My favorite caption for this photo.

A picture of a group of people who all voted for Hillary Clinton. pic.twitter.com/cky6f1Rk2M

— Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) April 22, 2018

I saw this picture posted repeatedly on the internet after the funeral of Barbara Bush, but this caption was the one that made be LOL.

Mostly because we know it's true. 

It seems Sarah Palin came slithering out of her hidey hole to attend Billy Graham's funeral.

Source

Courtesy of NPR: 

Some 2,300 guests sat under a symbolic large white canvas tent in Charlotte, N.C., for the Rev. Billy Graham's funeral service on Friday. 

The setting evoked the "canvas cathedral" — two circus tents pitched together in Los Angeles in 1949 — to shelter the thousands of people who came to watch Graham preach, according to the Billy Graham Library. "The Los Angeles Crusade," eight weeks of services, would help raise Graham to national prominence.

President Trump and Melania Trump sat in the front row of Graham's funeral service Friday. Vice President Pence and his wife, Karen, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, were also there.

This just gives more credibility to the idea that Palin wants her next job to be as a fire and brimstone evangelical preacher.

Of course Palin's connection was only tenuous, her real connection is with Franklin Graham, the man now being credited with undermining his father's legacy.

A legacy it should be mentioned that also contained heaping amounts of antisemitism. 

By the way Palin also got an dishonorable mention on Real Time last night.

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

When talking about former communications director Hope Hicks, Maher recalled the way she helped the campaign by steaming Trump’s pants while he was wearing them. She was the keeper of the steamer. 

“Hope Hicks feels like she can be more effective steaming the pants of those in the private sector,” he joked. 

When it came to Jared Kushner, he couldn’t believe someone would be so stupid as to hold a meeting in the White House for his own personal business affairs. 

“I want to see his birth certificate,” Maher said. “I think it’s going to say: Birthplace: Alaska. Birth name: Jared Palin.”

Palin may want to be an evangelical preacher, but her real job will always be to serve as punchline for late night comedians. 

Donald Trump today accused President Obama, and other former presidents, of not calling the families of fallen soldiers.

12 days after it was announced soldiers were killed in Niger, Trump says "I will at some point during the period of time call the parents." pic.twitter.com/vPh85JNF4x

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 16, 2017

Courtesy of TPM:

During a press conference on Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump made the dubious claim that former President Barack Obama and other former presidents did not personally call the families of soldiers who died in combat. 

Trump quickly walked back the claim when a reporter followed up. 

The President first told reporters that he had written letters to the families of soldiers who died in the recent attack in Niger and said he would soon call the families as well. He then claimed that his approach was unique, and that not all past presidents made those calls. 

“The traditional way, if you look at President Obama and other presidents, most of them didn’t make calls. A lot of them didn’t make calls,” he said. “I like to call when it’s appropriate, when I think I’m able to do it. They have made the ultimate sacrifice so generally I would say that I like to call. I’m going to be calling them.” 

That was more than one former Obama adviser could stand.

that's a fucking lie. to say president obama (or past presidents) didn't call the family members of soldiers KIA - he's a deranged animal.

— Alyssa Mastromonaco (@AlyssaMastro44) October 16, 2017

I absolutely do not blame her for that response.

They did not call President Obama the "Consoler-in-Chief" for nothing.

He met with the families of fallen soldiers. (Mostly in private.)

Met the caskets of soldiers who lost their lives in battle.

Attended multiple military funerals for those who lost their lives.

And visited the hospital beds of men and women who had been wounded fighting for their country.

Here was what Pete Souza the White House photographer under President Obama had to say.

Pete Souza: 'I photographed [President Obama] meeting with hundreds of wounded soldiers, and family members of those killed in action.' pic.twitter.com/01pICn3YVo

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 16, 2017

We know that Donald Trump is a lying POS but this is low even for him.

Dreamer dies trying to rescue people during Texas flood, his Mexican born mother will not be allowed to attend his funeral.

Courtesy of HuffPo: 

Alonso Guillen came to the U.S. from Mexico as a child. He died here, too: On Wednesday, he disappeared when his boat capsized while he was rescuing survivors of the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area. 

