Why hasn't Bush attended a single funeral for soldiers killed in Iraq?

Question

You can read his explanation here: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=37535&archive=true

Do you buy it?

Answer 1

He's too busy counting his kickbacks from the oil industry.

Answer 2

I buy it 100%. He couldn't possibly attend every funeral, so he must attend none of them. I doubt if any sitting President goes to military funerals of fallen soldiers. It is just something that cannot be done in his position. Now, he does meet privately with the families to pay his respects, and that is good. It has nothing to do with how many troops are dieing or where they are dieing. I am having a hard time articulating my point here, but I do understand why he does not attend the funerals.

Answer 3

I hate to admit it, but I think he's right. Honestly, meeting privately with the families says a lot more than simply showing up at a funeral, where he may or may not even be wanted. Funerals are for the families and friends of the deceased. Taking the time to meet with the families is more personal, and less public. It says a lot about him that he is not out there just trying to make himself look good by showing up at funerals. The excuse that he can't go to all of them is practical and reasonable, regardless of how you might want to use it to paint him in a bad light.

There are a lot of things you can say against Bush and be right about. This is not one of them.

Answer 4

I think that is a valid comment, but I strongly suspect that there is another reason...equally valid. If you were a grieving family would you want the media circus that would come with having a sitting President attending your loved one's funeral? Security details, choreographing every movement, reporters shoving microphones in your face asking how you feel about it, etc. If the President was a family member, I still would rather he send his condolences privately so as to avoid that kind of public exposure at a tragic time. A death in the family is stressful enough without having to deal with that.

Answer 5

No I don't "buy it." No one expects him to attend every funeral of every soldier killed in Iraq. The Governor of my state attends some and I have never heard him criticized for not attending all the funerals. I would think the President would have attended some funerals in Texas or some burials at Arlington. I'm not one of those persons who is anti-Bush on everything, but I don't think it's a valid answer from him on this issue.

Answer 6

Yes, I buy it. No sane human could send men to die and not feel grief, however, if he began attending some funerals, he would have to attend all the funerals. He's a busy man, no time for that. I don't blame him, and I'm joining the Marines myself.

Answer 7

I am not quite sure if it is true, but I will try to answer this question very independetly.
If Bush attend funeral for one soldier, he will be ask to attend other and so on. If he reject the proposal after attending one, he will look bad in media and it will be hard for him to get out of it. Therefore it is in his best interest to not attend any one of them.

Answer 8

Funerals are for family's to say goodbye to there loved ones and if the president went it would cause a great disruption with all of the secret service.

Answer 9

This is what Bush said about it, ""Because which funeral do you go to? In my judgment, I think if I go to one I should go to all. How do you honor one person but not another?"


I got it from this article

Answer 10

I don't like Bush.. but it's true.. no president goes to funerals of soldiers.. because they would have to go to all of them and they don't have that much free time..

Answer 11

If he goes to one, he is obligated to go to all. It is not possible, nor should it ever be expected that a President attend such funerals. (any President)