Obama to skip Scalia's funeral....." I'm Not Going To That."

[CosmicCowboy]

The funeral will be a "who's who" of political royalty and will already be besieged by the media. It's all they have talked about for days. Hardly a private family affair. But you are right, some attention would inevitably be given to the Presidents attendance. Hardly a spotlight stealing spectacle though.

[FromWayDowntown]

No President has ever skipped the funeral of a SITTING justice.

Well, let's be honest with the facts:

There’s not substantial historic precedent for presidents attending the funerals of sitting justices. President George W. Bush not only attended, but also eulogized Supreme Court chief justice and fellow conservative William Rehnquist in 2005. But before him, the last justice to die in office was Robert H. Jackson in 1954.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...#ixzz40XRlWw5T

EDIT: When Justice Jackson (a Roosevelt appointment) died, President Eisenhower (a Republican) did not attend the funeral but did send a lovely wreath of white carnations.

So, the precedent is that sometimes the President goes to the funerals of sitting justices and sometimes the President doesn't go to the funerals of sitting justices.

There's also the possibility that Justice Scalia's family might have preferred -- for any number of reasons -- to not have the President there. If you've ever been to an event that the President attends, you'll know that every single person going to that event has to go through Secret Service screenings and it's reasonable to guess that a family might prefer that funeral attendees not be subjected to that burden.

[CosmicCowboy]

The Right not taking an opportunity to criticize Obama -- with or without justification -- would be more surprising.

But (again) for many "conservatives" the only good thing Obama could do is die; and even then, I think he'd likely be criticized for not doing it sooner.

Hardly a passion solely reserved for conservative Republicans. The vitriol that can be brewed up over the other parties President can be pretty disturbing. See George Bush.

*cue Boutons*

[CosmicCowboy]

Well, let's be honest with the facts:



http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...#ixzz40XRlWw5T

EDIT: When Justice Jackson (a Roosevelt appointment) died, President Eisenhower (a Republican) did not attend the funeral but did send a lovely wreath of white carnations.

So, the precedent is that sometimes the President goes to the funerals of sitting justices and sometimes the President doesn't go to the funerals of sitting justices.

There's also the possibility that Justice Scalia's family might have preferred -- for any number of reasons -- to not have the President there. If you've ever been to an event that the President attends, you'll know that every single person going to that event has to go through Secret Service screenings and it's reasonable to guess that a family might prefer that funeral attendees not be subjected to that burden.

thanks for that. I stand corrected. I looked for but didn't find the previous precedent.

[RandomGuy]

so you would criticize him if he went to the funeral because he would disrupt it?

I probably wouldn't have given it much thought, since I am not out to score political points. I would criticize him if he didn't do anything though.

To answer your question as directly as possible though, if he could go without it turning into a freakshow, no. If it was disruptive, yes. Not going sidesteps the potential the presence of POTUS would overshadow everything else, yes?

FWIW:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-not-attended/

[RandomGuy]

Semi related:

Obama got some stupid criticism for not "honoring fallen police officers" despite this speech at the dedication of the national memorial, in which he specifically honored a motorcycle cop killed in the line of duty in an accident protecting his motorcade:

President Obama Honors Fallen Officers at Memorial

The scripture tells us: 'None of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself,' " he said. "The brave officers we gather to remember today devoted themselves so fully to others -- to serve and to protect others -- that in the process, they were willing to give their lives.

"So today, let us now remember them just for how they died, but also for how they lived," he said.

"[Officer Laurent] was, according to a friend, 'Just what a cop should be.' Tough compassionate, caring and brave," he said. "But to his community he was more than a cop. He was a cancer survivor; he was a guest teacher at Jupiter High School, who used the law of traffic to help students learn physics.

"I have the privilege of working with some of the nation's finest law enforcement officers and professionals every day, and I'm perpetually mindful of the scarifies they make . . . but never more so than when I hear Officer St. Lourent was struck and killed by another vehicle while driving his motorcycle as part of my motorcade."

"One of the officers Obama singled out during his speach was Jupiter, Fla. Police Officer Bruce St. Laurent, who was killed last September when his motorcycle was struck during a motorcade while escorting the president from a campaign event in Palm Beach County."
http://www.officer.com/article/10943...rs-at-memorial

[RandomGuy]

There is plenty of valid/good criticisms to be made of Obama, but stupid like this... is stupid.

[CosmicCowboy]

Obama would never do anything to distract from a funeral service.

I had forgotten about this until RG posted the history link of funerals he attended.

[hater]

[FromWayDowntown]

Obama would never do anything to distract from a funeral service.

I had forgotten about this until RG posted the history link of funerals he attended.

You're right. The criticisms of President Obama are perfectly principled and only about significant things.

[hater]

disturbing a funeral by taking a selfie with a pig er

[CosmicCowboy]

You're right. The criticisms of President Obama are perfectly principled and only about significant things.

Aw c'mon. That one was pretty funny no matter which side you were on.

[baseline bum]

Then there was the time Obama gave the queen of England an ipod.

[clambake]

you think they'll show a casket draped in a flag?

[CosmicCowboy]

you think they'll show a casket draped in a flag?

oh yeah. There is always the obligatory photo of the pallbearers carrying the flag draped casket up the steps with all the living justices off to the side looking on.

[RandomGuy]

oh yeah. There is always the obligatory photo of the pallbearers carrying the flag draped casket up the steps with all the living justices off to the side looking on.

You called it.


(in case you can't see the above image)

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/...ure-id51620220