Obama won't attend remembrance for 150th anniversary of Gettysburg Address
Source: AP
GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) President Barack Obama will not attend next months event marking the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address in Pennsylvania, national park officials said.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will instead represent the administration the Nov. 19 sesquicentennial, officials at Gettysburg National Military Park said Wednesday.
Jewell and historian James McPherson will share the role of keynote speaker. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett also plans to attend the ceremony.
McPherson, a top Civil War historian who won the Pulitzer for Battle Cry of Freedom, said he was surprised by Obamas decision.
Read more: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-10-31/obama-wont-attend-remembrance-150th-anniversary-gettysburg-address
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)Unfortunately this "story" doesn't say anything specific about any "decision" that Obama might have made (indeed, if it was his decision in the first place) or what he may have scheduled for the same day.
I hate these half-stories with negative headlines posted to obviously bash Obama on something.
russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)Arcanetrance
(2,670 posts)I think that about sums up their entire report
2naSalit
(86,057 posts)How right you are!
heaven05
(18,124 posts)probably too dangerous.
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)tried to protest there but were prevented because of some Government shutdown they voted for (Irony)
Still one just doesn't skip out on the 150th that'll hurt him some
better hurt politically than shot or worse. I just don't trust the right wing wackos out there that hate the color of our POTUS. It's an inescapable fact that someone of that ilk, gungeoneer and all would try to do something stupid at a high profile event that at it's inception was a call to allow men like our POTUS the chance to be who they can be. I'm in total agreement with our POTUS. Maybe he can offer a few words from the East Room or something.
Warpy
(110,910 posts)In any case, Gettysburg is best experienced alone or in a small group, not with a bunch of flag waving hooplah.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)If not, just another tone-deaf gaffe by Obama
George II
(67,782 posts)CFLDem
(2,083 posts)He is the most powerful person in the world after all (regardless of what Forbes says)
George II
(67,782 posts)...that day, should cancel so he can attend an anniversary ceremony?
Does everyone know that there are no state visits scheduled that day, or important legislative duties to attend to, or whatever?
All anyone knows is that he won't be attending, not that he made a conscious decision to NOT attend or that something else is going on already that day.
Ah, but it's a great opportunity to find fault AGAIN - basically "shoot first, aim later".
CFLDem
(2,083 posts)regarding his decision to not attend. I'm just saying that the decision to attend is ultimately his and his alone.
24601
(3,940 posts)http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/forbes-reveals-worlds-most-powerful-people-2013--with-vladimir-putin-taking-top-spot-8913265.html
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/31/21259089-putin-ousts-lame-duck-obama-as-forbes-most-powerful-person?lite
treestar
(82,383 posts)[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]
Fourscore and seven years ago, his fathers brought forth a communist conspiracy.
MyNameGoesHere
(7,638 posts)The way I hear it, his people don't tell him things.
Rebellious Republican
(5,029 posts)Some would argue that point depending on your own personal perspective and influence...
http://time100.time.com/2013/04/18/time-100/slide/all/
He may be influential, Important and POTUS of a major world power. However he is also held to the three branches of Government thing, just ask Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, John Boehner, Pope Francis, Angela Merkel, Kim Jong Un.... on and on and on!
Myrina
(12,296 posts)If they say "Sorry, Mr. Prez, you need to stay home" then so be it.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Sickening.
And any place can be made secure
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)can't think of anything.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)dry, and wait for this thing to shake out.
KY5
(61 posts)It probably gets tiresome being expected to attend every symbolic event.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)He had no problem using the Old State Capitol Building as a prop to launch his election campaigns, and tried to tie himself to the spirit of Lincoln then.
The Gettysburg Address was a defining moment for the country. Anyone important should be there for the commemoration.
Condem
(9,002 posts)...but looking back to the 100th commemoration, Kennedy was invited and chose not to attend. He was needed in Texas for political purposes. LBJ went in his stead.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Psephos
(8,032 posts)Perhaps you would prefer unanimity of opinion.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)seems to have one aim in this thread- taking jabs at the president. Another post said it was another "tone deaf gaffe by Obama". It is clear what that one is up to.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)I think this is a mistake by the PRESIDENT I VOTED FOR TWICE.
I will criticize him when I feel he is wrong. And I will not be cowed by those that think any criticism is wrong. We are not the Republican Party with their so called 11th Commandment.
IMO (this is a discussion board) HE IS SCREWING UP. You obviously don't think so. Fine.
BUT DO NOT TRY TO ASSIGN A MOTIVE TO ME.
George II
(67,782 posts)He wasn't President then, running the most powerful country in the world.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)Totally agree.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)What are the precise and relevant memorials each and every president should attend without fail and without question, and on what objective measure is that list based on?
Or is this simply a "gut feeling" one may have about what others absolutely must do?
Quantess
(27,630 posts)Who gives a shit?
