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malaise

(267,833 posts)
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:19 PM Apr 2013

Should 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?

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Should either President Obama or Hillary Clinton attend the Thatcher funeral (Original Post) malaise Apr 2013 OP
Send Timmy Geithner. :>)) pangaia Apr 2013 #1
How about Henry Kissinger once her and Augusto Pinochet's good buddy? Cleita Apr 2013 #14
Ted Nugent. Scuba Apr 2013 #2
Well in life we do things we must do no matter what. She was a leader of her country. southernyankeebelle Apr 2013 #3
Heard on MSNBC that Hillary Clinton is attending. n/t Lil Missy Apr 2013 #4
Obama should attend. Dreamer Tatum Apr 2013 #5
Nope, he shouldn't any more than he shunned Hugo Chavez's funeral Cleita Apr 2013 #7
Bzzt. The UK is our strongest ally. Dreamer Tatum Apr 2013 #9
That's the reason any high level official should not go. The Brits would like us better. Cleita Apr 2013 #10
Fortunately, adults will follow protocol Dreamer Tatum Apr 2013 #11
Henry Kissinger should go, but he can't because they will extradite him Cleita Apr 2013 #15
where do you get that 90% figure from. cali Apr 2013 #17
I don't know if you were following the Guardian blog, but evidently the song Cleita Apr 2013 #25
a pundit isn't exactly cali Apr 2013 #27
Well, you always think I'm silly, so I'll have to leave it at that. n/t Cleita Apr 2013 #28
Politics ? olddots Apr 2013 #19
Send Arne Duncan because....well you know why I hope....Hank Williams, Jr as flower bearer byeya Apr 2013 #6
Send this guy. randome Apr 2013 #8
omg grossness. Whisp Apr 2013 #21
Yes. kiva Apr 2013 #12
Nancy Reagan should attend. DURHAM D Apr 2013 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Apr 2013 #16
Hillary will attend malaise Apr 2013 #31
No to the President and Hillary nt Progressive dog Apr 2013 #18
How about they just send her some luggage and a nice Bon Voyage card. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2013 #20
The President should attend. bluedigger Apr 2013 #22
Niether. Arctic Dave Apr 2013 #23
They are going to whether they should or not Marrah_G Apr 2013 #24
They probably will send the ambassador. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #26
If Cameron died then, yes, Obama should go. LuvNewcastle Apr 2013 #29
Agreed n/t malaise Apr 2013 #30
she sucked but we will send someone high up - probably the prez arely staircase Apr 2013 #32
A representative of the US government should probably attend, yes Spider Jerusalem Apr 2013 #33

Cleita

(75,480 posts)
14. How about Henry Kissinger once her and Augusto Pinochet's good buddy?
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:47 PM
Apr 2013

Oh, wait Henry can't leave the country, something about extradition for crimes in other countries.

 

southernyankeebelle

(11,304 posts)
3. Well in life we do things we must do no matter what. She was a leader of her country.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:33 PM
Apr 2013

The VP or secretary of state should attend. It is the duty of the united states because England is a strong allie, period.

Cleita

(75,480 posts)
7. Nope, he shouldn't any more than he shunned Hugo Chavez's funeral
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:36 PM
Apr 2013

and Hugo was far more honorable than the Thatcher woman.

Dreamer Tatum

(10,926 posts)
9. Bzzt. The UK is our strongest ally.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:39 PM
Apr 2013

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)
10. That's the reason any high level official should not go. The Brits would like us better.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:43 PM
Apr 2013

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)
11. Fortunately, adults will follow protocol
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:45 PM
Apr 2013

rather than engage in puerile political pouting and indignation.

So this is moot.

 

cali

(114,904 posts)
17. where do you get that 90% figure from.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:57 PM
Apr 2013

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)
25. I don't know if you were following the Guardian blog, but evidently the song
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 02:44 PM
Apr 2013

"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)
27. a pundit isn't exactly
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 02:55 PM
Apr 2013

evidence of that 90% figure.

in any case, this is silly and it sure isn't how diplomatic affairs are conducted. thankfully.

Response to malaise (Original post)

malaise

(267,833 posts)
31. Hillary will attend
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 04:57 PM
Apr 2013
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/13/margaret-thatcher-death-ronald-reagan
<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.
----------------

I assume Dumbya is too worried about an international arrest

bluedigger

(17,077 posts)
22. The President should attend.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 02:17 PM
Apr 2013

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)
23. Niether.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 02:23 PM
Apr 2013

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.

LuvNewcastle

(16,820 posts)
29. If Cameron died then, yes, Obama should go.
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 03:06 PM
Apr 2013

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.

arely staircase

(12,482 posts)
32. she sucked but we will send someone high up - probably the prez
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 05:01 PM
Apr 2013

it won't bother me - but she sucked for sure.

 

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)
33. A representative of the US government should probably attend, yes
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 05:09 PM
Apr 2013

(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.

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