Obama joins thousands in mourning Scalia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Supreme Court Justices, from left, Elena Kagan, Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy participated in prayers at a private ceremony in the Great Hall of the Supreme Court in Washington, today, where late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia lies in repose.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Barack Obama’s motorcade headed toward the Supreme Court in Washington, today, to pay his respects to the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
President Barack Obama and thousands of other mourners paid respects to the late Justice Antonin Scalia as his flag-draped casket lay in the U.S. Supreme Court’s ceremonial hallway.
Pallbearers carried Scalia’s casket up the court’s marble staircase into the building this morning as his somber, and in some cases tearful, former colleagues waited along with family members, former law clerks and court staff.
Chief Justice John Roberts wiped away tears, and Justices Elena Kagan and Samuel Alito fought them back as well. The eight justices stood silently in the new order they will take on the bench, leaving extra space between Roberts and Clarence Thomas, who had previously flanked Scalia.
The president and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived later in the day. They were greeted by Roberts and met a few of Scalia’s family members before spending a moment at the casket and then at the late justice’s official portrait.
During the morning ceremony, Paul Scalia, a Roman Catholic priest and one of the late justice’s nine children, offered a prayer. “In your wisdom, you have called your servant Antonin out of this world,” he said. “Release him from the bonds of sin and welcome him to your presence.”
Scalia’s wife Maureen, his other children and dozens of grandchildren looked on silently amid the flowers and wreaths that decorated the court’s Great Hall.
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Almost 100 of Scalia’s former law clerks attended, and they took turns standing watch over the casket along with an honor guard.
QuickTake: Scalia’s Death Puts Partisan Lens on Supreme Court
Scalia, who died at a west Texas resort ranch last weekend at age 79, will lie in repose for public viewing until late in the evening. His casket is resting on the catafalque that was quickly constructed in 1865 for President Abraham Lincoln after his assassination.
Throughout the day, a long line for members of the public wishing to view the casket stretched for more than a block, around the side of the court and across a street. Some waited in line more than an hour.
Scalia served for almost three decades on the nation’s highest court, making his mark by advocating an “originalist” approach to the Constitution that limited protections to those specifically laid out in the document. He was known for his bluntness, wit and sarcasm, both in his opinions and in public appearances.
His unexpected death has transformed the future of the court and the nation’s politics. Senate Republicans are aiming to stop Obama from filling the seat before he leaves office in January.
Scalia will be buried after a funeral Saturday in Washington at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the country’s largest Catholic church. Retired justices John Paul Stevens and David Souter are expected to attend, as is Vice President Joe Biden.
34 responses to “Obama joins thousands in mourning Scalia”
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“His casket is resting on the catafalque that was quickly constructed in 1865 for President Abraham Lincoln after his assassination.”
A President should always place his own security at the top of his list.
This president does. Country, not so high.
Mike, he’s moving into your neighborhood when he retires. LOL
And Jiujitsu is already in Hawaii. Three’s company.
But he’s not going Justice Scalia’s funeral. Instead he’s going to Cuba to smoke some cigars. Obama’s a disgrace to America.
What have you done for America that places you on such a vaulted position to make such a ridculous statment? Youre a first class pillock.
Obama’s a disgrace to America. Of course he should go to the funeral. He is just showing his true colors because he can. Obama=pillock
O didn’t attend PM Margaret Thatcher’s funeral too..pillock is too nice a description for the worst potus in American history.
22. I can’t rebut your speculation.
Boo, I’m stating facts. Don’t you watch CNN or fox news?
“Fact” is a very short word. It’s used daily by most people in this country — even so, you’ve managed to avoid ever learning what it means.
tiger eyes another 4 letter word is LIAR…you’re very good at that.
Megyn Kelly stated Thursday evening on The Kelly File that she can find no instance in history where a sitting president of the United States has failed to attend the funeral of a sitting Supreme Court Justice. It’s an unprecedented move on the part of Obama, who once again fails to uphold his duty as president, represent the country and set an example for the American people.
In lieu of attending the funeral on Saturday, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will visit the Supreme Court Friday to pay their respects as Justice Antonin Scalia lies in repose.
Of note, there is nothing on the president’s calendar that would prevent him from attending or conflict with the funeral. (except a round of golf?)
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday that Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden will attend the funeral at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. According to Earnest, the vice president’s “security footprint is a little bit lighter,” and he has a longtime relationship with Scalia’s family.
But many have slammed Obama for not attending the funeral of the longtime conservative justice, interpreting it as a sign of disrespect. “If we want to reduce partisanship, we can start by honoring great public servants who we disagree with,” Obama’s former “car czar” Steven Rattner tweeted with a link to a headline about Obama skipping the funeral.
According to Politico, there’s not substantial historic precedent for presidents attending the funerals of sitting justices. President George W. Bush not only attended, but also eulogized Supreme Court Chief Justice and fellow conservative William Rehnquist in 2005. Prior to that, the last justice to die in office was Robert H. Jackson in 1954. On Thursday, presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz dubbed Obama “a lawless and faithless president who’s eager to travel to Cuba but unwilling to attend the funeral of Justice Scalia.”
Tim Miller, the communications director for Jeb Bush, simply tweeted “Same.” in response to a message from MSNBC host Chris Hayes, who said, “Some amazing advice my mom gave me once: ‘If you’re wondering whether you should go to the funeral, you should go to the funeral.”
I saw Megyn’s show last night. There’s absolutely nothing on Obama’s schedule preventing him form attending Justice Scalia’s funeral. He’s telling his staff to come up with an excuse why he can’t go. So why the heck he flying to Havana?
My money says he’s going you know…FORE!!!!
han. Fore, like in what? Fore head? Fore skin? Fore in golfing?
come on its faux news.
Megyn never lies but Hillary does.
Clint Eastwood’s monologue with the empty chair was prescient in so many ways.
Chair is not empty when you are a SSRI meds.
Cigars from Cuba. Man knows what and where the best quality are around town.
Obama is very disrespectful by not going to the funeral..
You had me at disrespectful.
The StarAdvertiser shows it’s bias by wording the headline to make it seem like Obama is going to the funeral, rather than just walking in for a few minutes.. If this had been one of the liberal justices, he would be all over the services..
Perhaps he & michelle were all tuckered out after meting with the BlackLivesMatter group yesterday so they thought better to get it over with by attending the funeral today for a brief appearance so he’ll have enough in the tank to go golfing tomorrow?
And when you wake up tomorrow, the President and First Lady will still be black. So another bad day for you.
You have bad days everyday because you’re a racist. Trying to defend the indefensible is a difficult task hence the labeling/name calling as your last resort. Hopefully you’ll realize that just because someone disagrees with your ideology they are not a racist.
Try to have a nice weekend…go sip some wine.
You’re the one who brought race into this one, keones. In fact, you’re the one who always brings it up — you know, mentioning BLM every time a story appears with a black person in it.
You get called a racist because your opinions define you as one. You’re clearly comfortable being a racist — I’d say you revel in it. You just don’t like being called one.
tiger eyes_inform yourself on who visited w/O thursday. Facts & being informed are not your strong points. Think before you speak is a tip worth remembering.
But you are black on the inside, klastri.
Obama sends his underlings to explain why he couldn’t attend Justice Scalia’a funeral.
Security against the haters like out there, 123.
Obama attended the funeral with his golf shoes on, AF-1 fueled and ready to go. True story.