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Obama sends former officials to Thatcher funeral

j-mac

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President Obama's delegation to the funeral of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is drawing some flak in London.Two former Republican secretaries of State -- James Baker and George Shultz -- will lead the U.S. delegation to the Thatcher funeral on Wednesday.
Some British press reports noted that the delegation does not include a former president or a member of the current Obama administration.
"Friends and allies of Baroness Thatcher expressed 'surprise and disappointment' last night as it emerged President Obama is not planning to send any serving member of his administration to her funeral," reports the Daily Mail.
The Sun called it a "snub," and said that "Downing Street is most angered by rejections from Obama, first lady Michelle and Vice President Joe Biden. And none of the four surviving ex-U.S. leaders -- Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr., Bill Clinton and George Bush Jr. -- is coming either.

Obama sends former officials to Thatcher funeral

This is unbelievable....Not one current official to send to Margret Thatcher's funeral? I mean come on! How many times can Obama snub England? Or any of our other traditional allies for that matter?

For comparison consider, I believe that when Reagan died, England was represented by the current, as well as the former PM at the time, the Queen herself, and other dignitaries....We can't spare one current administration official?

BTW, I know that the partisan progressives will instantly say that Bush isn't going either, being as that is the go to excuse for them, and personally I don't think that is right either...Bush should go.
 
I'm curious what those who make such a big deal out of Romney "Snubbing" england at the Olympics make of this
 
Why would Bush in particular go?

I don't really think this matters.

If we sent no one then it would be a snub, but Thatcher hasn't been PM in years and has just been a member of the house of lords. So wouldn't it be fitting that former officials during Thatcher's time would go to her funeral? I would rather people I worked with go than some officials I had never meet.

Isn't this really just non-issue?
 
My gut says that he should have went. You could make the argument though that he has his hands full at home with the Boston Marathon bombing, and I think that would be a perfectly reasonable reason not to go, but it doesn't sound like he was planning on attending anyways. I don't see it as a huge deal though.
 
The elder Bush has one foot in the grave and rides in an electric scooter. Not exactly unreasonable for him not to go. The younger George has said repeatedly he is done with politics. Obama has a budget battle, a terror attack, and an economy sliding sideways. There are lots of reasons no current official is going. It is pretty piss poor form, but somewhat justifiable I suppose. Sending some down-ticket cabinet member would be just as insulting in the view of those who look to be offended either way.
 
If he went then there would be outrage that he was off to Europe while our country was in crisis.....it's a no win situation with this president and no matter what there are always those willing to find fault in everything he does or doesn't do.
 
I'm curious what those who make such a big deal out of Romney "Snubbing" england at the Olympics make of this

Probably a lot less than those who went out of their way to defend Mitt to the death.
 
This is unbelievable....Not one current official to send to Margret Thatcher's funeral? I mean come on! How many times can Obama snub England? Or any of our other traditional allies for that matter?

For comparison consider, I believe that when Reagan died, England was represented by the current, as well as the former PM at the time, the Queen herself, and other dignitaries....We can't spare one current administration official?

BTW, I know that the partisan progressives will instantly say that Bush isn't going either, being as that is the go to excuse for them, and personally I don't think that is right either...Bush should go.

Isn't the Secretary of State expendable?
 
If he went then there would be outrage that he was off to Europe while our country was in crisis.....it's a no win situation with this president and no matter what there are always those willing to find fault in everything he does or doesn't do.

That's why you send a representative or the VP. Some will hate Obama for everything he does, but given the Boston attack I think most rational people would understand him staying in the US. After all, he did cancel his anti-gun rights call campaign due to the attacks.

I personally think that someone representing the US should have been sent, but it's not a major issue.
 
Good evening, AP.:2wave:

A small administration is finding it difficult to acknowledge a large leader.:roll:

Good evening 2m. I do view it a a sort of snub. The SoS would be the logical choice to lead the delegation, and yes, it does seem a bit petty...
 
Good evening 2m. I do view it a a sort of snub. The SoS would be the logical choice to lead the delegation, and yes, it does seem a bit petty...

I suspect they fear coverage that would include a Thatcher-BHO comparison. :cool:
 
If he went then there would be outrage that he was off to Europe while our country was in crisis.....it's a no win situation with this president and no matter what there are always those willing to find fault in everything he does or doesn't do.

Exactly! as i have said it before, and i'll say it again, if Obama discovered a cure for cancer, the cons would still bitch and moan over it.
 
Why would Bush in particular go?

I don't really think this matters.

If we sent no one then it would be a snub, but Thatcher hasn't been PM in years and has just been a member of the house of lords. So wouldn't it be fitting that former officials during Thatcher's time would go to her funeral? I would rather people I worked with go than some officials I had never meet.

Isn't this really just non-issue?

Considering everything that is going on, particularly yesterday and the North Korea situation, a big a resounding YES.
 
Considering all the events currently ongoing, I think it's pretty much a non-issue.
 
Considering everything that is going on, particularly yesterday and the North Korea situation, a big a resounding YES.

It's a non-issue if the intent is to show disrespect to one of the great figures of the second half of the 20th century.:2ukflag:
 
The BRITISH certainly seem to think it was a snub, and yes, that was considered a HUGE strike against Romney during the campaign. The delegation should have included someone no lower than the Secretary of State.

But, the Obama Administration has famously declared the UK not to be all that important, or no more important than any other country, so this is just the latest in a long line of snubs against them from Obama.

And the Boston bombing, while important, is not some gripping event on the scale of 9/11 that some are making it out to be, so it really isn't that much of a factor when it comes to this kind of thing. Besides, if it were during the campaign, and there were a fundraiser to attend, you can bet Obama would still go, as he did in the immediate hours after the attacks in Benghazi and Cairo.
 
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This is a non issue, its just something more for the Right to bitch, face it ROMNEY LOST THE ELECTION!!!
 
Good evening, AP.:2wave:

A small administration is finding it difficult to acknowledge a large leader.:roll:

I think you have nailed it. By the way, what's Biden's schedule during the funeral? Bush41 went to most of the state funerals during the Reagan era, but maybe Obama is afraid Joe would open his mouth and say something inappropriate.
 
I thought going to funerals was part of the VP job description.
 
This is a non issue, its just something more for the Right to bitch, face it ROMNEY LOST THE ELECTION!!!

Funny how every criticism of Obama is a "non-issue" with you, Pete. He must be the first President, ever, who never took the slightest misstep.

There are diplomatic protocols to this sort thing, and Obama is flouting them. And even if there weren't, our closest ally deserves better.
 
I think you have nailed it. By the way, what's Biden's schedule during the funeral? Bush41 went to most of the state funerals during the Reagan era, but maybe Obama is afraid Joe would open his mouth and say something inappropriate.

You make a good point about Biden.:mrgreen:
 
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