Did you see this one just above your thread?
DoD spokesman says Obama camp was reminded of political rules
Politico ^ | July 25th, 2008 | J Martin
Posted on Friday, July 25, 2008 12:55:17 PM by Perdogg
Chief Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell confirmed to Politico that Department of Defense officials cautioned Barack Obama’s campaign that his planned visit to wounded American troops in Germany could not be political in nature and that he would be barred from bringing along campaign staff and reporters. He also said that Cindy McCain recently requested to visit sailors aboard the U.S.N.S. Comfort and was denied.
“Sen. Obama is welcome to visit Landstuhl or any military hospital in his official capacity as a United States senator,” Morrell said in a brief interview. “But there is a DoD policy which governs campaigning and electioneering at military facilities that would have to be respected if he were to visit. That distinction was relayed and made clear to campaign, and they made a decision on their own based on that guidance.”
Morrell, in a subsequent interview, added that military officials told Obama he could only visit the military facility with his Secret Service detail and Senate staff.
“We made it clear to him that campaign staff and press would not be permitted to accompany him,” Morrell said of Obama. “We relayed those ground rules. They made a choice based upon the information we relayed to them. It was their choice. We had nothing to do with it.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
"My visit to these brave soldiers was a private moment, one not intended to be a political photo op. These men and women have risked their lives for all of us and I just wanted to thank them... yadda... yadda... yadda."
They blew it, and I am glad they did!!