As everyone knows lately, Osama Bin Laden is dead, and President Barack Obama is going to visit Ground Zero on Thursday. Obama extended an invitation to George W. Bush to attend the event, but the former president declined. Why did the former president decline this monumental invitation?
Sources with The New York Times report that a spokesman for the former POTUS contacted Obama's people on Tuesday to decline his invitation. The decline notice went as follows:
"President Bush will not be in attendance on Thursday. He appreciated the invite, but has chosen in his post-presidency to remain largely out of the spotlight. He continues to celebrate with Americans this important victory in the war on terror."
Although the White House didn't confirm the invitation and decline, President Obama is going to be visiting the landmark Ground Zero site in Lower Manhattan to meet with families of victims of the September 11 attacks. If this is a fact, it's a bit curious that George W. Bush would decide to decline such an honorable invitation, especially since he was the one in office when the towers fell that day on 9/11. Could it be that he is feeling shame for failing at the mission to bring Bin Laden in during his eight-year presidency? Could it be that he feels bitter for the obvious win this has become for the Obama Administration? Or could it simply be that former president George W. Bush doesn't have any interest in politics and as his spokesperson put it, being in "the spotlight?"
One thing is for certain: It's a slightly upsetting revelation that the man who waged the war on terrorism in the first place refuses to visit the Ground Zero location to celebrate the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
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Comments: 47
I appreciate his classy comments over this event and Im glad he is taking out time for himself. Every ex-president deserves time off to spend with the family. They age so fast while in office.
~M
With the political left, it doesn't matter what choices he makes, they will always on him.
and I EXPECT GW to show up. It's his duty. He initialized this war and he was the one that yelled out "mission accomplished," back when it was far from over. I think he's showing just how much of a pathetic worm he is by declining the president's invitation to ground zero. He is forever unworthy of even a shred of my respect.
Before, I would have shaken his hand if I had the chance. Now. I wouldn't. He's a weak man.
I've got to hear this lol.
"http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/12/bush.press.conference/index.html"
"http://www.newser.com/story/104895/bush-opens-up-about-regrets-in-lauer-interview.html"
I think Bush's own words speak for me. :) Nice try though.
www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ME05Ak02.html
And, if you are a US citizen, he's your president, too. As he is our President, I would want for him to be there to help bring closure to this painful period in all of our lives.
Did he invite former Presidents, as a 'formality'? An honorarium ... knowing it would not be accepted? This is supported by (afaik) the WH declining to comment on such invitations, while at least one former President has publicly explained his decision not to attend.
It sounds 'awkward' to me. All the way around. Awkward for Bush & Clinton (& Carter??), all standing in a row, nodding & grimacing on cue. Tears? Are we supposed to do tears?
It sounds awkward for Obama ... dragging up all the retreads ... no wait - they're not coming! Phew!
It's still awkward. An immensely personal & private observance with families of 9/11 victims ... in the glare of global media publicity, a froth of rumor and speculation still threatening to boil over and hit the red-hot burner ... mere days after the ill-defined and still 'clarifying' mission.
No ... I'm sure, actually, that Barack is wracking his mighty brain, trying to finagle an invitation from George to spend a few days at the Ranch in Crawford, while Valerie or somebody takes care of things in New York.
Burial at sea, my foot.
Force me to release the gruesome photos.
I tried to protect you from this. Please us judgment with the youth.
God have mercy on my soul - here they are!
Of course, you can't tell a damn thing, looking at the inadequate pics.
And everybody is happy, and believes him.
That's the script, isn't it?
Ted, you are absolutely right. That whole scenario sounds very uncomfortable and I'm proud that, so far, we've been handling that particular event with as much restraint as we have. I will be very disappointed if it ends up being a 'victory lap'.
The story will change. These events took place in the hectic environment that is a combat raid. Peoples' eyes are darting around, heads swiveling, adrenaline up... it's often true that sometimes two different Soldiers will have completely different reports of the same attack. The story will change. Does that change the fundamental truth that the genetic, fingerprint, and facial geometry evidence that was collected of the target match those of ObL? No. He's dead. Whether Obama wants to release classified information (and virtually all data collected on that raid is classified due to the TS nature of the personnel and devices used), that's up to him. He's the declassify level for all that stuff.