Summary

Former Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Bush, along with Hillary Clinton, will not attend Trump’s inaugural lunch. Bush did not receive an invitation.

However, all three former presidents and their spouses, except Michelle Obama, will attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.

The inaugural lunch, a tradition since 1897, typically includes speeches and toasts for the new administration.

None of the living former presidents endorsed Trump’s candidacy, with Obama and Clinton actively campaigning for his opponents.

  • hesusingthespiritbomb@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    I do wonder if there’s something up with Michelle Obama. The inaugural stuff is one thing, but I find it odd that she skipped Jimmy Carter’s inauguration.

    • garretble@lemmy.world
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      2 hours ago

      I bet she simply didn’t want to be anywhere near trump at Carter’s funeral. Same here.

    • nomy@lemmy.zip
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      4 hours ago

      Sarcasm?

      The ruling class will face no harm, they’re all in the same club. They might tut tut and waggle their fingers but then they’ll retire to their gated communities.

      • whotookkarl@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        Maybe more facetious than sarcastic implying they may perish skipping a lunch, but I don’t think /f is a common shorthand yet like /s

  • leadore@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    Trump didn’t attend Biden’s inauguration, why should Biden feel he has to attend Trump’s? (I know this is about the lunch, but still). Obama and the Clintons should take a pass too. They think they have to go to somehow prove something like they’re not petty or that the country isn’t really falling apart or whatever, but all they’re proving is that they’re A-OK with the rise of fascism in the US. God I wish they’d show some spine just this once.

  • pyre@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    I guess Obama saw people’s reaction to him joking around with him like old pals during Carter’s funeral.

    • TechAnon@lemm.ee
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      7 hours ago

      Did you expect Obama (of all people) to be unkind at another man’s (let alone a former president’s) funeral?

      • pyre@lemmy.world
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        6 hours ago

        wish, not expect. what i expected him to do was order another drone strike on brown children. you know for old times’ sake

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 day ago

    However, all three former presidents and their spouses, except Michelle Obama, will attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.

    Couldn’t pass up the more prestigious event that’s going to be watched by the entire world.

    In comparison, passing up a work lunch with a bunch of congresspeople that probably won’t even be televized doesn’t sound like taking much of a stand against the fascist takeover…

    • Allonzee@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      They still think it’s Presidential to follow pomp and circumstance to preserve the appearance of national normalcy as the nation burns on multiple fronts.

      Just as in their Presidencies, they want to be known for promoting social quiet, despite their Presidencies all defending and furthering economic violence in the name of all their wealthy friends who “donated to” their respective parties over the years.

      • Churlish_Witness@lemmy.world
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        22 hours ago

        “Look, we’re going to keep funneling all the wealth to these already obscenely wealthy people, could you please QUIETLY die over there?”

        • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
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          1 day ago

          oath of office does not require much close contact though and is sorta a witness to what he swore if he were to lets say. break it again.

          • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            24 hours ago

            It’s not like they don’t have TVs and/or stream-capable devices. There’s only two reasons why anyone not directly involved in the proceedings would want to attend:

            1. To hang out with elites.

            2. To be seen as elites.

            It’s very much the US version of a royal coronation: tons of ridiculously expensive pomp and circumstance paid by and mostly for the benefit of people who don’t know the price of groceries firsthand.

    • dhork@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      It makes sense, when you consider their roles in the Conservative Cinematic Universe. Obama and the Clintons are the heels, the side that is meant to lose the pro wrestling match, the one which his audience boos. He wants them there in his moment of triumph so he can (metaphorically, thank god) teabag them to thunderous applause.

      Bush is meant to be on his side, though, since Trump is meant to own the loyalty of the entire party. Since Bush did not immediately do so, he is actually worse. At least the Clintons are playing their assigned role. Bush is a traitor to the Party, which means he is a traitor to Trump personally, so Bush needs to be pushed to the margins. (Let’s hope that’s the extent of it.)

    • NatakuNox@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Conservatives hate Bush. He was supposed to be their “First Trump” an idiot trust fund baby that’ll do everything they say. They wanted to fully occupy most of the middle east but Bush Sr told Jr no.

      • jaybone@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        He was Cheney’s puppet though. It’s interesting how decades later, on left leaning social tech platforms like Lemmy and Reddit (maybe earlier Reddit) how history seems to have recorded him (to some anyway) as the good Republican. As the nice guy. The guy you want to have a beer with.

        • Bronzebeard@lemm.ee
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          23 hours ago

          The “beer with” thing was part of his election campaign rhetoric. That was part of the Republican war on intelligence.

  • kandoh@reddthat.com
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    1 day ago

    Our base is devastated to learn that we see the people stripping them of rights and money as good friends and colleagues, what do we do?

    Release a story where two of the past Democrat Presidents won’t attend a celebratory lunch with the guy who we’re handing unimaginable power to!