So The President and Mrs Obama are going to Mandela's funeral

[malaise]

I'm betting President Carter and the Clintons will be going.
Who else will be on Air Force One?

Can DUers imagine the buzz in the media houses (except at Fux) as the top dogs fight to make the trip.
.

[Swede Atlanta]

1. I saw one report that all living U.S. Presidents will be making a trip to South Africa...

Whether all of them will be at the same events as Obama is another matter. Also I wonder if H.W. Bush is healthy enough to make that long trip.

But I cannot imagine Carter and Clinton not going. W will go if he isn't scheduled to make a money-making speech or cut brush on his ranch.

[underpants]

2. I would be surprised if H.W. goes

Not because of health, his VP'ness to Reagan

[Rex]

4. I bet money the BFEE does not show up.

nt.

[malaise]

5. I'd be surprised if either Bush goes

Very surprised

[LiberalFighter]

12. I agree

Pappy because of health and GW cause Mandela was harsh on him.

[okaawhatever]

20. GW Bush is going. He and Mandela worked together on AIDS projects in Africa. He issued a kind

statement that even though Mandela disagreed with the Iraq war, that basically he was entitled to his opinion and that they worked together on other things. Bush and his wife still support some causes in Africa. Who knew?
In fact, I read George W and Laura are catching a ride on Air Force One.

[CTyankee]

19. No more ranch, that was basically a "movie set" for him to pretend to "clear brush."

They sold that f*cker right after W left office. He now lives in a flossy part of Dallas. Only the best for W.

[Rex]

3. FOXNEWS: MARXIST LEADERS GOING TO PAY RESPECTS TO DEAD INFAMOUS TERRORIST.

The idiots at FUX will no doubt say as many lies as they can about the entire event.

[malaise]

7. Fox won't carry the funeral

They are shameless racists.

[Rex]

10. No but they will have Fucks and Friends making snide remarks about everyone there.

I hate that channel with an undying passion. Basically anyone with CLASS will be there, so no republicans!

[malaise]

15. LOL

Newt will probably beg a ride

[okaawhatever]

21. Let's hope Obama pulls a Clinton and says he can't sit in the front of the plane. (bus) n t

[okaawhatever]

22. Oh, you know what. I just remembered that I read yesterday that Newt was one of the first Republican

congresspeople to question the Apartheid government. It appears he voted initially against the sanctions against the Apartheid government then shortly after, he and a couple other Republicans said "wait a minute....this is some f**ed up stuff happening here. Maybe we should cut their azzes off. Besides, I was just reminded by my campaign manager that there are a lot of black people in Georgia, but mainly that first thing I said." Paraphrasing is all mine.

[malaise]

23. That's why I said he'd beg a ride

He did stand up to Reagan on that one.

[okaawhatever]

28. Oh, I thought you were making a joke about the fiasco that developed after Yitzhak

Rabin's funeral when Newt said Clinton should have invited him up to the front of AF to talk about the budget prior to the government shutdown. I'll just copy & paste wiki in case you've forgotten the details:

During the crisis, Gingrich's public image suffered from the perception that the Republicans' hardline budget stance was owed partly to an alleged snub of Gingrich by Clinton during a flight on Air Force One to and from Yitzhak Rabin's funeral in Israel.[68] That perception developed after the trip when Gingrich, while being questioned by Lars-Erik Nelson at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast, said that he was dissatisfied that Clinton had not invited him to discuss the budget during the flight.[69] He complained that he and Dole were instructed to use the plane's rear exit to deplane, saying the snub was "part of why you ended up with us sending down a tougher continuing resolution".[70] In response to Gingrich's complaint that they were "forced to use the rear door," NBC news released their videotape footage showing both Gingrich and Dole disembarking at Tel Aviv just behind Clinton via the front stairway.[71]
Gingrich was widely lampooned for implying that the government shutdown was a result of his personal grievances, including a widely shared editorial cartoon depicting him as a baby throwing a tantrum.[72] Democratic leaders, including Chuck Schumer, took the opportunity to attack Gingrich's motives for the budget standoff.[73][74] In 1998, Gingrich said that these comments were his "single most avoidable mistake" as Speaker

[malaise]

30. Well I do know about that but knowing him he may want to bum a ride

for this funeral - this is the who's who of the political elite.

Big fight here because Jamaica played a pivotal role in the anti-apartheid struggle but the opposition has been bawling about the PMs overseas trips.

