I do not think this funeral is a great diversion but ...

[kentuck]

it seems to be prolonged to keep people's attention away from other really big stories. Such as 3000 troops dead and the macabre way that we handed Saddam over to a mob to be hung on a Sunni holiday? The new Congress is set to come in with their new agenda. We would not want to discuss that, would we? We would prefer to have a funeral that seems to go on for a week and we get to hear the same bugle about 14 times...

(edited to clarify my initial point)

[mondo joe]

1. Every fucking thing in the news is a diversion in these parts.

I remember when Terri Schiavo was described as a diversion too.

[bjobotts]

14. National distraction and National Republican referral .

Just turned out that way.Repub. Presd....repub. snippets all day. The drowning polar bear doesn't care, the floating ice shelf soon to block seaways doesn't care...always distracted with something and yet we have already crossed that point of no return. Nobody running anything anymore...we're all just running around in it...but more on the republicans...president that is. Just keep looking over there...

[mondo joe]

15. It's a big world. Things happen. If we dems can't manage to get

our message out in the world that is, we ought to just go the way of the dinosaurs.

[newyawker99]

23. Hi bjobotts!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[babylonsister]

2. Well, Ford DID die and these ceremonies had been planned prior to

his death. Having said that, the big diversion imo is the fact that while people die, dimson has yet to share his future plans about Iraq with anyone. I think he's aware there might be a resounding smackdown when he does.

[kentuck]

6. Yes, he did die...

but to look at this, one might think he died 3 different times?? :)

[babylonsister]

8. Does seem a bit over the top, but if his family is

finding comfort in all the hoopla, I'm happy for them. I have a great deal of respect for his wife and can't imagine how difficult this must be for her.

[bdamomma]

17. I think the MSM has a way of just dragging these things on and on

no disrespect to Pres. Ford, at least he upheld the Constitution.

[lancdem]

3. The new Congress starts Thursday

after the funeral is over. I don't see a problem with that. But the presidential funerals do seem to go on and on. Reagan's did, too. Oh well.

[itsmesgd]

4. everything these days is a diversion.

Just as a side note, I caught a minute or two of the Ford hooplah. Chimpy looked sick as he walked Betty down the aisle earlier.
This is not an outright bash, but he looks bad. I am worried that he is either on or off of some severe meds.

[cboy4]

5. Would you be all bent out of shape if this was a Democratic

president's funeral?

Try not to be so dramatic. It sounds silly.

[kentuck]

7. Do you even know what "bent out of shape" means??

I don't know how you interpreted it that way? I was just giving my impression.

[cboy4]

12. I understand that is your impression, and you do seem bent out

of shape, considering a service for Jimmy Carter or another Democrat would receive the same amount of attention.

I hardly believe they scheduled these traditional ceremonies to divert attention from the war and the Saddam execution.

Yah know? :tinfoilhat:

[lancdem]

9. Yes, I imagine we would appreciate

proper deference being paid to, say, Jimmy Carter.

[Skidmore]

10. kentuck, I'm sure Ford was such a loyal party man that

he just dropped dead on cue when they asked him to.

Take a deep breath and a power nap and wait till Thursday when the real work begins.

Love ya, buddy.

:)

[kentuck]

13. You know I do not htink he dropped dead on cue...

But I am cynical enough to believe that this White House would use it to their advantage if they could. But mostly, I think these are mostly the doings of the mainstream media...With that said, I do have a lot of respect for Betty Ford and her family.

[Skidmore]

20. I'm teasing you.

[MiniMe]

11. A former POTUS died, all of this is tradition

The funeral was planned as soon as Ford left office. All presidential funerals are full of this kind of pomp and circumstance. I don't think this is a diversion to keep people's attention away from other big stories at all.

Having said that, I agree it is unfortunate that so many big stories have hit the back burner because of the timing of President Ford's death. Hopefully, a few of them will be front page news now that it is over.

[SoCalDem]

22. I would love to see the process changed..big time

for instance:

president dies IN office.. katie bar the Doors..Big funeral Big deal

president dies within 10 years of leaving office... Body returned to DC for lying in state & funeral..(no holiday) just a big deal funeral and burial wherever they chose

president dies AFTER being out of office for 10+ years, a lower key funeral (still respectful, but not a whoop-dee-doo.)

[malaise]

16. They will not escape that discussion

before the day ends Kentuck

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

18. It may be a diversion, but...

I think that the longer we talk about Gerald Ford, the more the Current Occupant pales in comparison. Even if you don't agree with Ford's decision to pardon Nixon (he also pardoned Vietnam-Era Draft Dodgers, BTW), I don't think that many people these days would question his basic integrity. And that kind of comparison makes Bush Jr. look bad.

[crickets]

21. Carter pardoned those who avoided the draft during the Vietnam war

Interesting discussion of the pros and cons for having done so here.

Ford had previously offered conditional amnesty, not full pardon.

Not to pick on you, just to clarify. :)

I agree that comparisons between Ford and Bush make Bush look bad. Comparison to almost any other president that has come before him would make Bush look bad, but still...

I'm not a big Ford fan politically, but on personal level he seemed like an okay guy. I adore his wife. Poor Betty. I'm saying a little prayer for her today.

[rsmith6621]

19. Sorry But Your Wrong.....

........The are not extending this out to avoid reporting about the 3000 dead....this funeral was planned before we reached that remark.....why don't you place blame where blame is due.....The coverage of Saddam H......frankly I'm tired of hearing the horrible details of his hanging.....

Stop bashing Ford in death...