CLINTON DISAPPOINTMENT: LEFT OFF FUNERAL SPEAKERS LIST [drudge, sorry]

[truthisfreedom]

http://drudgereport.com/rr1.htm

<snip>

"President Clinton really held out all hope the funeral would be a nonpartisan event, like Nixon's was," a top Clinton source said on Tuesday morning. "He's angry and disappointed neither he nor President Carter have been asked to speak, as of yet."

<snip>

Clinton's inner circle is convinced Nancy Reagan has personally shut out Clinton from any high-profile participation.

"It is a state funeral, using tax dollars," the top Clinton insider explained.

<snip>

[frank frankly]

1. ah, drude. he really is a pro. manages to get the little things wrong

nancy would not be the one to block clinton. it would be bush. but drudge doesn't want to say that nancy hates the bushes because that would lead to "why" questions.

[keithyboy]

39. Actually it's the Reagan family's loss. Millions would watch just hear

Clinton. Nevertheless, I think it lets Clinton off the hook for trying to find something nice to say about a man whose "leagacy" is largely a myth funded, supported, and perpertrated by the conservative zealots trying to make the ignoble noble.

[Born Free]

83. It's all just another GOP political ad

This is going to be another big "get up the bush poll number" weeks, using anything they can to make it happen, couldn't wait for October.

[shanti]

2. is this a faux pas?

don't all living presidents speak at state funerals?

[StopThief]

10. Gerald Ford did not speak. . . .

at Nixon's funeral.

[progressivebydesign]

17. I think Nixon's funeral was a tad different..

He wasn't exactly someone you'd be clamoring to eulogize (political associations and all). But Clinton should be allowed to speak.. or at least Carter.. I'm amazed that GW is allowed to be the main speaker.. I would be more supportive of Ford, Poppy Bush, to do that..

[lanparty]

47. Clinton was the sitting President ...

Clinton had a "duty" for the Nixon funeral. Don't forget, Hillary helped the Nixon impeachment process.

I'm sure that Clinton probably LOATHES Reagan. Yet, he would probably give a MUCH better eulogy than GW Bush. If GW makes it out of the place without making an ass of himself, I'll be surprised.

He'll probably start playing "gotch yer nose" with the imbalmed Reagan corpse.

[Borgnine]

87. Oh, MAN.

That last sentence almost made me choke on a pretzel with laughter.

[mountainvue]

52. No.

He said enough when he pardoned him.:P Nixon didn't have a state funeral, did he?

[waruimono]

75. Last state funeral was LBJ

Nixon's funeral was no a state funeral. It was a private affair

:grouphug:

[Demeter]

54. I Think It's Just RUDE! n/t

[On the Road]

3. This is a Big Mistake on the Repubicans' Part

Think of it -- you could have had two Democratic presidents give a glowing speech on Reagan. Now it's an "us against them" mindset. Highlights the fact that the country is and was NOT united behind RR.

[Paradise]

53. good thinking! :) nt

[calimary]

59. AND it highlights how THEY are the ones being divisive and small-

minded. Makes them look petty. So much for their "fearless" leader and his "uniter not a divider" crap. I'm wondering if anybody else around the country will pick up on this.

When they dedicated the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, they had all living presidents, at that time, present and accounted for, along with their first ladies, AND they ALL spoke. Carter, too. I covered that event. I remember Carter making a joke out of being surrounded by republi-CON presidents, and expressing the hope that in the near future, perhaps he'd be joined by one of HIS party's colleagues. This was when bush the elder was still in charge, before Clinton.

We should be pointing out that Reagan, regardless what we here feel about him, WAS the president for the entire country, and somehow, most of America - Dem and republi-CON - found some way to get more or less behind him. Plus, he won two uncontested elections, even though the first one was a little fishy (not like 2000, though!). For the republi-CONS to exclude two VERY prominent presidents, including the last one to share Reagan's position of having been a two-termer (and also coming close to, if not stealing outright, Reagan's claims to being a)a Teflon president and b)a Great Communicator. Plus, Clinton was the last TRULY popular president, considering his poll numbers at this stage of the game, AND all during the shit they threw at him.

