That poor president Bush.

I just caught a bit of Wolf Blitzer this afternoon. Only a minute or two before lunging for the remote. Apparently the chickenshithawk conservatives, those infecting the nation's airwaves are furious at the recurring undercurrent of themes at yesterday's Coretta S. King funeral they deemed way out-of-bounds. I'm speaking of Limbuagh, Hannity, and Matt Drudge.

And then CNN commentator Jeff Greenfield came on also hinting the speeches and eulogy delivered at King's memorial service were inappropriate. After all, Bush had to change his schedule to attend. And Bush did go.

Never mind Coretta King was monumental in the civil rights movement and for Bush NOT to have gone would have been akin to political self-mutilation. So enough pity for the poor bastard, he was there serving his own political interests trying to appear interested despite camera shots at times where he appeared bored and twitchy.

You gotta laugh at the following poll question taken from the Drudge Report website:

Do you think it's appropriate for failed politicians (for example, ex-President Carter) and others to personally attack President Bush, in person, at events in memory of others, such as what happened at Coretta Scott King's funeral on Tuesday, February 7th?

Yes, funerals and memorial services are the best places to attack the President.
3%
The attacks were fair, but maybe not at a memorial service.
2%
The attacks were fair, but definitely shouldn't have been made at a memorial service.
2%
The attacks were unfair, but it's okay to do this at a memorial service.
0%
The attacks were unfair, and it's not okay to do this at a memorial service.
4%
The President's opponents have no sense of decency and it is never okay to attack at a memorial service.
90%

As to questioning the appropriateness of many remarks made by Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, Maya Angelou, President Jimmy Carter, daughter, Bernice King and others that may have made Bush uncomfortable, tough! This was a service in the memory of Coretta Scott King and her tireless efforts as advocate for equal rights, civil rights, peace, the oppressed and the poor.

As to the inappropriateness mainstream media hints of where Bush heard intimations against his policies, I ask, "When or where in the hell is Bush ever going hear them if he only appears before pre-screened audiences, where someone with an opposing view or "inappropriate" T-shirt is removed from his audience lest he see them or worse yet, hear a dissenting remark before they are carted off to jail. When demonstrators are confined to "free speech zones" out of his sight. Maybe if the president could entertain ideas of others different from his own, he might have been more comfortable.

But for a brief time yesterday Bush had to hear a different truth. A truth based in reality from more rational minds. Pity. And if the accolades heaped on a great American were taken personally against his policies, tsk. tsk.

Maybe we should give the president a Medal of Honor for the courage he demonstrated by showing up. Oh, and while awarding medals, because of the wounds he suffered from all the slings and arrows, maybe we should throw in a few purple hearts as well. He should appreciate that. He's so good at creating recipients for 'em.

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From Coretta Scott King's memorial service yesterday, a couple of samples:

"We only have to recall the colour of the faces of those in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, those who were most devastated by Katrina, to know that there are not yet equal opportunities for all Americans."

Noting that the Kings' work was "not appreciated even at the highest level of the government", Mr Carter said: "It was difficult for them personally - with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretapping, other surveillance, and as you know, harassment from the FBI." Jimmy Carter

"She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar," he said. "We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we knew that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war, billions more, but no more for the poor." Rev. Joseph Lowry