General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsShould either President Obama or Hillary Clinton attend the Thatcher funeral
given her anti-worker, racist and pro Pinochet views and given the fact that her son is banned from the US because he has a criminal record for that attempted coup in EG?
Who will attend from the US?
pangaia
(24,324 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)Oh, wait Henry can't leave the country, something about extradition for crimes in other countries.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Maybe Meatloaf.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)The VP or secretary of state should attend. It is the duty of the united states because England is a strong allie, period.
Lil Missy
(17,865 posts)Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)No brainer.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)and Hugo was far more honorable than the Thatcher woman.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)It would be an insult of the highest order not to go, or at least send several senior statesmen.
Leaders of countries have duties and responsibilities that extend beyond politics.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)90% of them loathe Maggie Thatcher. I would be a good political move. Maybe they should send one of our wacky Republicans like Michele Bachman or Sarah Palin. That would accomplish any respect we need to show.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)rather than engage in puerile political pouting and indignation.
So this is moot.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)for various crimes.
cali
(114,904 posts)And no, in the real world it would be a terrible political move. President Obama shouldn't go, nor should Clinton, but not sending a relatively high level figure would simply look petulant and petty.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)"Ding Dong. The Witch is Dead" topped the charts last week. There was an estimate put up about that from a Brit pundit about 90% of the Brits hated her. Also, I recommend Henry Kissinger, a former head of state, who it seems can't leave the USA because there are arrest warrants out for him in other countries. I don't know if there is one in England but he's pretty much not left the USA because of it. He would have been ideal IMHO. So who does that leave? I hope it's Republican they chose to send, maybe John Boehner. He is third in the line of succession for the White House. Is he high enough level for you?
Then there is this:
http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Anti-Thatcher-protest-in-London-s-Trafalgar-Square-4432238.php
cali
(114,904 posts)evidence of that 90% figure.
in any case, this is silly and it sure isn't how diplomatic affairs are conducted. thankfully.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)byeya
(2,842 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)Whisp
(24,096 posts)that's a food show guy, right?
ugh.
DURHAM D
(32,596 posts)She should take George and George with her.
Response to malaise (Original post)
devilgrrl This message was self-deleted by its author.
malaise
(267,833 posts)<snip>
When it comes to actually attending her funeral, the response has been patchy. The Obamas may not be attending, but Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker and resolutely unapologetic free market conservative, is. Representatives of Ronald Reagan's family will attend but it will not be Nancy Reagan, who is "heartbroken" but too ill to make the long journey.
Also unable to come will be both presidents George HW and George W Bush. Reportedly all living American presidents have been invited, but it is not clear that any of them will come. However, one possible future president might show up. The weight of being America's top presence at the funeral at the moment appears to be falling on the shoulders of former First Lady and ex-secretary of state Hillary Clinton, whose attendance has been confirmed.
Clinton, whose period in Obama's cabinet prepared her expertly for the high affairs of state of a foreign nation, will be used to the ceremony of the occasion. But she may still be unprepared for the bitterly split attitudes towards the most high-profile funeral of a British politician in recent times.
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I assume Dumbya is too worried about an international arrest
Progressive dog
(6,862 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)bluedigger
(17,077 posts)It's just good manners and common courtesy to our closest ally. He doesn't need to wax rhapsodic about her or anything.
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)She was a washed up has been and a hated one at that.
Let some repug pay his own way to go see her, she would have wanted it that way.
Oh, and fuck magge facist thatcher.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)LuvNewcastle
(16,820 posts)I don't see any reason for the Pres. to attend the funeral of a former PM who he never knew. I wouldn't expect Cameron to attend the funeral of Jimmy Carter, either. Carter's a former Pres. and I doubt that Cameron knows him. I think John Kerry would suffice as a representative of the U.S. to Thatcher's funeral.
malaise
(267,833 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)it won't bother me - but she sucked for sure.
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)(which would not be Hillary Clinton, as she has no official capacity). Whether it should be the President is something else--as a matter of protocol, the president is a head of state; a prime minister is not; if the Queen dies, then yes, Obama should represent the United States; in this instance though? It's an open question; Obama's attendance would be a mark of respect to America's closest ally without necessarily endorsing Thatcher's legacy.