So let them be petty. Somebody's gonna bring this out. Somebody in the mainstream. And we certainly should do our part, too. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WOULD BE MOST EXCELLENT:

PLEASE NOTE MY SIG LINE – TO CALL YOUR REPS, TOLL FREE!!!

OR, TRY (877) – 762 – 8762. It’ll get you there, too! (Thank you, DUer redqueen!)


Please note, here, The World's Greatest Lists of Media Contacts – updated May 5, 2004– in the following thread:

LINK:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1533796#


IF THEY THINK WE DON’T CARE, THEY WON’T, EITHER!

[KittyWampus]

4. Bullshit. Clinton Has Too Much Class To Interfere

with a grieving widow and the funeral arrangements.

Drudge has access to Clinton's inner circle?

[ronnykmarshall]

33. Drudge is closeted scumbag pile of cat sick.

[Bill ORights]

60. Now tell us what you really think! N/T

[nolabels]

86. You rate him that high

I just got my cesspool cleaned out and saw a spitting image of Drudge at the bottom, too bad it's back in service and being filled up again. Pictures would have been so much more easier than comparing notes

[Zen]

5. Clinton, but ESPECIALLY Carter better speak at the funeral

I don't give a rats ass about Rea-gone, but this is an important issue if this is indeed tax dollar funded. Plus, Carter is from the era before the Right-Wing went mad and made partisanship a big deal again. IF this is true, it will backfire like no other failure of these utter morons.

[Hamlette]

15. Carter was BEFORE the right wing went mad? Hardly!

The right wing HATED Carter with a passion almost as bad as the passion against Clinton.

I don't know why. None of it makes much sense to me.

[Briar]

41. It's because he's a humanitarian

dogooder. The right hates them with a vengeance.

[MI Cherie]

66. Carter fired poppy ...

... as CIA director.

"Bush's career as CIA director ended in January 1977 with the inauguration of Jimmy Carter."

see: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/History/CloudsOverGeorgeBush.html

& http://www.payk.net/mailingLists/iran-news/html/1997/msg01102.html

GEORGE BUSH (1976-1977) He expanded the agency's use of satellites and other high technology, but left remarkably few footprints at Langley during his brief tenure.

[powergirl]

77. test

[calimary]

72. One thing about Carter - he's the ONLY ONE among them to have won

a Nobel Peace Prize.

If that isn't prominent, I don't know what is. As I said earlier, it will just further underscore just how petty - and puny - these reprehensible people are. Or do they presume that only republi-CONS and right wingers be allowed to watch? Or to mourn? I thought Reagan was the president of the entire United States. Not just the conservative part of it.

Guess we better rename our country the DISunited States of America.

[sui generis]

6. when has propriety ever stopped a Republican

from using tax dollars for whatever the hell they want?

Here's the important answer that we need: Who holds ultimate responsibility for that decision?

And a note to our good friends Bill and Jimmy: so eulogize him anyway. I am sure the news will publish your statements regardless. You might even make note of the inappropriateness of the situation, and there is nothing in the world preventing you from taking a subtle political position in your remarks.

[hughee99]

27. I'm fairly sure

that this is Nancy's decision as to who speaks, although as far as I can tell, a sitting president has always spoken at a funeral of this type. Clinton spoke at Nixon's, and I believe that Nixon spoke at LBJ's. I don't know that I agree with the tax-dollars argument that some make, since tax dollars pay for many events that former presidents don't necessarily have the right to speak at (No one was demanding that * speak at the Wellstone memorial, I believe that Wellstone's family selected the speakers). Since it's only going to be 4 or 5 speakers anyway, I think Nancy should pick. I'm not going to watch, so it doesn't matter to me anyway. I agree that Jimmy and the Big Dog will probably publish eulogy statements somewhere, and I think that's probably the way to do it.

[lanparty]

48. Reagan's corpse ...

.. was perfectly capable of flying coach. We didn't need to shuttle him on Air Force One. Next time Bush wants to run a herse service, he should pay out of his own pocket.

[crossroads]

64. and just WHO is gonna be paying for the gas in the jets to fly overhead?

