No-Shows

Look who isn't going to Jerry Falwell's funeral.

U.S. Sen. John McCain isn't planning to attend the Rev. Jerry Falwell's funeral Tuesday. Rival Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani can't make it, either.

Nor can former Virginia former governor and long-shot 2008 Republican presidential candidate Jim Gilmore.

While some Republican figures will attend next week's funeral in Lynchburg for the founder of the Moral Majority, many will not. Experts say that even with a presidential election looming, it's not a must-attend event — and there likely won't be political consequences for skipping it.

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President Bush does not plan to attend, but the White House is sending Tim Goeglein, a mid-level aide.

Even among Republicans without White House aims, there are commitments that can't be broken. U.S. Sen. John W. Warner has critical votes in Washington on Tuesday. Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Bill Howell can't attend.

That reminds me of a story from Hollywood. A despotic and much-despised movie mogul died. When his funeral was held, the place was packed. One mourner turned to the other and remarked that because of the dead man's reputation, he was surprised that so many people came to his funeral. The other mourner replied, "That's show business; give the people what they want, they'll show up."