Posted on 06/02/2008 5:56:09 PM PDT by snugs
The President spent the weekend in Washington on the Saturday gave the commencement address at Furman University in South Carolina. On Sunday attended church in the morning and in the evening Ford's Theatre Gala at the held at National Theatre in Washington as the Ford's Theater is currently closed for renovations.
Today the President spoke at a ceremony at the White House before awarding the Medal of Honor posthumously to the parents of U.S. Army PFC Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania, who was killed in Iraq in 2006.
Later the President participated in a meeting on the Economy and Tax Cuts at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Pray for President Bush -- Day 2819
Vice President Dick Cheney deliverd remarks during the Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize luncheon, at the National Press Club in Washington where a harmless joke caused some controversy.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
President Bush Presents Medal of Honor to Private First Class Ross Andrew McGinnis
East Room
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Welcome to the White House.
A week ago on Memorial Day, the flag of the United States flew in half-staff in tribute to those who fell in service to our country. Today we pay special homage to one of those heroes: Private First Class Ross Andrew McGinnis of the U.S. Army. Private McGinnis died in a combat zone in Iraq on December the 4th, 2006 -- and for his heroism that day, he now receives the Medal of Honor.
In a few moments, the military aide will read the citation, and the Medal will be accepted by Ross's mom and dad, Romayne and Tom. It's a privilege to have with us as well Becky and Katie, Ross's sisters.
I also want to thank the other distinguished guests who have joined us: Mr. Vice President; Secretary Jim Peake of Veterans Affairs; Secretary Pete Geren of the Army; Secretary Michael Wynne of the Air Force; General Jim "Hoss" Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I appreciate other members of the administration for joining us.
I want to thank members of the United States Congress who have joined us today: Steve Buyer, John Peterson, Louie Gohmert. Thank you all for coming. I appreciate the Chaplain for the prayer. We welcome friends and family members of Ross, as well as members of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, including Charlie Company, that's with us today.
We're also joined by Private McGinnis's vehicle crew -- the very men who witnessed his incredible bravery. We welcome Sergeant First Class Cedric Thomas, Staff Sergeant Ian Newland, Sergeant Lyle Buehler, and Specialist Sean Lawson.
A special welcome to the prior recipients of the Medal of Honor, whose presence here is -- means a lot to the McGinnis family. Thank you for coming.
The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military distinction. It's given for valor beyond anything that duty could require, or a superior could command. By long tradition, it's presented by the President. For any President, doing so is a high privilege.
Before he entered our country's history, Ross McGinnis came of age in the town of Knox, Pennsylvania. Back home they remember a slender boy with a big heart and a carefree spirit. He was a regular guy. He loved playing basketball. He loved working on cars. He wasn't too wild about schoolwork. (Laughter.) He had a lot of friends and a great sense of humor. In high school and in the Army, Ross became known for his ability to do impersonations. A buddy from boot camp said that Ross was the only man there who could make the drill sergeant laugh. (Laughter.)
Most of all, those who knew Ross McGinnis recall him as a dependable friend and a really good guy. If Ross was your buddy and you needed help or you got in trouble, he'd stick with you and be the one you could count on. One of his friends told a reporter that Ross was the type "who would do anything for anybody."
That element of his character was to make all the difference when Ross McGinnis became a soldier in the Army. One afternoon 18 months ago, Private McGinnis was part of a humvee patrol in a neighborhood of Baghdad. From his position in the gun turret, he noticed a grenade thrown directly at the vehicle. In an instant, the grenade dropped through the gunner's hatch. He shouted a warning to the four men inside. Confined in that tiny space, the soldiers had no chance of escaping the explosion. Private McGinnis could have easily jumped from the humvee and saved himself. Instead he dropped inside, put himself against the grenade, and absorbed the blast with his own body.
By that split-second decision, Private McGinnis lost his own life, and he saved his comrades. One of them was Platoon Sergeant Cedric Thomas, who said this: "He had time to jump out of the truck. He chose not to. He's a hero. He was just an awesome guy." For his actions, Private McGinnis received the Silver Star, a posthumous promotion in rank, and a swift nomination for the Medal of Honor. But it wasn't acclaim or credit that motivated him. Ross's dad has said, "I know medals never crossed his mind. He was always about friendships and relationships. He just took that to the ultimate this time."