Family members recovered his body on Sunday from a creek in Spring, Texas, according to The Houston Chronicle ― just hours before reports emerged that President Donald Trump will end the program that shielded Guillen and others like him ― so-called Dreamers ― from deportation. 

Guillen, a 31-year-old disc jockey who came to Texas from Mexico as a teenager, never became a U.S. citizen. But he had a work permit and protection from immediate deportation as part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ― DACA ― that then-President Barack Obama established in 2012. 

Last week, he headed south from his home in Lufkin, Texas, with a borrowed boat, insisting he wanted to help rescue flood survivors. His father, a legal permanent resident, wept on the sandy banks of Cypress Creek on Sunday as his son’s body was pulled from the water, the Chronicle reported. Jesus Guillen recounted to the paper how he asked his son not to go on the rescue mission with two friends, and that he thanked God for the time he had with his son. 

As Law Newz reports Guillen's mother will not be allowed to cross the border in order to attend her son's funeral:  

While Guillen’s father is a legal permanent resident of the United States, his mother, Rita Ruiz de Guillen is currently applying for legal status here–and unable to cross the border in order to bury her son. 

She had hoped U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials would be understanding of the situation and issue a humanitarian visa so she could properly mourn, but her request was denied and the grieving 62-year-old was sent back to Me exico after reaching the U.S. border. She said, through tears: 

“I’ve lost a great son, you have no idea. I’m asking God to give me strength. When we are with God, there are no borders. Man made borders on this earth.”

I'm sorry, putting politics aside where at least is the compassion for this grieving mother? 

I mean what are they afraid she will do, leave the funeral, disappear into the crowd, and then immediately start stealing American's jobs?

Only a handful of people on the planet could make President Obama wait for them. Apparently Bill Clinton is one of them.

"Bill!" Who can keep a President waiting? Why, another President of course @BarackObama @billclinton @POTUS https://t.co/rPlvoI87xQ

— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 30, 2016

Courtesy of New York Magazine:  

After attending the funeral of Shimon Peres in Israel on Friday, Barack Obama boarded Air Force One to head back to the States. Only problem was he had to wait for former president Bill Clinton, who took his damn time in boarding the flight.

Somehow I have the feeling that if Bill pulls that shit with the NEXT President of the United States he will find himself standing on the tarmac trying to flag down passing planes looking for a lift home. 

Whyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!

This may be the best photo from Mrs. Reagan's funeral. pic.twitter.com/kX1WZP9mwi

— David Chalian (@DavidChalian) March 14, 2016

Okay for those who have not already been traumatized by this picture, it was taken during Nancy Reagan's funeral and has been bandied about as a sweet moment of bipartisanship during a turbulent election cycle.

But that is certainly NOT how liberals see it.

What we see is our potential Democrat candidate, already dealing with very high negatives in the polls, embracing our version of the devil himself.

Now I understand that since Bill and George H. started hanging out together to do humanitarian missions around the world, that the Clinton and Bush families became quite cozy.

I guess in some ways that is rather sweet, in that good for humanity kind of way.

However in NO way does that forgive Hillary allowing a picture like this to be taken.

No, no, no, fucking no!

Remember how I talked about unforced errors in a previous post?

Yeah, well this is what I was talking about.

Do you want a Donald Trump presidency? Because this is how you get a Donald Trump presidency.

Update: Okay after reading through some of your responses there is a chance I might have, you know slightly overreacted to this picture.

Maybe.

However I am still of the opinion that Hillary should keep a certain distance between herself and George W. Bush. Remember there are a lot of people still trying to decide between her and Bernie Sanders, and this certainly does her no favors in that regard.

I think I would have been okay if this had been a hug between Hillary and George H. Bush, Barbara Bush, or even Jeb Bush.

But in my mind the only person worse for her to be associated with is Dick Cheney, who by the way praised her as Secretary of State back in 2011.

Hillary is already being called neocon and a warmonger. Her detractors should be denied any more weapons for their arsenal if she intends to win.

President Obama plans to visit Cuba, but since that won't freak out the Right Wing enough will also skip Justice Scalia's funeral.