The taxpayers... thats who!!! That is a ridiculous waste of money...
Our boys over there fighting for oil and we waste gas in these jets?
:wtf:

[Demeter]

55. That's A Really Good Idea!

A shadow funeral from the Loyal Opposition, carefully worded to show just how big a deceiver and crook and pusher of THE feel-good drug mindset Reagan was, that would be just the thing!

[readmylips]

7. President Clinton Nor President Carter would....

stoop down to the likes of a stupid and ignorant Drudge piece of shit.
Sounds like a planted story. It also sounds as a hidden vindictive attack on Nancy...maybe for her stand on stem cells. Or it could even be because she turned down a speakers position at the bush lovefest.

Republican don't even have respect for a grieving First Lady.

[tnlefty]

8. They can't speak because their eloquence would make Dimson look

and sound REALLY, REALLY bad.

[Carolina]

67. hell, my beagle's howls

to go out, to eat, for a treat ... are more eloquent than Dimson!

[leftynyc]

9. Does Drudge really expect anyone to believe that a

Clinton insider (let alone a top source) would go to him and his waste of a site to complain. This is BS people. And they certainly wouldn't dump on the widow. This has Karl Rove written all over it.

[Zen]

11. Drudge did also post that crap about Kerry having an affair so he is a

KNOWN LIAR!! :argh:

[leftynyc]

12. And I'm sure the same people who believed that

story are foaming at the mouth at this one. Bunch of lemmings.

[lancdem]

29. That was my point

No Clinton insider would talk to Drudge, and certainly not take a swipe at Nancy.

[SayitAintSo]

69. I agree - If Clinton was shut out - DimSon did it ... not Nancy

After hearing how the Reagans hold the Bushes in contempt, can you really believe Drudge on this?

Can you ever REALLY believe him ?

[THUNDER HANDS]

13. maybe it's for the best

Clinton got booed at the 911 concert. If he spoke I bet he'd get drowned in boos by the Reagan faithful.

Let them have their little Reagan orgy. Just makes them look sad and partisan.

[progressivebydesign]

18. Hillary was booed.. by drunken firefighters and police. N/T

[goforit]

43. LOL!!........And what the hell did those firefighters get from Bush???

Absolutely nothing!

[goforit]

44. The line is being drawn.............and they are fighting words my friends

[mountainvue]

82. Exactly.

Bet they wouldn't boo her now.

[ps1074]

14. this one needs a SCREAM

How dare they turn this into a partisan event? No democratic president to speak at the event? Remember Wellstone? Let's see how media reacts to this.

[Ruby Romaine]

16. What Media? The Liberul Media? Faux?

They are too busy getting their noses caked with brown!

[lanparty]

49. I can't wait ...

... for Bush to start rewriting history and telling how "Christian" Reagan was. Reagan never went to church. Neither did most of the founding fathers. But that doesn't matter to those in the ministry of truth.

[AspenRose]

19. I just heard on AAR news (top of hour) that Kerry's going to the funeral

Attending, not speaking.

I wonder how bad the booing is going to be....

[Zen]

20. Well, you get what you give - there'll be more protesting and booing

coming from my mouth.

[ronnykmarshall]

34. Kerry is also on California today.

He is paying his respects today.

[Francine Frensky]

35. If this funeral turns into a political rally .......

let's give 'em a little taste of their own meds. Remember what the repubs were all screamin' after the Wellstone funeral?

Dems need to give it back 100%, say this was a partisan and inappropriate way to "use" the funeral for political gain, and raise a BIG stink.

Turnabouts fair play.

[globalcitizen]

21. I wouldn't expect C to speak

He didn't have much to do with Reagan when he was pres. Is there a Dem who was RR's counterpoint other than Tip O'Neil who could speak?

[lanparty]

50. Dick Gephardt ...

Gephardt talked about how "civil" Reagan was and how easy he was to deal with.

[moondust]

22. "It's a cult funeral, using tax dollars."

[immune2irony]

23. It's all about Bill

I swear to fucking god, Clinton is not THAT self-centered, is he? Clinton spoke at Nixon's funeral because, duh, he was the sitting president. Clinton may surprised to learn he is not the center of the universe.

