Posted on 02/18/2016 11:33:53 AM PST by jazusamo
The White House is defending President Obama's decision not to attend the funeral of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and pushed back on critics who called it a deliberate snub.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday it makes sense to send Vice President Biden to the funeral instead because his "security footprint is a little bit lighter" and he has a longtime relationship with Scalia's family.
Earnest called it disrespectful for Obama's critics to use the funeral "as some kind of political cudgel."
Republicans have slammed Obama for not attending the funeral of the longtime conservative justice, interpreting it as a sign of disrespect to someone who was often at odds with the president.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a 2016 presidential candidate, on Thursday dubbed Obama "a lawless and faithless president who's eager to travel to Cuba but unwilling to attend the funeral of Justice Scalia."
In lieu of attending the funeral, Obama is paying his respects to Scalia and his family on Friday while his body lies in repose in the Great Hall of the Supreme Court.
The White House hasn't said what the president will be doing during Scalia's funeral on Saturday, which will be held at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Northeast Washington.
Biden was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee when President Ronald Reagan nominated Scalia in 1986. He joined 98 other senators who voted to confirm him. He said seven years later it was the vote he most regretted "because he was so effective."
The vice president said Saturday that Scalia would be remembered as "one of our most influential justices."
Tee times are hard to get ya know.
Let’s see if that miserable SOB ends up on the golf course.If he does,it’s a new low.....
C’mon. A guy has to work on his bunker play and chipping.
“The White House hasn’t said what the president will be doing during Scalia’s funeral on Saturday,”
Some jokes write themselves they are so obvious.
Is this the same President who travelled half way across the globe to attend Nelson Mandela’s funeral?
Actually if I was a Scalia family member, I be happy that Caliph Baraq was somewhere else.
“Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a 2016 presidential candidate, on Thursday dubbed Obama “a lawless and faithless president who’s eager to travel to Cuba but unwilling to attend the funeral of Justice Scalia.”
Amen, brother.
Obama has no class and is deeply disliked over this snubbing.
Scalia was Italian, not black, LOL
Did the President end the statement with Allah Akbar or hail Satan?
Hey what’s the big deal, it’s not like Scalia was Black or even a mulatto like him, skipping the funeral in that case would be a big deal, this is just some old White guy.
I say the Scalia family is relieved that the POS isn’t going to be there. He would spoil the whole thing in every way.
Does Josh Earnest leave an actual slime trail wherever he goes?
Or does it just seem like he should...?
They sure do and I'd wager they won't be volunteering any info on it either.
Does Hussein have a primo tee time, or does he have to "rest up" for a fund raising event (like when he and The Beast ABANDONED Americans under fire at Benghazi)?
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