Courtesy of Yahoo: 

Pres. Barack Obama will make a historic visit to Cuba “in the coming weeks,” the culmination of his efforts to end a half-century of tensions between Havana and Washington, a senior administration official said late Wednesday. 

“We can confirm that tomorrow‎ the administration will announce the president’s travel to Latin America, including Cuba, in the coming weeks,” the official said on condition of anonymity. ABC had first reported the news, saying that the trip would take place in late March.

The trip, the first one by a sitting President since 1928, immediately drew fire from the conservatives.

Would @tedcruz visit #Cuba? No, “as long as the Castros are in power.” https://t.co/tZiz7EBNZC #GOPTownHall https://t.co/lv5v2fTiyg

— CNN (@CNN) February 18, 2016

.@marcorubio responds to @POTUS’ plan to visit to #Cuba. #GOPTownHall https://t.co/5Nlsme7EA8 https://t.co/Iz2L2lkEb9

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) February 18, 2016

But apparently the President did not think that was enough to sufficiently get the conservative riled up enough, so his White House Press Secretary also made this announcement: 

President Barack Obama is preparing for a fierce battle with the Senate over the Supreme Court vacancy, but he’s not planning to attend Justice Antonin Scalia’s funeral — a decision that puzzled even some of his allies and incensed conservative media. 

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest revealed the president’s plans during the daily briefing, saying Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will go to the Supreme Court on Friday “to pay their respects to Justice Scalia” while the justice lies in repose in the Great Hall. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden, who share Scalia’s Catholic faith, will be at the services instead.

I don't blame the President for not going to the funeral.

I mean could you imagine trying to make small talk about a guy who you disagreed with on almost EVERY topic?

Nice way to end our day. President Obama singing "Amazing Grace."

Courtesy of Rolling Stone:  

President Obama attended Rev. Clementa Pinckney's funeral in Charleston, South Carolina on Friday and delivered a moving version of "Amazing Grace" in the middle of his touching eulogy. 

Rev. Pinckney was a state senator and one of the nine victims of the tragic shooting that occurred in the church where his funeral took place. "If we can find that grace, anything is possible," Obama stated to the congregation. "If we can tap that grace, everything can change." 

After a moment of solemn silence, Obama began singing "Amazing Grace" a cappella before the choir, attendees and musicians joined in for the performance. Afterwards, the president stated that each of the victims had "found that grace," naming all nine individually. "May God continue to shed his grace on the United States of America," he concluded. 

The President has some pipes. 

He could use a little more practice to help his singing, but damn when the man speaks......

Even for a die hard Atheist like me, I found that quite touching. 

Final image of the day.

Courtesy of the Obama Diary:

Long after the last partisan battle has been fought over Obamacare, long after Barack Obama has settled into a comfortable post-presidency, and long after the last joke has been made about some Joe Biden verbal misstep, people will remember the moment when the always-in-control president struggled to control his emotions. They will remember the moment when president and vice president embraced in front of the altar and exchanged heartfelt kisses on the cheek. And they will remember how their hearts ached at this intimate glimpse of one family’s pain. In an age when so many political moments are scripted, this was real. In a country whose presidents and vice presidents have rarely been close, this was genuine closeness. In an administration that prides itself on being hip, this was decidedly old-fashioned love.

I have to admit that I did not watch much of the funeral on TV yesterday, I have attended too many of them in my life. 

However I have seen clips of the event and as expected there have been a lot of feels. Especially in response to the President's tearful and moving eulogy.

I started this day with a photo of the President frolicking with a baby, and I end with a picture of our President comforting a friend.

Both of them tell us something important about the man that we elected to lead this country. And it is something that no partisan attack or conservative lie can ever diminish.

Ted Cruz mocks Joe Biden the day before he buries his son.

Courtesy of Think Progress: 

Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden will bury his son, Beau, who died after a battle with brain cancer. That didn’t stop Senator Ted Cruz, who is running for president, from using Biden as a punch line for a bad joke on Wednesday night. Cruz was speaking to a group of Republicans in Michigan.