When Ross McGinnis was in kindergarten, the teacher asked him to draw a picture of what he wanted to be when he grew up. He drew a soldier. Today our nation recognizing -- recognizes him as a soldier, and more than that -- because he did far more than his duty. In the words of one of our commanding generals, "Four men are alive because this soldier embodied our Army values and gave his life."
The day will come when the mission he served has been completed and the fighting is over, and freedom and security have prevailed. America will never forget those who came forward to bear the battle. America will always honor the name of this brave soldier who gave all for his country, and was taken to rest at age 19.
No one outside this man's family can know the true weight of their loss. But in words spoken long ago, we are told how to measure the kind of devotion that Ross McGinnis showed on his last day: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Gospel also gives this assurance: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." May the deep respect of our whole nation be a comfort to the family of this fallen soldier. May God always watch over the country he served, and keep us ever grateful for the life of Ross Andrew McGinnis.
And now I'd like to invite Mr. and Mrs. McGinnis to please come forward for the presentation, and the military aide will read the citation for the Medal of Honor.
The citation is read: The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gunner, 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq, on 4 December 2006.
That afternoon his platoon was conducting combat control operations in an effort to reduce and control sectarian violence in the area. While Private McGinnis was manning the M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun, a fragmentation grenade thrown by an insurgent fell through the gunner's hatch into the vehicle. Reacting quickly, he yelled "grenade," allowing all four members of his crew to prepare for the grenade's blast. Then, rather than leaping from the gunner's hatch to safety, Private McGinnis made the courageous decision to protect his crew. In a selfless act of bravery, in which he was mortally wounded, Private McGinnis covered the live grenade, pinning it between his body and the vehicle and absorbing most of the explosion.
Private McGinnis' gallant action directly saved four men from certain serious injury or death. Private First Class McGinnis' extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
President Bush, right, stands with Romayne McGinnis, mother of Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pa., in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 2, 2008, after presenting her with the Medal of Honor her son earned in Iraq. McGinnis was killed in Baghdad Dec. 4, 2006 when he used his body to cover a grenade that was thrown into a humvee he was riding in with four other soldiers.
President George W. Bush waves to the press as he walks to Marine One in Washington, for departure to a commencement address at Furman University in South Carolina May 31, 2008
President George W. Bush steps off Marine One as he prepares to depart Andrews Air Force Base, outside Washington, to attend the commencement ceremony at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, May 31, 2008.
President Bush, center, greets students as he walks in during graduation ceremonies before delivering the commencement address at Furman University Saturday, May 31, 2008 in Greenville, S.C.
President Bush delivers the commencement address at Furman University Saturday, May 31, 2008 in Greenville, S.C.
President Bush waves to the crowd as he leaves the stage after giving the commencement address at Furman University Saturday, May 31, 2008 in Greenville, S.C.
Hi.
Hi.
President Bush waves before attending a church service held by St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, Sunday, June 1, 2008.
President Bush waves after attending a church service held by St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, Sunday, June 1, 2008.
President George W. Bush waves as he and first lady Laura Bush return to the White House after attending a church service in Washington June 1, 2008
President Bush, far left, and first lady Laura Bush, second from the left, arrive to attend Ford's Theatre Gala at the National Theatre Sunday, June 1, 2008 in Washington.
President George W. Bush (C) shakes hands with Chairman and CEO of General Dynamics Nicholas Chabraja as he arrives for the Ford's Theatre Gala at the National Theatre in Washington, DC June 1, 2008. Ford's Theater is currently closed for renovations.
President George W. Bush makes remarks after the Ford's Theatre Gala at the National Theatre in Washington, DC June 1, 2008.
Hi!
President Bush prays during a Medal of Honor ceremony for Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pa., Monday, June 2, 2008, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. McGinnis was killed in Baghdad Dec. 4, 2006 when he used his body to cover a grenade that was thrown into a humvee he was riding in with four other soldiers.
President Bush, right, stands with the Tom and Romayne McGinnis during a Medal of Honor ceremony to honor their son, Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pa., Monday, June 2, 2008, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. McGinnis was killed in Baghdad Dec. 4, 2006 when he used his body to cover a grenade that was thrown into a humvee he was riding in with four other soldiers.
