’)Some presidents actually have respect for the war dead.
President Obama traveled to Dover Air Force Base early Thursday morning, where he met with family members and paid his respects as the bodies of 18 Americans killed this week in Afghanistan were returned to the United States.
A new low… congrats.
Yeah, sorry I’m still bitter on how George W. Bush stood on the bodies of our service men and women in order to prop himself up for years.
And some presidents don’t shamelessly preen before the cameras.
Way to go, Obama, for making it all about YOU.
That’s a bit harsh. What he does is more important than why he does it, even if that were true.
Yeah, the way he saluted to that casket, it was clear it was all about him.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
And some presidents don’t shamelessly preen before the cameras.
Let me finish that thought for you.
…On the decks of an aircraft carrier held out of port for an extra day for a photo op, in a flight suit, in front of a somewhat misleading sign that announces, “Mission Accomplished.” I’d say Barack has a long way to go before he bottoms out like Bush did that day.
Now, watch this drive.
And some presidents don’t shamelessly preen before the cameras.
…Hamming it up for the camera with a “presidential” guitar on the day a historic city drowns on his watch. And demonstrating that someone once showed him how to play the “G” chord, but in the photo he’s playing it on the wrong fret.
Now, watch this drive.
Unbelievable; Bush couldn’t be bothered to attend these events while he was feeding these men into the meat grinder of his Iraq/Afghanistan fiascos, but a President who has the decency to honor their sacrifice in person is preening for the cameras.
Yours is truly a pathetic mindset.
I must admit that Pres Obama finally looked like he understood the seriousness of the event.
However, to suggest that, somehow, he has more respect for our troops than Pres Bush did is nothing more tham malicious slander.
BS…
I bet you didn’t even know that President Bush never did this, on or off camera.
Finally understood after a few months what Bush couldn’t have cared less about in 8 years, huh Frank?
“The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him.”
- G.W. Bush, 9/13/01
“I want justice…There’s an old poster out West, as I recall, that said, ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive,’”
- G.W. Bush, 9/17/01, UPI
“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.”
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02
“I am truly not that concerned about him.”
- G.W. Bush, responding to a question about bin Laden’s whereabouts,
3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)
However, to suggest that, somehow, he has more respect for our troops than Pres Bush did is nothing more tham malicious slander.
After all, Bush GAVE UP GOLF in support of the troops. And I understand that they were ever so grateful.
Okay, so he only gave it up for a few weeks, but isn’t it the thought that counts?
And don’t forget Laura Bush’s words…”no one suffers more than their President and I do”
You mean some Army family on one income with children who just lost their daddy in Afghanistan aren’t suffering as much as you and your wealthy insulated clan?
Oh the hardships and suffering the BUsh family must endure. How on earth do they find the strength to carry on each day?
‘Oh the hardships and suffering the BUsh family must endure. How on earth do they find the strength to carry on each day?’
Just one word:
Fore!
Again, jrfunky, clueless.
Obama is the one with the golf affinity. Bush gave it up in 2003.
You guys make a big deal out of W golfing but have nothing to say about Obama playing the game already as many times as W did his entire presidency.
Unreal.
You’re right Dennis…Georgie was more into clearing brush during his free time (which was pretty much always)
I don’t begrudge either one of them for taking time off. I don’t begrudge Obama for playing golf it it helps him clear his head. But Bush would’ve vilified greatly if he played even a quarter of the amount Obama has been playing already; and now the left says nothing about him playing a game a large amount of liberals consider an elitist sport. At least they used to before this year.
Now, not so much.
No we complain that Bush did nothing BUT golf or clearing brushes at the ranch while he should have been doing more important things….like governing.
Not only is President Obama pushing for health care, climate change policies, etc, etc, but also negotiating with other world leaders on nuclear weapons deduction and treaties, and managing two wars. I think it’s okay to golf every now and then.
Oh, he governed, cj. You just didn’t like the way he governed. Thus the criticism of his being away. And of course you don’t have a problem with recreation for a president now, nor one with golf in particular.
Transparent as ever.
Dennis, I never cared about Bush’s recreation activities, but I did care about his performance as President which he doesn’t get high marks for.
