Posted on 02/08/2006 8:45:54 AM PST by LouAvul
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Four U.S. presidents -- including President George W. Bush -- were among the luminaries at Coretta Scott King's funeral Tuesday. Among some speakers' accolades and tributes to the civil rights icon were criticisms of the current administration's actions -- the war in Iraq and domestic eavesdropping.
CNN senior analyst Jeff Greenfield talked to CNN anchor Miles O'Brien about politics raising its head at the funeral.
O'BRIEN: It was quite a funeral, six hours. And the full range of emotions as Coretta Scott King was laid to rest. There were songs, prayers, praise and a healthy dose of politics.
Former presidents Carter and Clinton, and civil rights legend Joseph Lowery used their time at the pulpit to take some jabs at the current administration with the man, as you see, seated a few feet away, President Bush.
Jeff Greenfield is here to talk about the implications of all of this.
Before we get going, we will share video of former President Carter making reference to wiretaps, which of course has historical parallels here to Martin Luther King Day.
(Video clip begins)
CARTER: It was difficult for them personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the targets of secret government wiretapping, other surveillance.
(Video clip ends)
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Government schools, right?
It's just a matter of time before they throw out the "Coretta would have approved- she would have said the same things herself" excuse, and their constituents will lap it up.
JOKE
Amazing how these guys discuss it and act as if they're being objective, while giving the nod to the disgusting displays at the funeral. Typical CNN crap.
CARTER: It was difficult for them personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the targets of secret government wiretapping, other surveillance.
(Video clip ends)
O'BRIEN: All right. Not so subtle a statement there .What were your thoughts on this as you watched this unfold? Did it surprise you, first of all?
GREENFIELD: Well, I can't say that, because she was such a symbol of a particular moment in American political history. We should mention, by the way, that Martin Luther King was wiretapped during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations at the direction of Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who was a hero of that movement.
But what struck me also was how quickly this became an item within the other side, within the political right. And within hours, I think when the funeral was still going on, this popped up as the headline on "The Drudge Report," which often begins the transmission through particularly conservative media.
On "Hannity & Colmes" last night on Fox, it was the lead item. And Rush Limbaugh on his Web site went off on Joseph Lowery, whose piece he played, and called it -- and this was really the key, as you mentioned in your intro to this, "a Wellstone moment."
O'BRIEN: Tell us about that. We're referring to the late senator.
GREENFIELD: Right.
Back in 2002, shortly before the election, Senator Wellstone was killed in a plane crash. And at the memorial service, a number of political people made the point to honor Paul Wellstone's memory, vice president -- ex-vice president Mondale who was running in the state should be elected. There were also -- there was some booing, apparently, not that much, directed at some Republican senators there.
It became an article of faith on the political right that this had become a real ugly moment, when partisanship replaced memorials. After the funeral yesterday, Kate O'Beirne, a prominent conservative writer, said liberals don't know how to keep politics out of their funerals.
And on the Daily Kos, which is a site from the left, the argument was these conservatives had nothing to do with civil rights, they have no right to lecture us.
O'BRIEN: Well, let's talk about this, because when you talk about a Wellstone moment, timing is an awful lot in politics. And the timing there very different than here.
GREENFIELD: Absolutely. That memorial service happened literally three or four days before the election. And there was a backlash to it that may have helped the Republicans take that Senate seat.
We're now in early February. The idea that this is going to have some political implication, you have to really be overcommitted to endless analysis.
I do, however, think that in a more subtle way, this actually rebounds to the credit of President Bush. I mean, he came to the funeral, changed his plans, made a gracious speech. And I think for people who are not politically committed -- I mean, if you don't like George Bush, this was fine. If you like George Bush, this was horrible.
I think for a lot of people the idea is, do you really do this at a funeral?
Greenfield did point that out in the interview:
"GREENFIELD: Well, I can't say that, because she was such a symbol of a particular moment in American political history. We should mention, by the way, that Martin Luther King was wiretapped during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations at the direction of Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who was a hero of that movement."
I was reading a "teen blog site" this morning (I check in off and on, just to find out what my son's seeing.)
Anyhoo, the teens often discuss political issues, and most of them are not conservative, but almost all the teens seem to have the sense that a funeral was not a place for all the politics.
I was surprised that even the teens had the sense to figure this out and the Dems are clueless.
Hmmmm? I pick the fat drunk guy from Massachusetts for 500, Alex.
How hard would it be for you to find out the truth? John Kennedy/Lyndon Johnson (presidents) and Robert Kennedy (attorney general).
Yes, but did you see Hillary's religious sermon? It was a sight to behold.
She came on just after Bill did a comedy routine.
The President and First Lady were invited guests who felt an obligation to attend. They did not personally know the deceased so where do the Democrats get balls so big to hijack a funeral and turn it into a rally against that guest? Especially that SOT Ted Fatboy Kennedy and Jimmy Carter. Who should die real BLEEPIN' soon.
Just when they were at their lowest. They take it yet that extra step. Utterly disgusting!
This mornings AOL Poll
Do you think some of the remarks at Coretta Scott King's funeral were too political?
Yes 69%
No 23%
I didn't follow the funeral 8%
Total Votes: 62,322
Wait you mean George Bush wasn't the President AND Attorney General in the early 1960's??
You don't say! ;-)
Wise = Learning from the mistakes others have made.
Smart = Learning from your own mistakes.
No one one should ever accuse the librats of being smart and wise with a straight face. Amazing how all these genius level thinkers, with nuanced and inclusive thinking that us GOP voters are just too stupid to comprehend, can constantly shoot themselves in the nuts while pulling out the rhetorical pistol tucked into their waistband.
Insanity = Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.
Hey, that may be more like it...
GW should have referred to the situation with Iran right now and thanked Jimmah for his legacy.
Blame the prior admin...Eisenhower and Nixon,
Wasn't George H. Bush Attorney General?
DO IT FOR PAUL!!!!
here in the Twin Cities you still see "Wellstone Lives" and "what would Wellstone do?" stickers on leftist-driven
cars.
I think the church of the left wing moonbat is having a beatification caucus next month.
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