No, no, no, no.

I can't tell you how WRONG it was for President Carter and Rev. Joseph Lowery to use the occasion of Coretta Scott King's funeral to score political points. It is beyond the pale. Incredibly rude and frankly, unforgivable. Here is what Carter said of the Kings:

"It was difficult for them then personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretaps." Later, he said that Hurricane Katrina showed that all are not yet equal in America.

Then Lowery said this:

"We know there were no weapons of mass destruction over there, but Coretta knew and we knew there are weapons of misdirection right down here," Lowery said, complaining that were far too many in the U.S. are living in poverty and without health care insurance.
"For war, billions more, but no more for the poor," Lowery continued, a take-off of a lyric from the song "A Time to Love."

The Bush family, of course, handled it with their usual class and dignity. Bush senior simply joking about it:

"Bush's father tried to defuse any political tension by joking that Lowery used to challenge him when he was president, too.

"I kept score in the Oval Office desk — Lowery 21, Bush 3," former President George H.W. Bush said. "It wasn't a fair fight."

There is a time and place for political jabs and smears, but a funeral IS NOT ONE OF THEM. Especially a funeral for a woman who epitomized grace and class and never used her stature or fame for political points or gains when it would have been easy to do so. I am sure they both felt smugly that they were really "giving it to Bush," but perhaps they should have considered the King family first.

Carter and Lowery should be ASHAMED of themselves and should apologize for such a rude and unacceptable display at a time that should have been reserved for honoring a great lady.