Wayne Newton Launches USO Tour

AP | 11/02/01

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Las Vegas lounge singer Wayne Newton joined President Bush at the White House Friday to launch this year's USO holiday tour - a spirit-lifting deployment of entertainers for American troops, ``some of whom will be facing extreme danger in the months ahead,'' Bush said.

Newton, teen pop starlet Jessica Simpson, country singer Neal McCoy and comedian Rob Schneider leave Nov. 12 for a weeklong Thanksgiving tour of overseas posts, some of which house troops involved in the U.S. bombing of terrorist targets in Afghanistan. The entertainers will perform in Budapest and Kosovo, and also on an aircraft carrier that United Service Organization officials would not identify, citing security concerns.

Bob Hope, 98, was the USO celebrity frontman for almost all of its 60 years. In October, Newton, 59, was named to take over organizing the USO's circle of entertainers.

At Friday's East Room ceremony, Newton said his new posting would be his legacy.

``When the history is finally written about me it might say a lot of things - and it may be just, or it may not be kind - but it will have to admit that I loved my country beyond all else and stood up when it counted,'' Newton said in a speech twice as long as the president's.

Bush told Newton that, as he and his team make the rounds, they will find ``young men and women of the highest caliber, ... some of whom will be facing extreme danger in the months to come, all of whom are proud to serve.''

``For our troops abroad, the USO's touch of home will mean even more as we head toward Thanksgiving and, eventually, the holiday seasons of the winter,'' Bush said. ``And you can tell them they are greatly needed where they are, and they're greatly missed back home. And you can tell them the American people and the president are proud of their service.''

Copyright © 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[kattracks]

A big thanks to Wayne Newton!

Are all the Hollyweird "biggies' who always feel the need to tell the rest of us how to live going to join Newton?

I'm not holding my breath.

[TheBigB]

Jessica Simpson certainly lifts my....spirits. :)

[EggsAckley]

Great! Not a big Newton fan myself, but I REALLY admire his decision
to do this. As well as the others who will be with him.

And to the weenies in Hollywood who won't even respond to
O'Reilly's questioning of the ARC I say,
Pffffffttttttt!!

[ThePoetsRaven]

Dankeschoen Wayne.

[barker]

Last year on election night Newton was one of the people in Austin waiting outside in the rain for hours for the speech that didn't come until weeks later. My opinion of him went way up. He's a big time supporter of our President and Mrs Hope is thrilled he's doing this.

[kayak]

:-)

[Hipixs]

Singer Wayne Newton (R) and actor/comedian Rob Schneider (L) perform at the White House November 2, 2001 as part of a United Service Organization event. The U.S.O. performs for U.S. troops stationed abroad. REUTERS/Win McNamee

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Entertainer Wayne Newton speaks during a reception honoring the United Service Organizations in the White House East Room, in Washington, Friday, Nov. 2, 2001. President Bush sits in the front row at right. The USO provides morale, welfare and recreation-type services to America's uniformed military personnel. The USO is planning a holiday entertainment tour for U.S. troops abroad. Photo by J. Scott Applewhite (AP)

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President Bush thanks entertainer Wayne Newton and the United Service Organizations during a reception in the White House East Room, in Washington, Friday, Nov. 2, 2001. The USO provides morale, welfare and recreation-type services to America's uniformed military personnel. Newton, in the audience, will lead a tour that the USO is planning for holiday entertainment of U.S. troops abroad. Photo by J. Scott Applewhite (AP)

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Stop in and find out new ways to help support our military!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Wayne Newton USO Website
Has e-mail link to Wayne Newton and guest book. Also a chat room.
I suggest we e-mail and thank him.
Also "point" him to front page of Free Republic and ask him to click on USO Banner.
http://www.freerepublic.com

[ExpatCanuck]

Aren't our fighting men going to be exposed to enough danger without having to listen to Wayne Newton sing???

Seriously though, I'm not a big fan but he's got more class than almost all of our contemporary celebrities.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you for the ping. I think Wayne Newton will do a very good job with this. He has a wonderful sense of humor too.

Thank you my friend.

[willyone]

During Vietnam he went to remote sites and stayed with the troopers. He is not a woosie and was out in the sticks with no easy way out. Big bump for him. Need to get Brooke Shields and some others out there again. Bob Hope would go if he could. Shame he is just too fragile.

[Roger the Shrubber]

I'm not a big fan of Wayne Newton's music but as a musician I very much respect his talent. The guy can play just about any instrument.