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My guess (and it's just a guess) is that the grouping of "official" balls is handled formally by committee and isn't very flexible.

This seems like a non-issue to me -- the transcript at Fox News shows he went to all ten of the official balls and zero of the unofficial ones, including the BET one that someone upthread is saying he went to. Considering it took them four hours to hit those ten balls, that they ended at 12:30 in the morning after so full of a day, and that the Commander-in-Chief ball, honoring the military, was among those he attended, I fail to see how this particular attack makes a lot of sense.

The Reserve Officers Association hosted a breakfast Jan. 20, and the American Legion hosted a “Salute to Heroes” reception, banquet and ball that evening at the Capital Hilton. Cheney and Bush, accompanied by their wives, Lynne Cheney and Laura Bush, stopped by to again salute the vets prior to visiting inaugural balls throughout the capital.

“By tradition,” Cheney told the heroes, “this is always the first event the president and vice president visit before we begin the round of inaugural balls, and that’s for a very good reason.”

It’s “because of the enormous obligation and debt that we have to all of you who served in the U.S. military, veterans as well as the Medal of Honor recipients who are here tonight. On behalf of Lynne and myself, let me thank you for what you’ve done for all of us.”

Bush echoed Cheney’s support for the tradition. “It’s right that it be that way,” the president said. “It makes good sense to start here.

“The inaugural balls are a reflection of the wonderful freedoms we have in America — the free transfer of power that took place today,” he noted. “This is a free land, however, it would not have been free necessarily without the sacrifice of the men and women who have worn our uniform.”

Change you can believe and make excuses for. These guy spilled their blood so that Obama could have chauffeured limousines, helicopters, and two 747 at his disposal. If Obama did snub those who sacrificed the second most (Those who died along side them the most) then what kind of CIC is he anyways?

Why are you being an obama apologist? Six of the 10 balls were in the same building! Plus being president means he can be driven anywhere in DC in only minutes. There was more than enough time for obama, if presidents made it 14 times in the past. He just purposely chose not to go.

The first president in 56 years to miss this ball and you think it’s a non-issue?

After the “official” balls were over, Obama did take time out of his very busy day for those who are important to him, namely: OPRAH:

Obamas throw “late night” gathering after balls in the White House. Oprah, Mayor Daley, among those present
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/01/obamas_throw_late_night_gather.html