential Supreme Court Judge like Scalia, even if he was a bit of a creep, deserves a presidential response. Not cool O, not cool.

 

[UpaLoompa]

Honestly I bet a lot of you would be just as outraged if he were going.

 

[ehtheist]

Honestly I bet a lot of you would be just as outraged if he were going.

Hey, even Ruth Bader Ginsberg could muster up something nice to say about him. I appreciated that. I also felt it captured the spirit of their relationship...

You might be right, but I wouldn't have been one of those people.

 

[BOWHUNTER]

This overt act of racisim triggers me.

 

[UpaLoompa]

Hey, even Ruth Bader Ginsberg could muster up something nice to say about him. I appreciated that. I also felt it captured the spirit of their relationship...

You might be right, but I wouldn't have been one of those people.

RBG and Scalia were apparently quite friendly with each other.
Also, people's willingness to attribute malice to Obama says more about them than anything else.

 

[ehtheist]

RBG and Scalia were apparently quite friendly with each other.
Also, people's willingness to attribute malice to Obama says more about them than anything else.

I don't assume it's malice so much as priorities. When it all comes down to it, most of this who-goes-to-whose-party politics is just for appearances - there likely aren't many people who *really* care for other career politicians or "allies" on a personal level - but those appearances are part of the game of politics and the message sent by conspicuous appearances and absences is not insignificant.

But as with much of what a president, or any high-end politician will do, it's about keeping up appearances and sending a message. The truth of the matter may be that the message is superficial, but damnit, that's part of the job. I don't like the message sent by apathy shown to the death of a figure like Thatcher, even if she may have been politically at odds with the current administration.

Also, for my little identity politics addition, as a woman, Thatcher is an inspirational figure on the world stage. The snubbing of her passing is an oversight for gender politics, in my eyes.

 

[UpaLoompa]

And, again, we don't know his priorities. If he's going golfing, I'll agree with you.

 

[Byron Carter]

Scalia wouldn't want that dirt-bag to come anyway.

He won't be missed. Besides, he probably has some thug or gang-banger's funeral to attend.