Slew of Democrats Suddenly Have Scheduling Conflicts on Inauguration Day

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez says she won’t attend because she has got ‘just kind of a general conflict of logistics.’

AP/Jacquelyn Martin
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. AP/Jacquelyn Martin

When President Trump announced he would not be attending the 2021 inauguration of President Biden, Democrats and the legacy media bemoaned the decision, claiming he was being a sore loser. 

Mr. Biden went so far as to make a public statement, saying “It is of no personal consequence to me, but I think it is to the country.”

But this time around, Democrats are going to be skipping Mr. Trump’s inauguration in droves and there’s been next to no blowback. In fact, the media seem supportive of the move, even as the new sore losers claim they simply have scheduling conflicts.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York whipped up an absolute masterpiece. “I think it’s just kind of a general conflict of logistics,” she told The Washington Times about her no-show.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri said he may instead attend Martin Luther King Jr. Day events at his church, but told The Times the move would by no means be a boycott. And Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas plans to skip the inauguration, too.

“Considering this is also Martin Luther King Day, it just seems like the worst way to spend the day, knowing that I would be celebrating someone who really is going to work very hard to tear down the legacy in which literally he lived and died for,” she said. Talk about sore losers.

Mr. Biden and his wife plan to attend, as do all former presidents and first ladies (except for Michelle Obama, who also claims to have a schedule conflict). And while that is in large part tradition, it wasn’t all that unusual when Mr. Trump opted not to attend the inauguration of his successor: Presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Johnson, the 17th president and the first to be impeached, all skipped the ceremony.

Axios last week contacted every Democrat in Congress to ask if they would attend Mr. Trump’s inauguration. Of those who responded, 13 members of the House said they would not attend 2025’s inauguration, 20 were undecided and 44 confirmed they would attend. In the Senate, where members still adhere to a bit of decorum, none said they would skip the inauguration, 10 were undecided, and 11 said they plan to attend.

“I am a brown woman, daughter of immigrants, and I would feel unsafe,” Congresswoman Delia Ramirex of Illinois told Axios. “And a better way to celebrate MLK — who is the exact opposite of what we’re about to get as president — is to be with my community, with my people. Especially as this man, on day one, announces all the horrible things he will do to try to harm the communities I love.”

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, a member of “The Squad,” a hard-left cabal of Democrats, said she won’t be attending. “I’ll be in town with my constituents honoring Dr. King’s legacy,” she told USA Today. “I don’t think being there does that.”

Others, though, are openly joining in the festivities.The Village People, who penned the 1978 hit Y.M.C.A., will perform, saying in a statement that “We believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics.” And billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg will also attend, as will singer Carrie Underwood.

The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., isn’t at all miffed about some snubbing the ceremony. “Apparently a large group of Democrat legislators plan to boycott my father’s inauguration, which is great as it will make room for a lot more actual patriots to attend,” he posted on X. “They have my complete and total endorsement to stay at home.”


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