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God Obviously Angry That Obama Wasn’t at Arlington Yesterday

How was your Memorial Day? Did you honor our nation’s fallen soldiers by basking in your freedom to soak up the hot sun in various states of inebriation? Fantastic. Things weren’t as pleasant for President Obama, who, somewhat controversially, planned to give a speech at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Illinois instead of Arlington National Cemetery in Washington as many (but not all) recent presidents have done, because he was spending the weekend with his family in Chicago. But then a sudden freak storm changed the schedule:

The sky, sunny for hours while people assembled in 5,000 folding chairs, blackened right before the program began. Lightning cracked at the conclusion of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the downpour came just as the president was introduced.


Obama flew back to Andrews Air Force base outside of the capital that night and delivered his speech before a small, hastily assembled group of servicemen. Next year: Arlington.

Downpour Cancels Obama’s Memorial Day Event [Caucus/NYT]
Obama’s plan for Memorial Day speech in Illinois wiped out by rain, lightning [WP]

God Obviously Angry That Obama Wasn’t at Arlington Yesterday