Also Dennis you are right. I didn’t like the way Bush govern because I’m not for an President that pushes his country into two wars (or wars at all), spends a surplus that was handed to him on a plate and spirals us into more debt, or not care enough for his citizens to bring them better health care, infrastructure and technology that can match or do better than other countries.
Yup, I sure didn’t like the way he govern that’s for sure.
‘Obama is the one with the golf affinity. Bush gave it up in 2003.’
That’s his way of honoring the war dead? Not playing golf?
And you’re calling me clueless?
‘You guys make a big deal out of W golfing but have nothing to say about Obama playing the game already as many times as W did his entire presidency.
Unreal.’
What’s unreal is that Bush spent more time on vacation playing golf than any other President in history, all while ignoring Afghanistan and destroying Iraq, and STILL managing to never attend one of these homecoming events in 8 years.
What’s unreal is your pathetic attempt to equate that to something worthy of praise.
Lets get real here, the only people Obama actually does respect work at Goldman Sachs. This is just theater.
Yep, considering President Obama has NO connections with the company other than through the left-overs of previous Administrations I can perfectly see how he is all about the Financial Companies.
‘This is just theater.’
Unlike, say a video of Bush looking under the Oval Office rug for WMD’s at the Republican National Convention?
Or was that just his way of honoring the troops?
Frank,
I think our host noted that he has more respect for the “war dead”, not necessarily for the troops in general.
We’ve seen two changes in policy with this new Admin. that we didn’t have before. First, they’ve allowed cameras to actually film there (with the permission of military families, of course). Second, this guy actually shows up there to “pay his respects”.
I would have to agree with OW here.
Somehow I feel our conservative posters are missing the point. How does a president standing next to war dead help him personally? There is a simple answer, it may remind folks back home of the nightmare situation in Afghanistan which is CLEARLY a negative right now, but it also makes it REAL hard to say he is disconnected from our military and thier mission. People with integrety don’t shirk away from things that are hard or don’t make them look good but they do what is RIGHT. As a military brat, I am quite appaled by the Bush treatment of the military. Bush’s track record of ignoring things(9-11 “Go shopping, people!;ignoring war dead; Veterans scandals; Pat Tillman etc….the list is endless) certianly shows a utter lack of respect for the military.
Cons see the troops as fly paper. We see them as people
I was moved and I am sure that the families felt some comfort to know that the President would come there and face them at the most intense time in their grief. Regardless of your political persuasion, the POTUS represents the country and how personal we feel and should feel about every life lost. Ferris, you are so incredibly insensitive and mean, I am beginning to believe after reading your posts and the consistent reach for the negative, that you are not able to grow emotionally and intellectually. No, you don’t have to agree with everything that President Obama does, but even something that’s positive you stretch to try and make it a negative. It appears opportunistic, and extremely insensitive and telling about your personality. This is a very very sad event. It wasn’t a photo opt for the President. And, he gave families the opportunity to refuse the visit, and the filming of it. My understanding was that only one family gave permission to film, and the others met with him privately without cameras. It was totally the family’s choice. I don’t believe that Bush didn’t care about the soldiers killed, but I also don’t think that he had the Emotional Intelligence to face the intimacy of the situation. His substance abuse past indicates that he has numbed his feelings in the past, and I am sure that the solemn nature of these events are overwhelming with emotion. To me it shows that President Obama does weigh the serious consequences of war on individuals and their family. It tells me that he is willing to feel the pain and quite possibly the wrath that could be expressed by some of the families. I understand more fully why he is taking the time to contemplate and make a decision regarding the escalation of the Afghanistan war. He allows himself not just to read the numbers, but to also feel it’s devastating effects. Ferris pull yourself out of the quick sand of hate, it’s swallowing you up.
Eloquently stated Connie; bravo.
Connie, Thank you. I could not have said this better.
Sincere condolences to the families of those servicemen.
I thought Bush’s WMD jokes were quite hilarious. I am with the visiting wingnuts on this one.
“I oftentimes say being commander in chief of the military is the thing I’ll miss the most,” Bush told reporters after the visit. “Coming here to Walter Reed is a reminder of why I’ll miss it.”
It was Bush’s 16th trip to Walter Reed. He has also visited wounded troops nine times at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and made an appearance at a private medical facility for injured soldiers in San Antonio.
