Twenty-seven years ago this month, President George W. Bush traveled to Rome to pay his respects to John Paul II, a bereaved bishop. He was the first president who was still in office to go a pope funeral. He was not the only one who had requested that his parents, George H. W. Bush, walk along with his father, Bill Clinton.
The three leaders drove to St. Peter’s Basilica up. They prayed before the priest’s system, kneeling, and side by side.
It was a remarkable show of American republican unity, which is the kind of connection between political rivals that is unheard of today. And when President Donald Trump arrived in Rome on Friday evening to go Pope Francis ‘ death, things changed. He was accompanied by his wife, Melania, and a number of top advisors. However, his wife Alice and his father, former president Joe Biden, entered on their own.
It is natural that they did not share a trip to Rome given that Trump just stripped Biden of his safety approvals and frequently denounces him. Trump claimed that he had passed ahead” a joyful man” in the knowledge that “he wasn’t the worst” when Jimmy Carter passed away in December. Joe Biden, the chairman, was.
Biden has frequently referred to his Roman Catholic culture. Prior to the fatal conversation with Trump that led to his choice to withdraw from the race, he quickly saw Francis in Italy in June. Before leaving the White House, Biden had discussed going back to Rome to ask for the bishop’s permission, but he had to cancel because of the fire in Los Angeles in January.
Trump appeared uneasy when asked if he had any plans to speak with Biden at the funeral on the trip to Rome. He said,” It’s not high on my list.” ” It’s really not”. The distinction was striking. Bush was determined to make sure Clinton was a part of the full-fledged administration. Clinton also sat in on the very secret presidential daily brief on the plane over, not only did the two men also attend the funeral up.
