President Obama is not sending anybody to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral. He’s too busy himself, what with all that golf on his schedule. Even Joe Biden is unavailable, apparently. Michelle and the kids aren’t going. The Secretary of State, John Kerry, won’t be there. Nobody from the Obama administration will be there.
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Aren't George Schultz and James Baker going? Seems a bit more apropos, in my view, as they were contemporaries
Are they currently part of the administration and who are they and what do they do? If they aren't part of the administration that is bad. If their position has very little to do with international relations or diplomatic positions they are unnecessary. But hey maybe if they fill those things and they were contemporaries sure... why not?
they were fellow cold warriors, ultimately, and both were Secretary of State while she was Prime Minister
On the other hand, Obama is no cold warrior, and would likely stick out as a sore thumb. Also, not a political ally.
In all honesty, I'd think Maggie would be most delighted to see them attend
Sure. However it seems to me as private citizens.
I was just saying that it should be appropriate for someone on the current administration to at least make an attempt. I guess though since the Left hates her they cannot abide going to her funeral... It is what it is...
I could be wrong, but i thought the Administration selected them to represent the American delegation
According to the BBC (British TV sucks and there's nothing else on) only the US, among British allies, is not sending an official delegation. We are in the same company as Argentina who for obvious reasons is not sending a delegation.
Argentina was not invited, at Maggie's request through her daughter. WE were invited but the administration is too stupid to recognize they should send someone to the proceedings.
Great, so we stand with Argentina against Great Britain. The next time we need British support for something, don't be surprised if they tell us to jump in the river. And let's not forget, British support doesn't just mean that island over there off Europe. British support usually means Australia, Canada, and about a million other places - the commonwealth doesn't move in lockstep, but they often take their cue from the mother country.
Yeah, but if they haven't picked up on the fact that our current administration is stuffed with a bunch of dickheads, then they really aren't fast enough on the uptake.
American Restoration on the History Channel.
It's 3:40 AM so TV is really bad. Jet lag is always a bummer.
Oh, I had no idea where you were.
No Monty Python or Benny Hill reruns on this time of night?
man you really get around, don't you? Where are you now exactly?
Nice.. I bet its mildly lovely, bland and mostly dull.. I don't know a lot about that part of country.. my folks are all pretty much from Suffolk. My great-granddad used to get my brother and I all this train memorabilia and models and I remember the name Crewe. We hated them as gifts because we were too stupid to realize anything of import. I never talked to them enough (honestly, I couldn't understand half of what they were saying over the phone)..
Stay safe man.. avoid the London marathon. Hope you get some sleep
Flew into Manchester but staying in Cheshire and working in Crewe.
I understand. However they are going as contemporaries and ex members of their respective administration not the current one or so I understand in any case it doesn't matter in the end I believe that she probably would have just wanted non-socialists there although perhaps impossible.
And display a modicum of respect and decorum, IMHO. I'm sorry, ALF, I try to give these people the benefit of the doubt but they make it awfully hard.
No apologies necessary.. I'm just thinking through the fact that we have a POTUS who is both Head of State and a political figure.
On the other hand, over there, Head of State is the Queen. Margaret Thatcher was Head of Government and is most likely hated by somewhere near 1/2 the population, because of politics.
Offense would be taken if Obama didn't attend the Queen's funeral.. I've not heard a peep from the host of my English relatives about this matter, though
And I like to think of Reagan flying along with buddies George and James for the ride..
Just about every other country on the planet is sending an official delegation from the government, most of them heads of state. Especially the English-speaking countries. This is a purposeful snub, and Obama's first.
i'm not sure where you got most of them heads of state.. The last I read was just 2 Heads of State in attendance..
She was accorded a ceremonial funeral, not a state funeral, because politicians are at most Head of Government in the U.K...
Head of State is something sacred (think, Emperor of Japan)
One that note, anyone see Emperor ? Not a bad flick (Tommy Lee Jones as MacArthur). I can't speak to any potential artistic license taken with the actual histories though.
Well the last article I read said there were 11 prime ministers in attendance. I don't remember anything about how many presidents or benevolent dictators. I suspect you and I are experiencing one of those "separated by a common language" moments - where I think of prime ministers and presidents as heads of state whereas you consider kings and queens as heads of state.
Probably.. for instance, Prime Minister Gillard may have come from Australia. I really don't know if she did, or not. But the Head of State of Australia is actually Queen Elizabeth II.
ha, Monarchies..! I suppose it sorta makes sense, when there's a rich history involved. What i don't understand are those countries that have a Prime Minister as Head of Government (i.e. the power), and a President as Head of State.. Why the weird powerless president?
Yeah, those confuse me, too. And Russia is the worst of them. There, the power doesn't seem to go with the title - basically, whichever one Putin happens to be in at the moment is the office with the power. Putin went from prime minister to president to prime minister to president and seemed to be running things the whole time.
LOL Putin.. cracks me up..
I could see a chart of nations & power having a special field for Russia: whatever chair Putin sits in...
Well played, gave me a good laugh
Don't forget a few lines for the set of musical chairs for the other oligarchs to sit in...
Please, not starting a "snit" (not on purpose anyway), but if you have folks over there, doesn't the Queen attending make it a "State Occasion"? And our side decided before Boston not to send any "serving" administration people because, they were all point people on the gun control debate? Oh, please. He hates the Brits, I've read the books from both sides and he's been throwing a hissy fit and flipping them the bird since he was elected.
