Perfect comments. I would also add that if a president did attend every military funeral, guess what the media would be like? What effect would it have on the nation's psyche to see daily images of the president at a funeral? Multiply the current media notation of every soldier death "over there" by two as they'd have to report every funeral attended "back home."

I'd say that no other national leader attends many funerals, either. I'd bet Churchill didn't.

No one expects the president to attend every funeral. But that doesn't mean he can't attend any funerals, as his predecessors have done. That's what he's been criticized for.

Bush's excuse has been that since he can't go to every funeral he doesn't want to play favorites by attending a select few. This argument misses the symbolic point of such a gesture. Moreover, he apparently doesn't have a problem "playing favorites" in visiting the tomb of the unknown soldier, while not paying tribute to other soldiers.

Every one of those critics better have attended every military funeral that has occurred in their adult life then, to make such remarks.

Brian-

It is the Tomb of the Uknowns, and when the President visits, whomever that may be, it is a symbolic gesture to honor the memory of all soldiers who have been killed in combat and whose remains are gone forever or impossible to identify. He is not, as you naively seem to think, simply honoring the three unknown soldiers who are interred there.

Thus, the President visiting the Tomb of the Unknowns is nothing at all like attending an individual funeral.

Did they stop teaching American History and Civics in school?

Brian, also note that when a President attends the funeral of a military person it is because he had known, or at least met, the person. LBJ, for example, attended two: in both cases he knew the person. Same for most others.

Mostly, Presidents attend mass-memorial sertvices. Clinton, Reagan, Carter, GB the I, on and on.

But Dean, I think another major reason a President does not normally attend funerals is out of compassion for the families. If I were to be laying a loved one to rest, I think I would actively resent it if a President showed up with the hundreds of accompanying newsies, security types, demonstrators...

You're right, John. Any such funeral attended by any President would immediately become a media circus and a Big Political Statement.

Enh. Just another stick to whack the President over the head with. You can bet that if he attended one, two, three, or a dozen, he'd come in for the usual criticism. It's beyond the point where anybody cares what the hatahs say, because they've marginalized themselves by being so predictable.

Bush behaviour speaks for itself. What more do people need?

"Bush's excuse has been that since he can't go to every funeral he doesn't want to play favorites by attending a select few"

When did Bush express this, Brian? When has he or any of his staffers made any "excuse" on this issue?

Bush met with some of the families privately. This seems to me more meaningful, and is certainly far more difficult emotionally for him to do, than to attend a scripted formal event.

As John Anderson pointed out, all of the trappings that go along with the presence of the POTUS would be more of an intrusion on the grief of the loved ones than a comfort.

Also, you think the banshees are screaming "photo-op" now, think of all the howling that would occur were the POTUS to start doing this.

GWB will be vilified in certain quarters, no matter what he does or doesn't do and no matter how consistent or inconsistent his actions are with those of his predecessors.

To the point and well said Dean.

I agree with the "another stick" commend - he's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't...of course, since he's damned by people who would never in a million years support him, its immaterial.

One thing the critics of the President don't understand is that if you want your criticism taken seriously, then there should be something within the realm of possibility for the President to do to gain your support.

Yes. Not something vague and nebulous either, but something that you can actually be pinned down on.

Dean,

Exactly. Shall we hold our breath waiting?

tsk tsk tsk Dean and Mark...

You simply do not understand....

Don't you know the President has to "do more?"

----

He has to do more on the economy.

He has to do more to win the peace in Iraq.

He has to do more for the environment.

He has to do more on whatever goofy thing some liberals is "deeply concerned" about.

It is the perfect criticism. He can never do enough because you can always say he has to "do more."

Simple.

You make a good point, Dean. I'm totally Independent and neither for nor against Bush on any partsan basis, but purely on certain issues. The "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't" is certainly the case with many of his critics, and this issue of the funerals is a case in point. It reminds me of the complaint oft made by pacifists that Generals are in war-rooms planning strategy instead of in the foxholes with the privates. All of which isvery much like the "chickenhawk" argument.

I also think that people either forget or simply don't know about the high level of security that accompanies the president no matter where he goes. Can you imagine having your son's funeral trashed because the Secret Service needed things to be "just this way" for presidential security? Trust me, it's not worth it. Do you want every funeral guest screened at the door, as if they were in an airport?

I expect the liberals are hoping that, if Bush attends a funeral, a grieving relative will get in his face and curse him and the war, in time for the 630 news. If he does not attend, that can't happen.
And that's the primary reason.

The last thing I would want is the President of the United States and Commander in Chief to be morosely concerned about an individual soldier. I want the world to see that the leader of this nation is resolute enough, that if the shit hits the fan, that he is willing to send men to their deaths. I could not imagine Churchill tearing up over the funeral of one or a hundred soldiers, when he needed to send tens of thousands to face death the next day. I also want to the world to know that the President will vaporize entire nations if required. Appearing weak has never prevented attack, so bring it on.

your all retarded! Bush is evilllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!
Die Bush!!!!
Die Bush!!!!

your all retarded! Bush is evilllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!
Die Bush!!!!
Die Bush!!!!

your all retarded! Bush is evilllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!
Die Bush!!!!
Die Bush!!!!