"Vice President Joe Biden," @TedCruz says to faint laughter. "You know the nice thing? You don't need a punch line." #JoeBiden

— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) June 3, 2015

Later Cruz made a minimal effort at damage control: 

It was a mistake to use an old joke about Joe Biden during his time of grief, and I sincerely apologize. The loss of his son is heartbreaking and tragic, and our prayers are very much with the Vice President and his family.

Today is the funeral of Beau Biden, and many prominent politicians were in attendance, including the President and Michele Obama, as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Somehow I doubt that Cruz made an appearance.

Minister halts funeral part way through after realizing that the deceased was gay.

Vanessa Coulier, far left, with her wife and little girls.

Courtesy of the Denver Post:

 Hundreds of Vanessa Collier's friends and family gathered Saturday at New Hope Ministries, sitting before an open casket that held the woman they loved, when suddenly the minister overseeing her funeral stopped the service. 

The memorial could not continue, Pastor Ray Chavez said, as long as pictures of Collier with the love of her life, the spouse she shared two children with, were to be displayed. 

Chavez said there could be no images of Collier with her wife, Christina. There could be no indication that Collier was gay. 

Outraged, those who loved Collier, 33, picked up programs, flowers and eventually the dead woman's casket itself, moving the service to a mortuary that — thankfully, they say — happened to be across the street. 

"It was humiliating," said Victoria Quintana, Collier's longtime friend. "It was devastating."

And here I thought that President Obama did away with "Don't Ask Don't Tell." 

I guess it is still alive and well, pardon the pun, in the funeral biz.

Can only imagine the effect this must have had on those two little girls to recognize that even in death the church went out of its way to disrespect their mother.

I think somebody better alert this New Hope Ministries that progress is coming, and they can only hold it off for so long.

Just in case you failed to realize that Sarah Palin's favorite Fox News talking head is a moron.

The MSM spent weeks covering the riots.You'd think they could spare a few hours to cover a police officer's funeral. #PoliceLivesMatter
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) December 27, 2014

The above is a tweet from Todd Starnes Fox's pudgy little Christo-fascist warrior in the "War on Christmas."

And as you can see he is foot stomping mad that other cable networks did not cover the funeral of murdered NYPD officer Rafael Ramos adequately.

Except you know what, they kind of did.

This from Mediaite:  

Now, before going any further, we should make several things clear. Firstly, Fox News did cover the memorial multiple times over the course of the morning. Fox & Friends covered it in several segments and they had live shots outside the church where the service was being held. There were a few live reports scattered throughout Fox’s Cost of Freedom business block, and right after that two-hour block they did cover what happened at the memorial service in detail. 

Fox also made live streams of the memorial service available online for people to watch the speeches by Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, but that wouldn’t exactly come close to the kind of reach it would have for Fox to cover the service live. 

But both CNN and MSNBC devoted more live, on-air coverage to the memorial service than Fox did. It was the only thing that CNN was covering for several hours, and that network carried the entire memorial service live. MSNBC only carried Biden’s speech live, but they also featured various live shots from reporters and interviews talking about the memorial service and the issues raised by it. 

Fox, again, covered the memorial service before it started but did not cover any of it live. Its regular programming went on as usual, interrupted briefly by various short updates.

What a tool.

No wonder Sarah Palin only phoned in her appearance on his truly terrible Christmas special. 

A sea of blue.

Courtesy of ABC News:  

New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton called slain New York City Police Officer Rafael Ramos "a hero" and gave the officer a posthumous promotion during Ramos' funeral today. 

"The men and women who hear that blue and wear that badge, we know who Rafael Ramos was," Bratton said at Ramos' funeral. "He was a New York City Police Officer, and he was, he is a hero." 

Thousands of uniformed police officers gathered for the funeral at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale neighborhood of Queens, standing outside the church where it was broadcast on large screens. 

Bratton was just one of many high level government officials who spoke, including Vice President Joe Biden and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio. 

Biden called the New York Police Department the finest in the world. 

"They were a part of New York's finest, and that not an idle phrase," he said. "This is probably the finest police department in the world, the finest police department in the world. They earn that praise."