[matcom]

25. nope. Clinton doesn't want to speak at RR's funeral

to do so would go against everything Clinton stood for during his Presidency

Drudge is lying again. don't fall for it. remember, Drudge "broke" the Kerry affair :eyes:

that was a lie and so is this

Clinton doesn't think he is the center of the universe either :eyes:

[Justice]

26. It is certainly not all about you.

obviously, you swallow Drudge whole without reflection.

[lancdem]

30. No, he's not

This story is almost certainly bogus. Trust me.

[leftynyc]

32. I can't believe you would believe anything that came

from Drudge. His site is a wasteland of inuendo, unnamed sources and out and out total BS. Don't get sucked into this.

[Catherine Vincent]

36. Why do you care?

You think he's a failure. No, it's all about Drudge and any idiot that takes him at his word.

[SayitAintSo]

70. Hey guppie.... do you REALLY believe what Drudge spews ?

C'mon.... who are you really trying to kid here ?

[Kbick]

24. 100% Bushshit

Please don't Link Drudge. Come on think about it.

[koopie57]

78. Not only does this story

not make sense, the writing is like that of one of the "mean girls" in junior high. It doesn't ring true to me, IMHO.

[Carni]

28. Crap designed to goad Democrats into attacking Nancy

Drudge is Rove's personal propaganda master...Bush Rove's/co thinks the "Clinton faithful" will attack the Reagan family no holds barred if it is rumored that Clinton has been snubbed by Nancy Reagan personally.

Then of course phase two of their evil plot, would be to get the Reagan family so riled up that they will start defending bush to the death.

In a world where bush detractors were as out of touch and mentally challenged as bush himself, this tactic might work.

They are morons and no "top Clinton insider" would say the crap in that so called "scoop"

[AlGore-08.com]

80. Crap designed to goad Dems into attacking RR's funeral as a partisan event

Make us look like rabid loonies with no sense of decency, attacking a funeral.

The folks who are already on our side or the Dark Side remember Wellstone's funeral. The undecideds have either forgotten it or never heard of it.

[Carni]

84. Yeah that too

Good point, I had that thought also but got so carried away with my initial theory that I forgot to mention it!

[TheNewbieToBe]

31. This seem wrong

Did not a bunch of Republicans speak at Wellstone's funeral? I believe they were also given a warm welcome by the Wellstone mourners. Free Bill and let him speak!

[MI Cherie]

68. There were some who also ...

... exploited his death as a GOP fundraiser!

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[sandnsea]

37. Why post this shit?

It's just out there to make Democrats look bad. Why do you want to help them? I will never in a million years understand what possesses people to help spread animosity.

[truthisfreedom]

65. i think it's called "know thine enemy." i don't think that burying one's

head in the sand accomplishes much in the long run.


perhaps it isn't true. if it isn't, we've learned of another instance in which drudge faked a story, which is also useful information.

[sandnsea]

76. Bull

You think if they're going to make an issue out of something, it won't find it's way to CNN anyway? Don't you get it? They float shit on Drudge, see if it gets a response FROM ANYWHERE, then decide what to run with and what to let die. If we stop responding to this ignorance on Drudge, they won't have anything to run with. Who got in a tizz over that other faked story? Dems, that's who.

[Canuckistanian]

38. Just let them play their partisan games

It just lets everyone see what petty and vindictive twits they are.
I hope Drudge's article gets more attention.
I also can't believe I just said that.

[July]

40. If you don't read Drudge, you won't be tempted to post Drudge.

Then, when it comes out that it's another lie, you won't be embarrassed, either.

[bluestateguy]

42. Until this appears in a grown up, legitimate news source

I'm not taking it seriously.

[NewJerseyDem]

46. CNN says the same thing

Actually, the wording is basically the same thing as what Drudge had so Drudge really just got a lot of his story from these writers. However, the whole part about Clinton being upset about not speaking isn't mentioned here.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/08/reagan.main/index.html

Eulogists announced

In Washington, the sound of cannon fire echoed through the streets Tuesday as Army units practiced for the ceremonies. The Air Force scheduled a Tuesday evening rehearsal for a planned fly-over on Wednesday's ceremonies.