Kudos to Obambi, now maybe he can make a FUCKING decision on Afghanistan. Also, it looks like he finally learned how to salute like a big boy!!
Connie, I think you are giving Pres Obama a little too much credit: [from the article]
.
I would place myself between you, and Buzz Killington, Soullite, and SaveFarris on this.
In order for you to assume Obama was sincere, there would have to be no announcement of any kind, but then of course you wouldn’t know he did it. By that assumption, it’s possible that he has done it already without fanfare, and we’ll never know, will we? But we know there was one more payment of presidential respects than Bush gave.
As presidential photo-ops go, it was a lot cheaper and more profound than commandeering an aircraft carrier and keeping it at sea for an extra day to announce something that turned out not to be true.
I like that the wingers here seem to think that because there can be signalling or symbolism in an action the President makes, there can be no authenticity underlying that action. What I mean to say, is that the “photo-op” value and some authentic desire to show respect to the families and convey a sense of gravity around decisions to go to war are not irreconcilable. That the wingers assume there’s an emptiness behind the photo-op is telling.
I’ll take this over “bring it on” and fist pumping “feels good” and that shameful Mission Accomplished disnified circus any day.
Frank, that snippet is from the reporter himself, who does not quote any WH official as the source.
That came from him, not the administration and is not proof of your malicious and slanderous suggestion this was done as a staged photo op.
From the article:
‘The overnight trip was not announced in advance. The president, wearing a dark suit and long overcoat, left the White House at 11:44 p.m. A small contingent of reporters and photographers accompanied Mr. Obama to Dover, where he arrived at 12:34 a.m. aboard Marine One. He returned to the South Lawn of the White House at 4:45 a.m.’
Don’t you people have any decency left, at long last?
A classic Rovian tactic was to attack others where they themselves were weak. This can be perceived as defending the constitution via hardball methods, although much evidence suggests power as a play toy was also a motive. Did some wingnuts unconsciously pick up on this, but misinterpreted as a form of sanctioned projection?
I hate to say it, but we may just need to forget about Afganistan. We are getting bogged down in a war the we have know real idea of how to win or fight. On top of that I think we can do a better job of containment if we watch from the out side and make sure that al queda does nor expand their reach. They have such a vast network in the country that we will never completely desolve them the we are approaching it right now
“After all, Bush GAVE UP GOLF in support of the troops. And I understand that they were ever so grateful.
Okay, so he only gave it up for a few weeks, but isn’t it the thought that counts?”
Well, at least we know that stopping to salute the troops wont be getting in the way of Obama’s golf game:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,570306,00.html
Meh, while such speculation quenches out thirst, it’s about as subjective as it gets. I will never blame a President for playing some golf… though I may hate him out of envy.
Wow, a link from FOX news to back up a critcism of the President.
Haven’t seen that from 2001 – 2008.
What a surprise.
Well, at least we know that stopping to salute the troops wont be getting in the way of Obama’s golf game:
Wait. What?
Are you complaining that Mr. Obama attends the return of soldiers killed in war–and then does something else afterward?
I do commend President Obama for going there and showing his respect, but I would congratulated him even more if he would just send our live troops/family members home instead of their remains in coffins.
CJ: While the Obama administration works on that “No one gets killed in a war” thing, we’ll have to keep doing it the old-fashioned way.
Sorry about that.
I fail to see how sending people to die in horribly planned wars based on lies somehow prevents them from getting killed, but I suppose it makes sense in Wingnut Land.
Yeah, Jody, in “wingnut land” we have irony, sarcasm and humor , not like the Land of the
LostLeft.Don’t you people have any decency left, at long last?
And , JR, what in the h-e-double-hockey sticks are you talking about?
Save the poorly quoted Joseph Welch, and the pseudo-righteous indignation for your high school play.
I’m talking about your indecent and lame attempt to portray Obama’s attendance at this event as some kind of staged photo op without a shred of evidence that such a boldly unjust statement is even remotely true.
In other words, you’re full of shit.
Save your holier than thou indignation for baby Jesus.
If President Obama, while running for re-election, puts on a flight suit and lands on an aircraft carrier, using hundreds of active US service members as mere political props, then you can start telling me he doesn’t respect our troops.
