Soldier's parents see son on TV with Bush

AP | 11/29/03

[kattracks]

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — Army Pfc. James Walden called home from Iraq a few days before Thanksgiving and told his father he had been elected to eat with the "bigwigs." As Michael Walden recalled, his son wasn't overly excited about it.

He told his parents he'd prefer to spend the day with friends rather than eat Thanksgiving dinner with a group of his bosses and L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. official in Iraq.

"A lot of us have been here in Iraq for so long that it's just another day for us," James Walden told an Associated Press reporter before the troops attending the luncheon Thursday learned that the real bigwig about to join them was President Bush.

As Walden and about 600 fellow soldiers discovered when Bush walked in, it was anything but just another day.

Michael and Roma Walden were home watching television when news of Bush's visit flashed on the screen. Then they received an even bigger surprise.

"We were all gathered here, sitting and watching, and I said, 'There's James!' at the same time his sister shouted it," Michael Walden told The Amarillo Globe-News in Saturday editions. "When we saw him there with the president, I told my wife, 'I bet he's glad he didn't find a way to get out of it now.'"

James Walden confirmed as much in a telephone call to his parents a few hours later.

"It meant so much to him that the president would come spend time with him," Michael Walden said. "His commander in chief had the fortitude and guts to take his skinny butt over there and be with his men. And him being from Texas made it even better."

[MamaB]

This is what the trip was about--the troops!

[temijin]

never underestimate the resolve of a Texan.

[america-rules]

Very Cool :)

[admiralsn]

Exactly, I stole it from another Freeper (suggested as an '04 bumper sticker), but check out my new tagline.....

[BagCamAddict]

I was so proud of our Prez when I heard his speech on the radio, on my way over to my Sister's house for Thanksgiving.

And I loved Bremer's line... "Is there anyone more Senior here?..." before GW walked out. What a morale booster, and exactly what I expected of our CinC !!

[boxerblues]

"His commander in chief had the fortitude and guts to take his skinny butt over there and be with his men.

lol Bush has a skinny butt

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

As Michael Walden recalled, his son wasn't overly excited about it.

That's because they were probably given the impression that Hillary was going to be the VIP.

[cyborg]

Better than Klintoon's tired, fat, pasty a$$

[kattracks]

Exactly. I wonder how many of the troops hillary! haunted will have anything positive to say about the witch.

[EGPWS]

"We were all gathered here, sitting and watching, and I said, 'There's James!' at the same time his sister shouted it," Michael Walden told The Amarillo Globe-News in Saturday editions. "When we saw him there with the president, I told my wife, 'I bet he's glad he didn't find a way to get out of it now.'"

COOL!

I bet he would have tried for a way out of a Hitlery speech as to not being stuck with having to tolerate anti-American dribble from "it".

[MEG33]

Happy thread!God bless our President and our troops.

[honeygrl]

You know, I have yet to hear quotes from the troops hitlery visited saying what they thought of her visit and her words to them. I really really want to see what their reaction is to her visit.

[boxerblues]

Its just something I never really thought about.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I wish we had a picture!

[July 4th]

It meant so much to him that the president would come spend time with him

As opposed to Hillary, who would come and spend time with him, and then tell him about the people back home 'questioning his mission.'

[KantianBurke]

This may sound a bit paranoid but is it a good idea to broadcast the names and city locations of service members' families while they're in Iraq? A good story though.

[cajun-jack]

you never will hear from them either...unless it is a direct order and a scripted comment.

[newzhawk]

Our local liberal paper ( in a highly conservative area of course!) had quotes from bitter journalists squawking negativities about Bush's trip - then the only quote taken from Hillary's trip was from a black female soldier that revealed "how much I admire her for her accomplishments for women(barf) and I wish she would run for president one day" And they wonder why we are on the media's case all the time............

[international american]

Great post!!