President Barack Obama will not attend Nancy Reagan’s funeral this Friday, and will instead be in Austin, Texas for the annual South by Southwest festival.
His wife, Michelle, will be present at the funeral.
Following the former first lady’s death Monday, Obama said, “As somebody who is lucky enough to have an extraordinary partner in my life as well, I know how much she meant not just to President Reagan but to the country as a whole.”
The South by Southwest festival includes film, music, and technology conferences. On Friday, there will be film festival screenings, including for the new Peewee Herman movie, and SXSW comedy.
Obama will deliver a keynote address, urging “the audience to apply their ideas and talents in working with technology for future world issues.”
Good now she and Ron can skip his funeral.
Maybe he can do an impersonation of Pee Wee in the biker bar.
(cue taquilla music).
told this country for the last seven years to impeach him. not being an American he does not care about America.
Anyone with any respect for the Reagan’s would be pleased for any of the Obama’s and anyone from this corrupt regime to stay as far away from Nancy Reagan’s funeral as possible. Spare us the photos of Michelle standing around looking like she would much rather be telling someone what they can’t eat.
@mos #8541: YOU told this country to do something ….. and they ignored you ???
Shocking!!!!!!
Do you consider Cruz to be an American? His birth certificate says he was born in Kenyada
Non Black POTUS George Bush did not attend funeral for Lady Bird Johnson. Can’t recall many FA comments about that
. Should we go to the archives and check ?
@john: After how Republicans were treated during (at) Senator Paul Wellstone’s funeral, is it any surprise?
who wants to be publicly excoriated?
But, you can bet, if Michelle shows up, she will be treated kindly.
That’s the difference.
@john: Shame on him its a matter of decorum.
There are not that many first ladies or former Presidents that such behavior should be overlooked.
I am sure those at the festival did not find his presence added to their day.
kitt Most First Ladies funerals have NOT been attended by the POTUS
it is neither a matter of decorum (?) nor protocol
Generally it is the First Lady who attends
from Media matters
President Obama has decided not to attend Nancy Reagan’s funeral. However, First Lady Michelle Obama will be attending the former First Lady’s funeral service.
Some conservatives aren’t taking the news well. Obama and Republicans are at odds because Obama has said he will appoint a new Justice while he’s still in office. Republicans have vowed to fight that appointment. This is just one of many things that have caused relations between Democrats and Republicans to become even tenser than usual.
[…]
Presidents don’t always attend a former First Lady’s funeral, but current and former First Ladies typically do. In fact, Obama also didn’t attend former First Lady Betty Ford’s funeral in 2011. Michelle Obama also attended Ford’s funeral, without her husband, according to the LA Times. Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter delivered the eulogy for Ford’s funeral and Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton also attended. Former President George Bush was also there. [Heavy.com, 3/8/16]
Maybe you think decorum and protocol for a Black POTUS is different ???
@john: Whats up with you and racism, you tell me he ditched a second funeral that makes it better? Take your frigging pillow case and put it on your own head for even having the thought it would be different for blacks A**H*Le.
Sitting presidents generally haven’t attend the funerals of former first ladies. They’re generally represented at such funerals by the the current first lady. Surviving former first ladies will also often attend. In this case, those present will be Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Rosalynn Carter.
President George W. Bush declined to attend Lady Bird Johnson’s funeral in 2007. No one made an issue out of it.
@Greg: As I said in my previous post shame on him,(to spell it out for some GEORGE) the presidents should know how important the support of their own wives, and honor a position that is closest to the leader of our country.
But something tells me Bush wasn’t attending at a festival at the time.
@kitt:
gee I thought you would be more upset over not knowing the difference between ptotocol and decorum than being accused of holding the first Black POTUS to a higher standatd. Me thinks you doth protest to highly
If that is true deal with it. @kitt:
George Bush was packing he couldnt go because he was leaving for a European vacation on the 15th of July 2007 that was why he couldn’t go to THAT funeral
Much ado about nothing–Michelle will represent just fine—Would think Conservatives would be more concerned about Trump dissing CPAC.
I ask again–How can any Conservative vote for Trump over Cruz?
@john:
Your foolish interpretation makes no sense, decorum deals with polite society, protocol deals with diplomacy. He spoke highly of Mrs. Reagan, she was very kind to the Obama family in their transition to the White House.
Nancy and Ronald Reagan’s children, Ron Reagan and Patti Davis, publicly endorsed Obama’s candidacy.
Michelle Obama called Nancy asking for advice and invited her to have dinner with them.
But Michelle will represent the first family, It could have been great PR for him to say a few kind words for the great lady.
You show yourself to be bloviated asshat for injecting race in the conversation, typical leftist.
Yet, Obama somehow found the time to attend the funeral of former KKK Grand Dragon Byrd. Guess you have to set priorities for the things that are important to you.
(I wonder if it was Obama’s elitist white privileged Democrat-fascist half showing.)