[Jeff Chandler]

The problem was having him do his thing on international television while standing next to the President of the United States. The act belittled the White House.

[grania]

I can get this from the father's perspective. He had to go through what his son was going through in order to survive the waiting. I wonder if the parents were told that their son now faces trial as a deserter?

I wonder if the father felt some level of guilt for not preventing his son from enlisting.

As far as the thing about praising Allah while at the podium with the President? Wasn't Obama exploiting the parents when he marched them out there to get credit and photo ops for releasing their son's release? I'm not unhappy that the media maneuver backfired.

[Sioux-san]

Really - this belittled the WH? Obama is the Champion WH Belittler and was loving every minute of it (you can see the big smile clearly). I am sure he and Bergdohl shared a little muslim prayer just before coming outside.

Here is another opinion that puts some historical perspective to this strange behavior:
http://freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2014/06/bergdahls-dad-historical-analogy.html

And this gives us a little more about the euphoria expected by the WH:
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2014/06/03/quick-thoughts-on-bergdahl-release-and-prisoner-exchange/

and maybe the dad’s politics:
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/63497