Until then, he’s paying his respects for fallen servicemen as any president should.
In nutterland, if the POTUS isn’t waging a war, preferably in someone else’s country, then he isn’t being Presidential enough. Everything Obama’s accomplished so far does not amount to a hill of beans in their little world.
Shut up, JR! Just shut up! I never said anything about a staged photo op…
I merely quoted from the article what I believed to be true. It does not say it was a staged photo op, despite the fact that the President invited a handful of reporters and cameramen with him, which kinda sorta makes it a … staged photo op…
But don’t say you heard it from me … You’re just looking for an excuse to be pissed off. Don’t wast your time. I am not in the mood for juvenile foolishness.
And, by the way, I am getting tired of being called a nut. It makes you guys look ignorant, and, then it becomes harder to take you seriously.
Shut up Frank, just shut up! I never called you a nut, I said you were a slanderous liar.
Believing something to be true and harping about it are not the same thing as being truthful or proving something to be so. You quoted the reporter’s comment as factual proof that the event was staged to enhance the President’s image without any proof of that whatsoever. Had there been no reporters or cameras present, your disdain would have been ‘How do we know this even happened?’ or some other lame attempt to criticize Obama’s attendance.
Don’t try backing away from your assertion; it’s right there in black and white.
You’re the one who is pissed this President has more compassion about the troops than Bush ever did, and has the decency to show it to the families of the slain soldiers who died as a result of the incompetence Bush’s legacy left behind.
If you’re tired of being called a nut, perhaps you should stop uttering such nonsense.
Inviting the reporters is because the Obama Administration is allowing the taking of pictures and the reporting of the arrival of the caskets which the Bush Administration would not allow. This is not a photo opt, it’s allowing true (emphasis) of true reporters to do their job.
I thank JR for being on top of his game, because debating (and debating term loosely used) you; its like trying to talk sense to an obstinate adolescent.
That’s gracious of you Connie; thanks.
Pardon me. Did you just write “I never called that staged photo op a staged photo op!”?
Had there been no reporters or cameras present, your disdain would have been ‘How do we know this even happened?’ or some other lame attempt to criticize Obama’s attendance.
This is where you went off the track, Jr. Everything after that is BS…
You’re the one who is pissed this President has more compassion about the troops than Bush ever did,
It is very foolish to argue with someone about what they meant. Obviously, I know what I meant, better than you do. Don’t waste your time with me.
You must be fucking joking Frank; your petulance is matched only by your rabid hatred of truth and reality and your utter inability to admit when you are wrong, in spite of the obvious evidence of your willful error.
Everyone knows what you meant and your absurd attempts to distract from your completely unsubstantiated position are vulgar and obvious.
But by all means, keep playing the poor set upon Conservative that Liberals are unfairly targeting; you sound more like a FOX employee every day.
Interesting deletion from the original New York Times article reporting on this story that OW linked to in his post:
The New York Times Rewrites
The original story read like this:
The second page was taken out with no explanation and no retraction. It now reads like this:
So who changed the second paragraph and why? Did the White House think it gave to much support to criticisms that this was no more than a photo op intended to counter Cheney’s accusation of Obama’s dithering on Afghanistan? Another example of an administration obsessed with any and all criticisms of it?
Is there no witless whine you won’t bring here at behest of your masters, Dennis?
All you do is wait to be told what to think then you come here.
So where’d you get your orders from for this one, Dennis?
What the Hell?
Where did you happen to get the ‘original’ story; you know, the one that wasn’t published?
Questions swirl.
Gee, Connie , and all this time I thought we were friends … Pfffffftttt!!
Oh Frank…..darling…..that’s what friends. We call our friends out, or “put them in check” from time to time. Sweetness…….IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVExxxooo
Say “Goodnight”, Junior.
Laughable;
More unsubstantiated claims to bolster your razor thin argument without a shred of proof.
It’s like Bush never left for you guys.
It wasn’t a razor thin argument; it was an opinion. I merely pointed to words that agreed with mine. What are you? The Caped Crusader? Get a grip.
Look who’s talking.
The amount of times you’ve tried to pass off your opinion as fact is incalculable.