Understandable why Bush wasn't here

There was some speculation that George W. Bush might attend Thursday's funeral of Teel Bivins. The two were close, beginning when Bush was governor in the early 1990s and Bivins was influential as a state senator.

It continued for many years after that, evidenced when President Bush in 2004 appointed Bivins as ambassador to Sweden, a cushy position if there ever was one. Bivins' failing health forced him to resign the position in 2006.

But it's understandable why Bush was not in Amarillo. I'm not sure how many Secret Service agents Bush still travels with, but it must be a large contingent. So you would have that as well as tightened security to deal with. Then, much of the focus would be directed to Bush, and not to Bivins, and I'm sure that's the last thing the former president would want.

It's likely Bush had some direction in Karl Rove, his political right-hand man, delivering the eulogy. And you would have to figure Bush communicated his condolences to the Bivins family in a personal way as well.

Former presidents, especially a recent former president, have to choose wisely when they travel.