http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0411/rush_frets_at_snub_3a925c4d-3308-4b4b-980b-be9edd511dbb.htmlRush frets at snub
No Obama invite to royal wedding?!
By JULIE MASON | 04/25/11 6:26 PM Updated: 04/25/11 6:39 PM
Saying "other dictators" got the big invite to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton this week, radio host Rush Limbaugh fretted Monday that President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are getting royally snubbed.
"There is a little bit of controversy here," Limbaugh said. "The queen has invited leaders of Bahrain, Swaziland and Saudia Arabia, all of whom preside over severe human rights abuses ... but for some odd reason, the Obamas still didn't make the list."
"This is still a sign of how life is unfair," Limbaugh said.
The White House has been saying for months that the Obamas would not attend the wedding. And anyway, the president and first lady have to show up for Saturday night's White House Correspondents Association dinner, the next day.
Limbaugh noted that the Beckhams are going to the wedding, and apparently he believes the Obamas are part of that scene.
"The ruling class and the upper crust, they all hang out together, and once you're a member of that crowd, then you get invited to everything," Limbaugh said.
That actually sounds kind of true. Still, though, Limbaugh indulged in some speculation about this apparent affront to etiquette and the presidency.
"Why do I think the Obamas weren't invited? We can only wild-guess this," he said. "It might have to do with fact that the queen didn't really appreciate all those speeches on the iPad that he gave her."
It was an iPod, but never mind. That was not a great gift. Also the DVDs he gave Gordon Brown that were not compatible with British DVD players, also not great. But snub-worthy?
Limbaugh thinks he's onto something though, noting that Obama hauled a bust of Winston Churchill out of the Oval Office shortly after he arrived at the White House. And it's not like the wedding invites were all that exclusive, he said.
"It's really got to offend them," Limbaugh said. "Qadhafi was invited -- his invitation was rescinded. I kid you not -- officials said it was because of the fighting in Libya, I think it was because they couldn't find out how to actually spell his name."
Other non-invites noted by Limbaugh include Tony Blair and other Labour Party leaders -- reason given by the Royal Family is "This is not an official state event and they are not Knights of the Garter anyway," Limbaugh said.
"I have not seen Clinton's name on the list," Limbaugh said. "The original Knight of the Garter."
So is Limbaugh heading to London for the wedding? Or is this really about his getting snubbed?
"Oh, I'm not going. I wouldn't be invited to something like that," he said. "I have big, big, spring fling golf buddy weekend coming up."