President George W. Bush speaks before awarding the Medal of Honor posthumously to the parents of U.S. Army PFC Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania, who was killed in Iraq in 2006, at the White House June 2, 2008.
President George W. Bush (2nd R) awards the Medal of Honor posthumously to the parents of U.S. Army PFC Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania, who was killed in Iraq in 2006, while at the White House June 2, 2008. From L-R are: Tom McGinnis (father), Romayne McGinnis (mother), President Bush, and a military aide holding the medal.
Good evening and Congratulations
President Bush, right, kisses Romayne McGinnis, center, as her husband Tom McGinnis, left, looks on as they take part in a Medal of Honor ceremony, Monday, June 2, 2008,
President George W. Bush (R) awards the Medal of Honor posthumously to the parents of U.S. Army PFC Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania, who was killed in Iraq in 2006, while at the White House, June 2, 2008. From L-R are: Tom McGinnis (father), Romayne McGinnis (mother),
President Bush, right, stands with Romayne McGinnis, mother of Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis, of Knox, Pa., in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 2, 2008, after presenting her with the Medal of Honor her son earned in Iraq.
President Bush, center, participates in a meeting on the Economy and Tax Cuts, Monday, June 2, 2008, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the campus of the White House in Washington. From left are, Martin Regalia, chief economist of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; John Rutledge, chairman Rutledge Capital; the president; Bob Carroll, vice president for Economic Policy, The Tax Foundation; and Larry Lindsey, president and chief executive officer of the Lindsey Group.
President George W. Bush speaks about his policy on tax cuts during a meeting in Washington June 2, 2008. Today marks the five-year anniversary of the tax relief act which President Bush is urging Congress to make permanent.
President Bush, right, shakes hands with Dr. Larry Lindsey, president and chief executive officer of the Lindsey Group, left, after participating in a meeting on the Economy and Tax Cuts, Monday, June 2, 2008, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington
Personally for 8 years at this stage of his life I think the President has worn remarkable well.
Vice President Dick Cheney delivers remarks during the Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize luncheon, Monday, June 2, 2008, at the National Press Club in Washington.
Vice President Dick Cheney, accompanied by his wife Lynne Cheney, reacts during the Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize luncheon, Monday, June 2, 2008, at the National Press Club in Washington.
Talking about his family roots and how he's distantly related to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, the vice president noted that he had Cheneys on both sides of his family.
"And we don't even live in West Virginia," Cheney quipped. "You can say those things when you're not running for re-election."
Footnote from Snugs - I cannot believe the fuss this joke has caused with Senator Byrd getting hot under the collar amongst others including Republicans - really some people take life far too seriously.
Showing how political correctness has gone mad later in the day the following statement was issued by his office.
"The vice president's offhand comment was not meant to hurt anyone," Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said later Monday. "On reflection, he concluded that it was an inappropriate attempt at humor that he should not have made. The vice president apologizes to the people of West Virginia for the inappropriate remark."
President George W. Bush delivers remarks during the presentation of the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously to Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis, U.S. Army Monday, June 2, 2008, in the East Room of the White House. President Bush presented the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously to his parents, Tom and Romayne McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania. White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian
President George W. Bush shares a moment with Tom and Romayne McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania, after presenting them the Congressional Medal of Honor in honor of their son, Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis, who was honored posthumously Monday, June 2, 2008, in the East Room of the White House. White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian
President George W. Bush leads the applause in honor of Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis, U.S. Army, after presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously to his parents, Tom and Romayne McGinnis, of Knox, Pennsylvania, during ceremonies Monday, June 6, 2008, at the White House. White House photo by Chris Greenberg
President George W. Bush delivers remarks during a drop-by meeting on the economy and tax cuts Monday, June 2, 2008, in the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. President Bush said during his remarks, "The best way to deal with economic uncertainty is to let people have more of their own money, because we believe that the economy benefits when there's more money in circulation, in the hands of the people who actually earned it." White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian
Good evening how are things with you hopefully you feel a little more comfortable
Good evening
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