Posted on 10/29/2009 11:27:45 AM PDT by kristinn
Barack Obama was nearly denied the photo-op he traveled to Dover Air Force Base for early this morning as all but one of the military and civilian families of the fallen refused permission for the media to report on the return of their loved ones.
The sole family to allow media coverage was the family of Sgt. Dale R. Griffin.
According to media reports, Griffin's casket was the last to be brought off the C-17 cargo plane that carried the bodies of 15 soldiers and 3 DEA agents killed this week in Afghanistan.
That is a stark contrast to the reported 60% approval by families for media coverage since Obama lifted the ban on media coverage in April. Byron York reported a month ago that media interest has plummeted since April such that at most dignified transfers there is only an AP stringer there to take still photographs.
Obama met with the families of the fallen at a base chapel before the dignified return took place.
AP raw video of the military's dignified transfer of Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, featuring Barack Obama.
Obama's photo-op last night was the culmination of a long campaign by Obama's left wing allies like Code Pink to give aid to our enemies by highlighting the deaths of America's servicemen and women in the war on terror.
While not casting judgment on the decision by the family of Sgt. Griffin, the near unanimous decion of the families to deny Obama his photo-op, compared to the average 60%, is telling.
Would he really be that crass to fish for the photo-op? Probably.
Google Subtitle:
President Obama honors fallen Americans at Dover Air Force Base ... Oct 29, 2009 ... DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) -- Standing in the pre-dawn ... time with grieving military families but never went to Dover to meet .... Obama changed the policy and allows the surviving family members ... It is very telling that 14 of the 15 fallen warriors families refused to allow the photo-op. ...
Article itself:
President Obama honors fallen Americans at Dover Air Force Base
His name was Dale R. Griffin, an Army sergeant from Terre Haute, Ind. He was the last fallen soldier to come before Obama. And his remains were the only ones to be honored in full view of the media with the permission of his family. An 18-year ban on such coverage was lifted this year under Obama's watch.
It’s all about HIM now, HIM then and always,
HIM, HIM, HIM, ME, ME, ME, MYSELF, MYSELF, MYSELF and don’t forget I, I, I.
My prayers for you.
My son will be eligible for the Services in 6 months.
There is no way in hell I will let my son join with this man in Office.
How many more will die while you dither Mr. President?
They JUST LOST A SON or HUSBAND!!!! For Godsake.
Exploiting raw grief and negative emotion for political gain is reprehensible. Look at what the libs did to Cindy Sheehan
Would he fish for a crass photo op? Not unless Rahm Emanuel was his chief of staff.
I bet I loathe him more than you loathe him!
I’m hoping the family members present let the child president know how they feel about the support troops he’s dithering over.
hey little girl.... If you’ll let me take a picture with you and your son, I’ll give you a cookie
Every military family knows that the day could come that they might have to make that dreaded trip to Dover. That knowledge does not protect them from the stark reality of their loss. To then have your fallen loved one’s casket greeted by the very CiC who is putting even more of your loved one’s comrades’ lives at risk with his dithering, would make it all the more insufferable.
God bless our fallen troops, those who serve, and those who wait. May he give comfort to the famiies.
Five of the coffins are Marines based in San Diego at Camp Pendleton and an Army Sgt. a native here in San Diego.
I have relatives in Afghn. and they
haven’t seen the 40,000 more troops yet.
Obama has no shame
What a scumbag cocaine closet homo freak this obambi is. The reason these American were killed is precisely because of obambi’s Rules of Engagement.
obambi’s casket will not recieve anything from me.
Griffin, who was a part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, joined the Army immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to his mother, Dona Griffin, who was interviewed by the Tribune-Star earlier this month. At the time of that interview, Dona Griffin and husband Gene were leading volunteers at the Terre Haute Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints making about 40 blankets for U.S. servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
******
It was a dignified transfer until Obama stuck his nose in it and totally ruined it for his policital photo op.
I do not know. However, I do know he meet with the families in the oval office and also in his trips around the country. The media was not allowed in. Bush "DID NOT" allow the deaths of these soldiers to be used as a media event for himself.
Bush was and is a man of honor. A trait that is sorely lacking in the present white house.
I will pray for your relatives in Afghanistan...my two heroes hubby and son have not been there yet...just 3 tours to Iraq between them....My hubby retires in 2010 after 40years...too bad my son can’t...I hate him serving this POS of a CinC...sorry, I just hate feeling this way.
I cannot stand our Governonr, ‘Diamond Jim’ Doyle (D, WI) who, Praise The Lord, isn’t running for a third term after trashing Wisconsin’s economy and driving business out of our state. He’s like Jennifer Granholm Lite...but not by much!
Anyhow, I DO have to give the man props for attending every, and I mean EVERY funeral for any fallen Wisconsin soldier.
From mystery-ak: Complete BS!...it was done to shield and protect the families of the fallen who didn't want cameras there!
It was actually more than that, mystery-ak. It was done to protect the families from the rudeness and crudeness of the media.
I know I come across as a broken record over this subject, but I can't help it. I witnessed, as a member of the media, the utter disrespect shown by the media to not only the military, but the families of the fallen. That witnessing did not occur during "Bush's war" but when the Marines were brought home following the Beirut bombing. I was never so embarrassed to be a member of the media and I also lived in Dover at the time.
I have thought about you, your husband and son.
They are heros. Remember when your husband got back and then down to N.O. for the Katrena mess.
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