Bush Declines Obama's Invite To Ground Zero on Thursday...

[rsmith6621]

.....Bush must be really devastated that a family friend now is DEAD that is the only reason I can think of...certainly it isn't because he doesn't want to politicize this day of honor.

[opihimoimoi]

1. Me thinks he is embarrassed and feels exposed as the clip of him saying

Osama was not revalent only 6 months after declaring DEAD OR ALIVE

[Lint Head]

2. He is and well should be humiliated.

A little humiliation won't be much payback for killing innocent human beings for oil.

[MiniMe]

3. Actually, I've been impressed that W has pretty much kept his mouth shut

And I think he is giving Obama time for his kudos. Of course, I could be completely wrong. He could be worried about the air quality at ground zero.

[emilyg]

8. I thought the same thing.

[liberalpragmatist]

9. You know, honestly...

... he's (mostly) kept his mouth shut since Obama was elected. Some irritating statements now and then, but by and large he's been respectful - not like Cheney, for example.

[AtomicKitten]

4. Glad to hear it.

[patrice]

5. I wonder if the family hasn't picked up some security concerns for him personally.Maybe he's afraid

of being booed.

[Marblehead]

6. He's mourning

[RichGirl]

7. It's very simple.

Being the decider is hard work and Bush doesn't like hard work. I think he grew to hate being president and is thrilled to be done with it. He probably wants nothing more to do with it.

[K8-EEE]

10. He has a date with Jim Beam

who would be devastated if he was stood up on their nightly/daily couch rendezvous...

[leftynyc]

11. He's been staying very low profile

since he left office. He was a wretched President but he's been an exemplary former President. I also think the visual (this is the guy who didn't care about osama and this is the guy who killed him) wouldn't help his legacy at all.

[Ikonoklast]

12. He would have been totally humiliated in front of millions.

No way was George going to let his massively flawed ego undergo the trauma.

[Mass]

13. Sorry, but it is probably one of the few times I appreciate Bush doing something.

Other people would have rushed to steal the limelight. Very decent of him.

Now. if the GOP could follow the same advice...

[themaguffin]

14. I think the invite was a nice gesture & respect W not coming, but

ultimately prefer him not being there, so it's win for everyone.

[Jennicut]

15. I think he is respectfully staying out of the spotlight. He knows, rightfully, this is not his

moment. He failed and he knows it.

[Beacool]

16. Bill Clinton was also invited, but he declined.

Something about a conflict in schedule. Bush has been mostly quiet, he has repeatedly said that he wants to stay out of the limelight.

:-)