Because there's little Obama can do (or not do) that won't draw fire from the Outraged Right — in this case, not attending the funeral Mass for Antonin Scalia. Sure, he's visiting the lying-in-state at the Supreme Court. Sure, he met personally with the family. Sure, he's sending his VP to attend the Mass. But how dare he not fulfill the constitutional obligation of every president to attend a SCOTUS justice's funeral? How dare he?!
Except, of course, as the article notes, it's not a constitutional obligation. It's not even all that common. The Fox chyron below says, "Obama first President since 1954 to skip funeral of sitting Justice." Eek, the first since 1954? Except … there's only been one sitting Justice (and that the Chief Justice) who has died in office; that was Rehnquist, whose funeral George W. Bush attended. The one before that was Robert Jackson, whose funeral Eisenhower didn't attend.
And, as the article notes, other Justices who have retired and then died have had a spotty record of attendance by presidents, or even vice-presidents.
Obama declining to attend Scalia's funeral is not some shocking scandal. His reasons are his own, and it's hardly like he's ignoring Scalia's death or treating it disrespectfully. No matter what conservative pundits like Ingraham or Hannity want to blather about it.
Conservatives Defy History With Derision At Obama’s Decision Against Attending Scalia’s Funeral
Presiding while black. Again.
How dare Fox News generate outrage for profit.