My Uncle in TX wants to know... W boycotted Gerald Ford's Funeral

[Leopolds Ghost]

And my uncle in Humble, TX thinks that he got Clinton and Bush Sr.
to boycott the Rotunda viewing, too.

All because of Ford's recent statement

(which he said "do not make public until my death or the book comes out")

about the Iraq war being a terrible mistake and Bush being a failed president.

As proof of this contention, my uncle wants me to research this question:

How many former U.S. Presidents were in the honor guard at the Rotunda
viewing for Ronald Reagan 2 years ago??

Note: Attendance at the National Cathedral for the funeral service
doesn't count! Presidents are expected to attend those.

But Bush actively boycotted the Rotunda viewing, Because of Ford's remarks. and the other ex-Presidents (Clinton, Bush Sr.) failed to attend as well to provide a bit of diplomatic cover.

I told my uncle that I seem to remember Bush AND all the ex-Presidents (enough to make an SNL superhero sketch) attending the Reagan viewing, which was also the biggest day ever for DC Metro riders.

Quite a turn around, don't you think? Obvious who "They" want history to believe is a great President and who is not...

[Diane R]

1. Very good question. And, I do think that Clinton is in cahoots with Bush Sr.

[undeterred]

2. The funeral isn't over yet

and people still have a chance to show respects. The vast majority of the current Congress did not attend yesterday either. Cheney made remarks last night, and anyone who is upset with Bush policy is upset with Cheney policy too. And, it is a vacation time for a lot of people. I can't read too much into it.

[Little Wing]

3. Well that took all of 10 seconds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_funeral_of_Ronald_Reagan

[Leopolds Ghost]

7. You haven't answered my uncle's question, and neither does Wikipedia.

Bush boycotted the Rotunda viewing. So have all the other ex-Presidents -- so far.

My uncle in TX speculates this is because of Gerald Ford's condemnation of the Iraq war.

Again, the Funeral Service does not count. Presidents and former Presidents are expected to attend that.

My recollection is that a full coterie of Presidents attended
Reagan's body when it ~~lay in state~~ under the ROTUNDA of the US Capitol.

Wikipedia fails to confirm this. It only mentions that Bush paid his respects to Reagan's body at the Rotunda.

He has failed to do so with Ford's body at the Rotunda.

Indeed, he hasn't left Crawford and apparently won't do so until the funeral.

[Little Wing]

11. Your uncle is playing a pointless game of nitpicking

he's simply baiting you into answering an irrelevant question.

[k8conant]

13. Apparently Shrub was in Georgia for Reagan's stint at the Rotunda..

and in hiding for Ford's.

The Wikipedia site says this about Reagan's:

The casket was placed under the rotunda, where it lay in state on Abraham Lincoln's catafalque. The Rev. Daniel Coughlin, the House of Representatives' chaplain, gave the invocation. Eulogies were delivered by Senate President pro tempore Ted Stevens, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Vice President Dick Cheney.<5> Normally the service would have been presided over by the president, but Bush was hosting the G-8 Summit in Sea Island, Georgia.


Those same three dudes talked again last night.

[k8conant]

14. Well he missed the eulogies but showed up later...

Oops, missed this:

"After returning to Washington following the G-8 Summit, President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visited the rotunda to pay their respects."

[Fridays Child]

4. Clinton and Bush I might have decided that...

...to attend, in the face of Bush II's absence, would be a violation of protocol. Even though Bush II is an ass, he's still the titular head of state and his actions may set the example for the ex-heads of state.

But I have to ask if anyone knows whether Jimmy Carter was there. My understanding is that the Fords and the Carters have become very good friends over the last couple of decades.

[BuelahWitch]

5. I thought I read that Jimmy was going to speak at one of them

I forget which one.

[MichiganVote]

6. Grand Rapids

[Cass]

8. W is a petty and small man. History will not remember him kindly.

The fact that he chose to remain at the pigfarm riding his bike and clearing cedar instead of attending Rotunda services for Ford when he did so for Reagan speaks volumes about his character (or lack thereof).

I don't know why Clinton and Sr. didn't attend; I wonder if its a protocol thing like someone mentioned upthread.

[tuvor]

9. I believe official mourning begins January 2.

As declared, of course, by bush.

EDIT: Seems strange to me that the funeral would not be part of official mourning.

[Monkeyman]

10. Cheney and Hastert asked him not to come

[sam sarrha]

12. probably told he wasnt welcome..

[Leopolds Ghost]

15. Thanks, everyone, for the info... Sounds like Bush was more present at Reagan

I don't know what happened today (I missed the chance to
go see Ford's casket.)

Sounds like all the Presidents always attend state funerals
at the Cathedral. but if Bush didn't show up at the Rotunda
to pay respects to the body, probably no Ex-President would,
either, because of protocol.

Though when Bush DID attend the Rotunda viewing of Reagan,

I seem to remember all four of the Ex-Presidents jumping up
to be at Bush's side... wouldn't want to be criticised by
Bush for dissing Reagan, would we!

[onenote]

17. on edit: bush followed the same procedure for both Reagan and Ford

Cimpy did not attend the services at the Rotunda for Reagan or Ford, but paid a visit there on the night before the funeral in each instance. Also, I do not believe that any of the former presidents (including Ford, Carter, Bush I,and Clinton) attended the Rotunda service for Reagan. So as far as I can tell, your uncle is simply wrong.

[onenote]

18. self delete: dupe

[ShaneGR]

16. Ermmm, Bush didnt veto anything..... he appeared in Rotunda last night...

And he's at the funeral. So what is your unclue talking about?

[QMPMom]

19. Bush*, Bush Sr., and Clinton *were* at the Rotunda. n/t