Posted on 07/25/2008 9:55:17 AM PDT 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 ...
Ouch.
Is Obama CIC material? Just asking....
“he would be barred from bringing along campaign staff and reporters.”
From Obama’s perspective, if you can’t exploit it, why bother. You’d think Obama would’ve known the rules before he announced his intention to visit with GI’s, but I guess he’s just too new to the game to understand the rules. I hope someone explains to him that the red phone is not for ordering pizza.
Succinct and 100% accurate.
Biggest difference between McCain and Obama regarding the troops is that McCain visited with them even BEFORE he was running for President, and has visited with them since announcing, we just haven’t heard about it, because he’s not trying to use the military in his campaign.
ya think any of the drive-by’s will report this?
I’m sure you’ve all heard about this by now- but it’s important to get the point across that he was WELCOMED if he came as a US Senator, which, for whatever reason, he decided against.
“Rules” are for the little people.
So he stamped his feet and refused to play by their rules.
The press is playing this as if the DOD told him he couldn’t visit.
The truth is, he couldn’t visit if he couldn’t bring the press and cameras.
Not a chance.
While the press has just about convinced me that Obama CAN walk on water, he does NOT strike me as being all that bright.
Bingo!
Every time I think it is impossible for me to dislike the man any more than I already do, he goes and proves me wrong.
He could have gone to see the wounded soliders but decided against it because their was no political gain!! Total scumbag!!!
Is that a rhetorical question?
Obama makes my skin crawl. He really does.
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