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Quantess
(27,630 posts)serious enough so that those two assholes can never set foot in some countries without getting arrested?
Obama ignores some important day, and all hell breaks loose. All this tongue clicking, tsk-tsk, and acting as though this is terrible behavior for a leader. Where are our priorities?
JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)around the internet.
If Obama went, the right would say he was rubbing the South's nose in their Civil War loss.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)You call this "all hell breaks loose"? Really?
Speaking only for myself, I'm very disappointed that the President has chosen to ignore one of the defining moments of this nation. In protest against the Iraq war I also drove halfway across the country to camp out at Crawford Ranch.
Disappointed by the current President's decision and enraged by that of the former President. It's not one or the other.
Quantess
(27,630 posts)Bush and Cheney are convicted war criminals, in some countries. It was not that long ago, either. My, how soon people forget...
Not saying that you have forgotten the very recent abuse of the good standing of our name as United States of America because of the corrupt, evil, Bush Administration. Those fucking assholes nearly destroyed our country, and yet they still walk free.
Response to Quantess (Reply #15)
hughee99 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)If it really means that much to you....
JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)Quantess
(27,630 posts)However, when we just recently had two war criminals in the highest ranking office, and everybody yawns...
Why do I need to be outraged when Obama fails to notice an important date?
Edit do add: oops, I thought you were replying to me. My mistake, never mind.
840high
(17,196 posts)Zambero
(8,954 posts)we're living in the present day and there are enough real issues for a POTUS to contend with on any given day.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)One of the top ten defining moments of the nation.
Journeyman
(15,001 posts)to mark the moment that remade the nation . . .
NYC Liberal
(20,132 posts)I suppose this is the new faux "scandal" though.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)because of the political climate in this country it would be foolish to have him go to gettysburg.
truthisfreedom
(23,113 posts)for him to attend this type of event.
BeyondGeography
(39,284 posts)2naSalit
(86,057 posts)and SKIP about the event.
There will be all those re-enactors who will want to bring their black powder gunz and all that. They would be pissed if they had to disarm because Obama was there and there is too much potential for disruption all around.
As Jeff Foxworthy might say, "There's gonna be 1400 civil war re-enactors there and the first black president of the US all in one national park where a defining battle where the south lost happened... you just KNOW we're gonna mess that up."
revised joke Jeff Foxworthy made before the Olympics were held in Atlanta regarding the hundreds of live doves that were to be released for the opening ceremony and all the bird hunters that live in the region... from memory
Actual joke:
JI7
(89,177 posts)opposition to him is about .
zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)You really want to be the guy that has to write a speach to follow up the Gettysburg Address?
Tough act to follow.
Psephos
(8,032 posts)Quantess
(27,630 posts)Old-fangled eyeglasses for "foureyes"? I don't get what you are saying.
Psephos
(8,032 posts)It applies when a politician does something that technically isn't bad, but looks bad anyway. Generally, the optics problem is invisible to the inner circle, else it wouldn't happen.
Political power depends directly on image and perception. Politicians understand that often, appearance equals or even trumps substance. Great politicians bring appearance and substance into agreement.
truthisfreedom
(23,113 posts)Drale
(7,932 posts)Gettysburg is not that far from Washington, hell you can see the Capital Building on a clear day from the top of the Pennsylvania State Monument. If I had the time and the means I would love to be there for that but unfortunately I don't.
Sheldon Cooper
(3,724 posts)A few people have said that they don't agree with the President's decision, and that's outrage? Hardly. I think he should go, it's only an hour or so from DC, but if security is too hard to set up, then so be it. I'm disappointed but certainly not 'outraged' and I think I should be allowed to say so without being impugned.
On another note: I wonder if Lincoln ever imagined a black president standing in that same place, 150 years later? And I wonder if he thought it would take so long for the first black prez to be elected?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)though?
Battle of Gettysburg 150th Anniversary was in July--was that a lesser deal than the address?
Emancipation Proclamation? Appomattox? passage of thirteenth amendment?
This seems like a part of a wingnut manufactured outragefest, which if you google "Obama gettysburg" you'll see is going on right now.
Sheldon Cooper
(3,724 posts)one. Like I tried to say, it's not the end of the fucking world if he doesn't go. But seeing as how it's so close to DC, and it's really pretty historic, it would be nice if he could get up there. It's hardly 'outrage' to be disappointed about it.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)are more important. But, reasonable minds can certainly differ on this.
Of course, my devilish side wishes Sherman's capture of Atlanta would be celebrated.
Sheldon Cooper
(3,724 posts)The March to the Sea could be re-enacted every year!
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)winter is coming
(11,785 posts)He might have chosen not to go because the "protests" would overshadow the actual commemoration.
KY5
(61 posts)You can skip things that you don't want to attend, no matter how many people that pretend to be pissed off about it.