George Bush didn't gain much political capitol at Coretta King's funeral. It was a large audience, including four past US President's. Coretta King, was an outspoken advocate of peace and of cival rights for the poor and downtrodden. Mention of the injustices in our current administration, was very much in keeping with the beliefs and actions of Claretta and Dr. King, who dedicated their lives to fighting for peoples rights and advocating peace and nonviolence. If you watched PBS News last night, they aired all of what Lowery said. The other News that I saw, did not show the part critizing Bush's current policies in world affairs, nothing of what was said about poverty, and nothing about the standing ovation that he recieved. This was definately not a standard photo-op for George.
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LITHONIA, Georgia - Speakers took a rare opportunity to criticize U.S. President George W. Bush's policies to his face at the funeral on Tuesday of Coretta Scott King, widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Bush sat watching the long service before an audience of 10,000 including politicians, civil rights leaders and entertainers at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, and a national cable television audience.
Lowery, former head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which King helped found in 1957, gave a playful reading of a poem in eulogy of Mrs. King.
"She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war/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."
The mourners gave a standing ovation. Bush's reaction could not be seen on the television coverage, but after Lowery finished speaking, the president shook his hand and laughed.
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Speaking later, Bush's father, former President George Bush, broke any tension by recalling his own meetings as president with Lowery and gave a score: "Lowery 21, Bush 3, it wasn't a fair fight."
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With Washington debating the legality of Bush's domestic eavesdropping on Americans suspected of al Qaeda ties, Carter also drew applause with pointed comments on federal efforts to spy on the Kings.
"It was difficult for them personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated, and they became the targets of secret government wiretapping and other surveillance," he said.
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