Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport
Avoca, Pennsylvania
12:49 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I'm just going to make a brief comment about my friend, Ellen Casey. You know, she — I don't know if — some of you Scrantonians may have known her. But she loved with a fierceness and a tenderness that was incredible. And it was the Irish of her. She just was incredible.
And I was saying earlier that — my sister and I were talking about her. And my sister reminded me of a quote about Michelangelo. It said: He saw the angel in the marble and carved until he set it free. That's what she did with everybody. I mean, she really did, if you're knew her.
I know this sounds like an exaggeration, but I've been coming back home since — I've never left, actually. And I've known the Caseys for the bulk of my life. I don't remember when I didn't know the Ca- — the Caseys.
And Bobby's dad was older than me, then I am older than Bobby. And we lived not far from one another. He was on Wyoming Avenue, and I lived on North Washington Avenue. We went to the same parish, St. Paul's.
And anyway, just a — she's an incredible woman. And she raised an enormously successful and decent family. All the values I learned, I learned them here in Scranton. And she was an embodiment of them.
So, I — the reason I am not going to the funeral tomorrow is everyone would have to be wanded to go in — that I'd — I'd mess everything up if I went.
But in addition to that, I have to meet with — at Camp David with two world leaders tomorrow morning.
But in addition, I didn't come — I'm not going to stay at the viewing when the people are coming in. But, again, they have to be wanded; I just become an impediment.
I just want to show my respect to the family. So —
Q Can you tell us about your Hawaii trip, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: No, not now. I'm going to be leaving, and I'll be there on Monday.
Q Why is it important that you go?
Q Sir, do you think —
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
12:52 P.M. EDT
