Eight Justices And A Funeral, Con't

So it turns out President Obama had a very good reason not to be at Justice Scalia's funeral today.  He was asked by the family not to attend.

The White House is defending its handling of Justice Antonin Scalia's funeral, saying the decision for President Obama to pay his respects at the Supreme Court while Vice President Biden attends the funeral was an "appropriate and respectful arrangement." 

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest also lamented criticism of the president for not attending the funeral Saturday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. "There's so much rancor and politics and partisanship that we allow ourselves to get drawn into different corners, to the extent that some people actually want to use the funeral of the Supreme Court justice as some sort of political cudgel," Earnest said. 

He said a variety of factors — including security arrangements and personal relationships — played a role in Obama's decision to not to attend the funeral Mass. 

"Vice President Biden, who had his own personal relationship with Justice Scalia and his family, will be representing the administration at the funeral. Obviously, when the vice president travels to some place his security footprint is at least a little bit lighter," Earnest said.

It was never President Obama disrespecting Justice Scalia's family.

It was Justice Scalia's family disrespecting the President.

Do we understand now just how much hatred the right, and in particular Scalia, had for this guy? When you tell the President of the United States not to attend your funeral, and that it would be a better idea to pay your respects along with the rest of the country outside the main funeral?

Even in death, Scalia was an asshole.