I posted this partly to because I wanted to affirm the fact that for the most part I support the police, and I think what they do is both heroic and necessary to keep all of us safe.

My beef is not with the honest cop on the beat, and I do know they exist. My beef is with power hungry assholes and the over militarized police departments that are equipping their officers as if they expect to be invaded by China at any minute.

And yes I do realize that we live in a society with numerous citizens that are so heavily armed that the average police officer is ill equipped to neutralize them WITHOUT having access to the kind of weaponry one might expect to find during a zombie Apocalypse.

But that of course is a whole other argument for a whole other post.

And besides I thought that was what we had SWAT teams for.

But just like we should not lump all cops together we also should not excuse them for blaming the protesters and Mayor de Blasio for these murders.

And scenes like this of the police turning their back on the mayor while he gives the eulogy are inexcusable in my mind. You know I hate to disagree with Vice President Biden but it does not seem to me that the "best police force in the world" would behave in this manner.

Why you want a physicist to speak at your funeral.

My choice to give my eulogy.

You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You want the physicist to talk to your grieving family about the conservation of energy, so they will understand that your energy has not died. You want the physicist to remind your sobbing mother about the first law of thermodynamics; that no energy gets created in the universe, and none is destroyed. You want your mother to know that all your energy, every vibration, every Btu of heat, every wave of every particle that was her beloved child remains with her in this world. You want the physicist to tell your weeping father that amid energies of the cosmos, you gave as good as you got. 

And at one point you'd hope that the physicist would step down from the pulpit and walk to your brokenhearted spouse there in the pew and tell him that all the photons that ever bounced off your face, all the particles whose paths were interrupted by your smile, by the touch of your hair, hundreds of trillions of particles, have raced off like children, their ways forever changed by you. And as your widow rocks in the arms of a loving family, may the physicist let her know that all the photons that bounced from you were gathered in the particle detectors that are her eyes, that those photons created within her constellations of electromagnetically charged neurons whose energy will go on forever. 

And the physicist will remind the congregation of how much of all our energy is given off as heat. There may be a few fanning themselves with their programs as he says it. And he will tell them that the warmth that flowed through you in life is still here, still part of all that we are, even as we who mourn continue the heat of our own lives. 

And you'll want the physicist to explain to those who loved you that they need not have faith; indeed, they should not have faith. Let them know that they can measure, that scientists have measured precisely the conservation of energy and found it accurate, verifiable and consistent across space and time. You can hope your family will examine the evidence and satisfy themselves that the science is sound and that they'll be comforted to know your energy's still around. According to the law of the conservation of energy, not a bit of you is gone; you're just less orderly. Amen. 

-Aaron Freeman.

In my most humble opinion this is so very much more beautiful and filled with hope than the words uttered by priests and ministers at funerals.

They make promises that most of us know to be false, while the physicist can tell us the truth in the most inspiring way imaginable.

(Source.)

Founder of the Westboro Church, Fred Phelps, has died.

Courtesy of WIBW:

Fred Phelps Sr., the former head of the Westboro Baptist Church, died late Wednesday night, according to a family member. 

Phelps' son, Timothy told 13 News that his father died just before midnight. Timothy Phelps works at the Shawnee Co. Jail. 

Ironically, another son who is a member of the church, attorney Jonathan Phelps told us Thursday morning, "Pastor Phelps is doing just fine." That, of course, could have been a spiritual reference. 

Margie Phelps, Phleps daughter, told WIBW-AM that there will be no funeral for him.

This is not exactly news as we had already been made aware that he was on death's door.

What is interesting is that there will be no funeral. Possibly due to fear that there would be protests or some kind of insensitive disturbance that would embarrass or upset his family members.

And we all know how hateful people can be, right?

I think the world has suddenly become a much nicer place to live.

During the memorial service for Nelson Mandela President Obama shakes the hand of Cuba's President Raul Castro. Uh oh!

Courtesy of Business Insider:  

Barack Obama shook the hand of Cuban President Raul Castro on his way to speak at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. 

The moment is special and unprecedented since the U.S. has held an economic embargo on Cuba since 1953, and Mandela was praised for his ability to unite enemies across political and racial divides. 

