Kulongoski, other leaders tour Iraq [Govs. Pataki, Kempthorne, Lingle, Pawlenty, Blanco]

Statesman Journal.com ^ | 02-11-04 | Steve Law

[Salvation]

Republican Gov. George Pataki of New York (right) and Gov. Kulongoski enjoy ice cream after a visit Tuesday to a dairy plant in Iraq.

The governor checks on Oregon Guard troops.

Former Marine and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski dined in a mess hall with Oregon soldiers and visited with Baghdad shop owners Tuesday, as part of a surprise visit to Iraq at the invitation of the Bush administration.

[Salvation]

Governors visiting Iraq.

Account is from the local liberal fishwrapper.

(No, I am not a subscriber!) LOL!

[Salvation]

Six U.S. Governors Visit Iraq

[Salvation]

**On the governors’ flight out of Baghdad, the crew saw some “common” tracer fire from below.**

Too bad the tracer fire couldn't have zotted Kulongoski and Blanco, the two Democrats!

[Salvation]

**Kulongoski raised concerns that National Guard troops may not be getting treated the same as regular soldiers in Iraq.**

Can you tell he is a Dimocrat?

Plus he is a CINO (Catholic in Name Only)!

[Salvation]

**“We have a higher percentage of Oregonians there than any other state, so it makes sense that they would ask him,” she said.

Other governors indicated they were invited by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld or President Bush.**

Any military out there that can tell us where the National Guard units are REALLY coming from?

[Salvation]

Anything about Pataki and this trip in the Albany or New York papers?

[Willie Green]

“Mainly it’s a fact-finding trip to find out how the troops are,”

It's a crying shame that these governors didn't spend a little more time trying to accomplish this instead of rushing to the nearest Baghdad Dairy Queen to stuff their faces with ice cream.

BTW, do you know how many of 'em are up for reelection this year?

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

None of them are up. All except Blanco were elected (or reelected) in 2002.

[Willie Green]

Thanks!
Considering that they weren't really there long enough to accomplish anything,
I figured it must've been an election year publicity stunt.
(And it probably was anyway.)

OK, I admit to being cynical...
I just would've been a bit more impressed had they spent a little more time with the troops and skipped the sightseeing photo-ops.

[Salvation]

I think you're right!

I just lurch at the thought of Kulongoski, however. Can't stand him!

[Tailback]

Oregon is up there near the top for both numbers deployed and as a percentage of total Guardsmen in the state.