Posted on 02/04/2006 5:41:49 PM PST by Sub-Driver
In a Change of Plans, Bush Says He Will Attend King's Funeral By ELISABETH BUMILLER
CRAWFORD, Tex., Feb. 4 — The White House announced here on Saturday that President Bush would attend the funeral of Coretta Scott King in Atlanta on Tuesday, postponing a scheduled trip to New Hampshire.
White House officials told reporters on Friday that Mr. Bush would be speaking about the federal budget on Tuesday in Manchester, N.H., but on Saturday afternoon the White House sent out an e-mail message saying that Mr. Bush would attend the funeral instead and was switching the New Hampshire trip to Wednesday. The president is also expected to speak at Mrs. King's funeral.
Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, said in an e-mail message on Saturday that the change had been made because "the funeral arrangements were only very recently finalized" and the White House had not been ready to make an announcement until then. Mr. McClellan said "the president and Mrs. Bush are honored to be attending."
But Bishop Eddie Long, who will be officiating at the funeral services at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, said in a telephone interview on Saturday that he had initially heard from the King family that Mr. Bush would not be attending and that he planned to send Mrs. Bush and his father, the former president, instead. Mr. Long said he found out only on Saturday morning that Mr. Bush would be present after all.
Mr. Long is the senior pastor of New Birth, a 10,000-seat suburban megachurch, and is also one of the African-American ministers who has developed a relationship with the Bush White House as it tries to appeal to black voters through black evangelical churches.
Mr. Long said he welcomed the president's attendance and the switch in his schedule.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Yeah, of course he changed his plans. You don't plan for a funeral months in advance.
How stupid does the NYT think its readers are?
Judging from this, I'd say pretty stupid.
I think you answered your own question.....
There's part of me that doesn't even think this is just manipulation anymore.
I think the NYTimes is feeding its base. Give the rabid packs pieces of Bush to tear apart, even if there is nothing at all there. Just some reason to complain, to say, "Bush bad!"
Or maybe the writers just like to see how negative they can get. Whatever the case, the Old Gray Hag presses on.
Did LBJ attend MLK's funeral?
Nah. It's just who they are. No doubt they make up the largest part of the base of Moveon.org
Interesting development. BTW last spring Bishop Eddie Long held an anti-gay march from the King Center to the State Capitol. It was a huge march of mostly African-Americans including Bernice King. It stirred up a lot of controversy, but God bless Bishop Long for doing it.
If I were POTUS I wouldn't be there. Her recent work includes promoting same-sex marriages. I can't countenence that, I don't think he should ratify it, and I don't think it's necessary for POTUS to attend funerals for citizens of the US, however notable they may be. It's one thing for former Presidents but entirely another for private citizens.
I think the first thing he said in the state of the union was about her.
Yes, it was.
In another change of plans, President Bush issued orders to shut down the NY Times for aiding and abetting the enemy in the War on Terror.
I know, wishful thinking.....
Bush has to get rid of his press team. They have been a disaster. They mess everything up. They are pathetic.
Why would Bishop Long do this to the president.
Now it will look like he really didn't want to go and was forced to go. Conservatives love to talk to gossip to the liberal media. Why anyone would put a fellow conservative in bad light to the NY Times is unforgivable.
I bet Dubya changed his mind when he found out his "brother" was attending the funeral with the next POTUS.
The POTUS is taking my place.
I get up everyday smiling, knowing that the NY Times has lost many, many subscribers each week and they're not off-setting them with new subscribers. It warms the cockles of my heart that the Grey Lady, as we know it, will soon be dead.
Long helped him with Katrina evacuees now he helps Long.
BUMP
Knowing that he is not going to change hearts or minds, he is making a gracious gesture, and a gracious gesture, only.. We'll see how gracious the other side will be in response..
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