During a powerful speech praising Mandela's life, Obama included a line that many thought was aimed at Castro, among others. 

"There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people," Obama said. 

Yeah but that little jab is not going to be enough to keep the Right Wing from losing their minds over the fact that Obama has shown civility to the brother of a man who Americans are supposed to hate. (And just like Mandela he is a "gasp" communist!)

Yep right now there are Tea Party conservatives stroking their hate inspired little erections getting ready to ejaculate vitriol and anger all over the Right Wing news sites.

P.S. You can watch the President's entire memorial speech here.

Update: Here is President Obama taking a selfie with other world leaders at the Mandela memorial. 

Westboro Church to protest funerals of victims of Boston Marathon bombings. Update!

THANK GOD FOR THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBS!!Westboro Baptist Church to picket funerals of those killed. #PraiseGod>> twitter.com/WBCFliers/stat…
— WBC Fliers (@WBCFliers) April 16, 2013

I support the 1st Amendment as much as the next guy, but I have had my fill of these lunatics and would fully support the removal of all of their rights!

It seems like these tragedies bring out the best in most people, but there are those like Fox News and Westboro that demonstrate the very worst of human kind.

By the way this eight year old boy is one of the victims of the bombings whose funeral apparently the human garbage associated with Westboror feel it is appropriate to disrupt.

The 8-year-old boy killed in the explosions at the Boston Marathon has been identified as Martin Richard, The Boston Globe reported. 

The boy was at the event to watch his father race, according to TV station WHDH. 

Richard's mother and 6-year-old sister were recovering in a hospital after suffering serious injuries, the TV station reported. It said the boy's mother underwent surgery for an injury to her brain and his sister lost a leg in the explosion.

Apparently in the Bible read by Westboro there is no Jesus Christ preaching a message of compassion. Personally I think if you do not have ANY respect the man's message, you should not name your religion after him.

Update: It looks like the Westboro folks can expect company if they show up at the funerals.

Sarah Palin can't score an invite to Margaret Thatcher's funeral, but her fellow "Queen of the Teabaggers," Michele Bachmann, finds a way. Update!

Courtesy of the Political Ticker:

Rep. Michele Bachmann will travel to London as part of the U.S. congressional delegation at Wednesday's funeral for the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. 

Other American lawmakers making the trip include Rep. George Holding, R-North Carolina, and delegation leader Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee. 

"Margaret Thatcher was one of the greatest champions freedom has ever known, and her funeral gives Americans and friends around the world an opportunity to pay final respects," House Speaker John Boehner said in a statement.

Oh man, you just KNOW this is going to burn a certain  half term governor's ass! I certainly hope that her refrigerator has taken out a life insurance policy.

You also KNOW that Bachmann undoubtedly badgered Boehner until he caved and let her come along. I cannot imagine that he chose her because of her intelligence or diplomatic abilities.

All I can say is that the Palin-bots are going to go ballistic at this news.

Update: Gingrich too!

Okay I am convinced that Palin MUST be burning up the phone lines right now trying to get an invite. I actually would not be all that surprised if she does not figure out some way to finagle herself a way into the funeral.

I mean if Bachmann and Gingrich are both going this must be driving her crazy!

Those on the invite list to Margaret Thatcher's funeral. President Obama and Hillary Clinton? Yes. Sarah Palin? Absolutely not!

Courtesy of The Guardian: 

More than 2,000 politicians, dignitaries and celebrities – from Hillary Clinton to Tony Blair, from Jeremy Clarkson to FW de Klerk, and from Jeffrey Archer to Shirley Bassey – have been invited to attend the funeral of Lady Thatcher at St Paul's Cathedral next week. 

The guest list, which includes all surviving former British prime ministers, all surviving former US presidents and a representative of the former South African president Nelson Mandela, has been drawn up by Thatcher's family with help from the government and the Conservative party. 

Downing Street said the invitations were being printed on Thursday and would be sent out on Friday by first-class post. 