Former President George H.W. Bush, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney are scheduled to join President Bush in eulogizing Ronald Reagan at his state funeral service Friday, Reagan's office said.

The elder Bush was Reagan's vice president during his tenure in the White House from 1981-1989.

Baroness Thatcher was a close ally of Reagan who shared many of his conservative views and staunch opposition to Communism.

[lanparty]

51. I hope Mulrony ...

I hope Mulrony gives his eulogy in French. To conservatives, this is the black tongue.

[daleo]

85. Given Mulroney's relationship with Reagan

I would rate his tongue a slightly different colour.

[leetrisck]

45. I really doubt Clinton expected

to speak - but it would be nice if all previous President's spoke. Not that I will watch any of it.

[yorgatron]

56. dems at repug funerals is a LOSE-LOSE situation

you end up either looking like you supported the idiot and his policies,or you look like a spoilsport for telling the TRUTH about the bastard.

[Manix]

57. ..this just underscores the rethugs don't do anything without trying to

gain some advantage. Even death is fair game for these despicable creatures!

[Manix]

58. ...BTW....Mulroney was the original poodle for rethug Presidents before

Blair came along to take the job.

[robbedvoter]

61. Why Drudge crap on LBN? Obviously made up too?

Attracts freepers and other pests and does not much for DU's credibility.

[kodi]

62. wait in the tall grass, boys. the gop may make fools of themselves

if one of those lilly-livered gop yahoos that speaks at the funeral so much as hints at politics they will lose the presidential election in 2000.

yes, americans are tacky and they are crude, but they understand that this event is a rarity, a state/national function that occurs once or so in a generation, and is above mere politics. if the democrats are savaged by one of the reagan funeral speakers americans will consider that the gop is standing on the corpse of reagan for political purposes and it will repell them.

[cosmicone]

63. I completely agree n/t

[SayitAintSo]

71. Remember Biden gave the eulogy at Strom Thurmonds Funeral ?

He did an incredible job. It was stunning. He told the truth, pulled no punches and still honored the man at the same time. Strom CHOSE him to speak. That said as much or more about Biden and the dems as anything.

Fu*k Drudge and the rest of puke partisan antics. I'm glad Clinton won't speak. I'd hate to see him have to dance around the truth. Can't you see the pukes using it in their election adds ?

[boobooday]

73. Fear of Eloquence

Can you imagine the contrast? Clinton speaking at the same event as *?

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[David Zephyr]

74. Does Anyone Believe Ms. Drudge Has Access to "Clinton's Inner Circle"?

Really!!!

What utter bullshit!!

Read Matt the Closet Queen's self-promoting words in his "story":

"CLINTON'S INNER CIRCLE is convinced Nancy Reagan has personally shut out Clinton from any high-profile participation.

"'It is a state funeral, using tax dollars," THE TOP CLINTON INSIDER explained."

What is Matt the Self-Loathing Homosexual really up to here?

It's easy:

Everyone on the planet that has a brain and who has a television or reads newspapers ALREADY HAD NOTICED that Carter and Clinton had been snubbed. All Matt is doing is stirring the shit up by creating a story with NO SOURCE WHATSOEVER and attributing it to some imaginary "top Clinton insider".

----------------

Personally, I hope that Clinton and Carter are not invited at this late stage as it does make a completely partisan event out of the funeral, doesn't it?

[johnfunk]

79. DRUDGE DISINFORMATION: SIDNEY BLUMENTHAL...

... BEAT CLINTON'S LOVE CHILD WITH JOHN KERRY'S INTERN

DEVELOPING SOFTER THAN A DOZEN RAW CRACKED GRADE A EGGS...

Okay (deep breath), I'll say this slowly -- especially for the FReepers lurking here.

Matt.

Drudge.

Is.

NOT.

A.

Reliable.

News.

Source.

PERIOD.

[mountainvue]

81. Larry King showed

a nice clip of Bill Clinton and Mrs. Reagan shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries at some event. From the way she was looking at him, I got the impression that she liked him.