[madinmaryland]

24. Newt will be on coach on a cut-rate airline, and will end up missing the funeral. nt

[malaise]

25. ROFL

[2naSalit]

38. ...and

mainly because (I hope) Obama tells him there are so many already rsvps to be on AF1 that there's just no room for him.

[madinmaryland]

39. The Clenis will tell Newt there are no more seats left on AF1...

[2naSalit]

40. And only with one exception

would he be allowed on... if he stayed in the john!! But you know he'd try to shut down the government again if that happened. He's such an insolent, egotistical, self aggrandizing POS. He should just go alone if he goes at all.

I saw a thread about WBC making travel plans to go there too, hope their passports get confiscated.

[DesertFlower]

27. i agree. nt

[Proud Public Servant]

6. RW Twitter Feeds are already exploding

with complaints that he's doing this but couldn't be bothered to go to Gettysburg (and some are also complaining he skipped Thatcher's funeral). Honest to f*cking God.

[malaise]

11. Fuck Thatcher

She was a racist pig.

[Posteritatis]

35. Hey now, don't slander pigs like that. (nt)

[malaise]

36. LOL

[underpants]

13. I almost posted that that would be their collective response

I knew that is where they would go with this

[Proud Public Servant]

14. They're nothing if not predictable (n/t)

[spanone]

8. k&r...

[madokie]

9. I would think that President Carter and first lady Rosalyn

as well as President Clinton and first lady Hillary for sure will be on that plane with the President and first lady Michele

[woo me with science]

17. Best comment I've seen on this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024142673#post1

truedelphi (27,539 posts)
1. I alternate between being amused by and horrified by how there is

Last edited Fri Dec 6, 2013, 03:12 PM - Edit history (1)
Talk from POTUS justifying NSA spying at the same time that tributes come in regarding Mandela.

If the President's design for a world enslaved by NAFTA, CAFTA and now the TPP comes to pass, there won't be any country's left with teh type of decent officials who will be able to protest the imprisonment of a true leader, as happened when Mandela was in prison.

It was various influential officials across the world who demanded and got the release of Mandela from his "stint" in jail.

When the huge arm of these "Trade Agreements" destroys the democratic processes of the other nations - so that all nations resemble the banana republic we now have at work in this country - there won't be any future Mandelas living free from rendition, life long imprisonment, or execution by drone.

[malaise]

18. Profound

Is it fascism yet?

The Carters are going with the Elders and the Clintons are also going.
Word is that Dumbya and his wife will be traveling with the Obamas on AF1

[chillfactor]

32. surprises me that Bush Jr would be going...

isn't there a bounty on his head?

[malaise]

34. I too am surprised

Guess that's why he's traveling with the President.

[SidDithers]

31. Well, that poster also thinks that apartheid was no worse than today's economic situation...

truedelphi (27,552 posts)
6. Yes, Reagan did that.

Last edited Fri Dec 6, 2013, 03:17 PM - Edit history (2)

While our current crop of leaders see to it that there is an apartheid between those in America who have good credit, a job and housing, with a chance at providing for a decent future for their children, and those who have fallen between the cracks.

Sid

[tsuki]

26. Ya know, MSM has reported on every former president's

reaction but Former President Jimmy Carter....hmmmmm.

[malaise]

33. He had the closest relationship with Mandela

Last edited Sun Dec 8, 2013, 09:56 AM - Edit history (1)

They were part of the Elders group.
Carter's reaction was on GEM$NBComcast Thursday night and I read it but I haven't heard anything since.

[tsuki]

43. I don't have cable, but I watched both CBS & NBC.

Every former president heard from but Carter.

[PeteSelman]

29. The Chimp is going on AFO with the President.

Though one must wonder why, he obviously couldn't care less about what Mandela stood for.

[Jamaal510]

37. Mainly because

other (former) Presidents are attending, and it'll look bad and classless for him not to go.

[Beacool]

41. They are all going, except for Bush Sr.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will attend a Tuesday memorial service in South Africa honoring Nelson Mandela.

The service will take place at a stadium in Johannesburg.

The Obamas will be accompanied on Air Force One by former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush. Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, along with former President Jimmy Carter, will also attend memorials for Mandela in South Africa.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/07/obama-mandela-service_n_4405679.html

The Bushes are going with the Obamas on Air force One. I'm not sure whether the Carters and Clintons are going with them or on their own.

[Hekate]

42. Bush Senior is awfully frail. Bush Junior is awfully stupid.

All living US presidents may be going if their health permits, but we do have to recognize that Carter and Bush Sr. are really getting on in years -- and Junior is a special case.

Regardless, we will be well-represented.