A No 10 spokeswoman said: "Those invited include family and friends of Lady Thatcher, those who worked with her over the years, including all surviving members of her cabinets, former chiefs of staff, Conservative associates, peers and MPs, members of the cabinet, peers and MPs, members of the Order of the Garter, members of the Order of Merit, foreign associates and dignitaries and representatives from the wide range of groups she was associated with." 

She said 200 states, territories and international organisations would be invited to send a representative to the service. 

"We have invited those countries and institutions with whom we have normal diplomatic relations," she said. "In addition, there are invitations being made in a personal capacity to some current and former world leaders as well as others from overseas who had a close connection to Baroness Thatcher."

Over 2,000 politicians, dignitaries, and celebrities invited, with help in the choosing from the CONSERVATIVE party in Britain, and Sarah Palin STILL cannot wrangle an invite?

Don't these people realize that SHE is the obvious successor to the conservative crown of Baroness Thatcher?

Don't they realize that she has "still" spine which is kind of like being an "Iron Lady?"

Do they not realize that ever since Palin first heard about the Thatcher, from McCain's people while they were trying to cram a lifetime's worth of facts in her head before she met the press, that she has wanted NOTHING more in life than to have the opportunity stand next to her (Dead or alive), and get her picture taken to help further her conservative credentials?

Oh, well maybe they DO know that.

Wow! It is one thing to get rejected by a living woman, but to be rejected by her corpse? Ouch!

I guess they did not read this impassioned plea over at the Sea O'Pee earlier today:

But as an invited guest of the Thatcher family!! Sarah going would end once and for all the LIE that Thatcher did not want to meet her!! So I implore Thatcher's family and official representatives to PLEASE invite Sarah Palin to the memorial!! She would be a dignified and most appropriate person to TRULY represent the United States.....or at least that part of this nation that most reveres Lady Thatcher!!

Ah! And just when I thought this could not be more satisfying!

The Iron Lady has passed away. Update!

Courtesy of CNN:  

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, has died at the age of 87, her spokeswoman said Monday. 

Her funeral will be at St. Paul's Cathedral, the British prime minister's office announced Monday. 

Thatcher served from 1975 to 1990 as leader of the Conservative Party. She was called the "Iron Lady" for her personal and political toughness. 

Thatcher retired from public life after a stroke in 2002 and suffered several strokes after that. British media reported Monday that a stroke caused her death.

Here was a woman who eschewed convention and broke through gender barriers to become one of the most respected figures in British politics. Though to be fair she is perhaps MORE respected outside of England, than within.

I have always felt that her mirror image in America was Hillary Clinton, who has become the most powerful female political figure in this country.

Though we may mourn the passing of Margaret Thatcher we can take solace in the fact that at least she never had to suffer the indignity of being sued by Sarah Palin for a photo-op nor had to listen to that idiot prattle on about how much she admired her, while undoubtedly quoting erroneous facts about the Prime Minister's life to the press.

Update: As predicted the American conservatives are falling over themselves in order to quickly tweet their  admiration for Thatcher:

You inspired the world to empower people and families over government. In doing so, you helped save it. Rest in peace, Lady Thatcher.
— Eric Cantor (@EricCantor) April 8, 2013

I may have to skip my usual cable news watching today as it will all be a sloppy wet kiss directed at Thatcher. I cannot stomach much of that for long.

Still waiting for Klondike Kardashian to weigh in.

Update 2: Ah here we go.

From the Facebook page of the woman with the same number of X chromosomes as Margaret Thatcher, but none of her intelligence and ability:

 We’re deeply saddened at the loss of Margaret Thatcher. While the Iron Lady is sadly gone, her iron will, her unfailing trust in what is right and just, and her lessons to all of us will live on forever. She was a trailblazer like no other. We lost an icon, but her legacy, as solid as iron, will live on in perpetuity. 

- Sarah Palin

Definitely looks like it was cobbled together in a hurry. 

I seriously doubt THIS will be Palin's only post on Thatcher's passing. Look for a much longer and effusive post on Facebook, or a Breitbart piece, coming just as soon as she can get her ghostwriters together in a room to help her avoid sounding like a simpleton.

Update 3: Well this is interesting it looks as if Palin did not even know who Thatcher was until McCain's staff explained it to her.