I dunno.. I'll find the Queen's itinerary for the last month and ask my uncles if they think we should've sent a delegation to them (not too many of my relatives are Tories btw).. Her royal holy presence isn't really that material, is it?
You can visit his mind as much as I can visit Maggie's, and I'm quite sure she'd look on in puzzlement and/or annoyance at the presence of Obama or Kerry and wonder exactly wtf what was happening. On the other hand, the familiar faces of George Schultz and James Baker most likely would bring a smile
And if Obama had gone.. tell me there wouldn't be a posting here reviling him for being out-of-place, and trying to step into her Cold War glory and legacy.
I'm working backwards from the idea that the Iron Lady would be happiest with old friends and allies in attendance. I admit, not a logical place to start, but I adored her as a teen and I'll miss her (imagine a foolhardy 11-year-old kid, and his mum, cheering the Fleet as it stormed towards the Falklands..)
To be perfectly honest with you, no matter how reprehensible I feel the First Tool is, attending a funeral of this magnitude is actually expected. As long as he wouldn't turn it into an electioneering or fundraising thing, I would respect his show of respect.
A person can be gracious and attend the funeral of such a person without having to agree with them -- but ignoring it, after cozying up to the Chavez Clown's cronies kind of sets me off. These nincompoop Obamas are supposed to be setting the standard for class, but they're more of a bunch of classholes.
Nah, I typed too fast again, just meant that with the Queen attending didn't it make it a full blown affair of state and diplo to-do. Thought I read real quick (while I was kinda sorta supposed to be working) that it was the first time since Churchill's funeral. And the first dude will bow to the Saudi king and pucker up to the brotherhood in Egypt but treats our allies with utter disdain.
I'm sure they'd hate to have him there too, what really gets my goat is his arrogance. And I was a freshman at Ohio State during that time, actually had a really good PoliSci prof who spent about 3 days going over the whole thing from all angles. Seem to recall getting into a debate a couple weeks later in an English class of all places, and after trouncing the opposition (TA was an ass)with my newly learned facts being politely asked to leave after finishing my case with a hearty "May God save the Queen! And the Iron Lady too!" Ah, to be young again.
And I'm awake at 3am again and can't even blame jet lag and the BBC.
I don't think Maggie would've enjoyed Obama's company at all..but that's just a guess, based on politics and her general acumen as a leader. Her supporters wanted a state funeral for her, but she didn't get it. She also stated she didn't want one.
Churchill got one, and she still didn't want one. Chew on that for a moment. To me, this signifies remarkable humility, and she would view all of this as Much Ado..
Progressive Senate Democrats delete Thatcher’s defiance of terrorism from statement in her honor http://zite.to/13hZJc4
I don't understand insanity...
Revisions deleting the mentioned statement were done by Menendez, a lowly little-girl-loving pervert who has no business even uttering her name in public let alone writing her statement of honor.
Actually, we here in England are rather grateful for Barry's lapse in how diplomacy works. It would have been somewhat uncomfortable having to explain to the now non-existent US representative to the funeral of one who was probably the greatest friend the US ever had, that he/she had to stand at the back of the Cathedral as there was no space at any closer for such as he/she.
And, "No" you are not invited to the wake.
Well played, Sir. Ok if I tip one for the wake from here, and mourn (again) the beginning of the end for two formerly great nations and another who will occupy a prominent place in the History books? (If they're honest anyway)
Too busy sending delegations to Curb our freedoms.
Embarrassing. Absolutely embarrassing. Although a sad event, the Michelle went to a girl that got shot's funeral to get her husband's agenda out there. Seriously Obamie is all like yo if I had a son about someone else getting shot. But a distinguished lady with a very important legacy and linked to the US in such a way seriously Obama you should have sent someone important. Disgusting. NOW the only excuse that he doesn't get to go and perhaps his wife is because of the recent bombing, but send someone... Kerry is out there he could go.
This is so ridiculous. Obama continues to make America the laughing stock of the world. If God were to give the world an enema, He would put the hose right in the middle of the White House. Embarrassing.
It's not only embarrassing but it's disloyal, rude, arrogant and borders on being childish!
In other words, it's classic Obama.
To be honest, there are no Democrat politicians worthy of attending Margaret Thatcher's funeral. We don't need some Obamaite weasel representing the United States at the service. But it's a shame that some conservative Congressmen (or a Republican ex-President) aren't showing up.
Well you make a good point but still at least for protocol. I am sure they would send someone if an ex-President died.
Exactly. It is a protocol issue. Ms Thatcher is no longer in office and has not been for years. But when a leader of an allied country, present or past, dies it is generally considered good manners as well as good foreign relations to send an official delagation, including a high ranking member of the administration in the mix. Of course, Obama would not know good manners if they bit him on the ass. Remeber the mispselling of another ally's name? And the FLag of another hung upside down? He is an idiot and to ensure he is the smartest guy in the room, he has idiots in his administration.
Maybe it's better this way. At least it means that he won't be giving Mark and Carol Thatcher an iPod with his speeches on it.
Classless.
He should send Jimmy Carter AKA now as the Second Worst President - ever!
as a matter of fact, they can keep him.