Posted on 05/07/2003 7:10:53 AM PDT by m1-lightning
(CNSNews.com) - Two Democratic Members of Congress have criticized President George W. Bush for using the USS Abraham Lincoln as a platform to announce that the United States and its allies have prevailed over Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. On the Senate floor Tuesday, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) questioned "the motives of a desk-bound president who assumes the garb of a warrior for the purposes of a speech."~~ He was referring to the fact that Bush wore a flight suit as he arrived on the ship. "As I watched the president's fighter jet swoop down onto the deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, I could not help but contrast the reported simple dignity of President Lincoln at Gettysburg with the flamboyant showmanship of President Bush aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln," Byrd stated. "American blood has been shed on foreign soil in defense of the president's policies," said Byrd, who had opposed sending military forces into Iraq. "This is not some made-for-TV backdrop for a campaign commercial." Also on Tuesday, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) sent a letter to the General Accounting Office -- the investigative arm of Congress -- asking for "a full accounting of the costs associated with the president's trip" since the event "had clear political overtones."
Presidential visits to Navy ships
As can be seen in this excellent article posted by buffyt, visits by presidents to naval vessels has been going on since the beginning of the Republic.
The only thing that has the democrats infuriated was the tailhook landing and the flight suit. A helcopter landing while he was in a business suit would not have brought such outrage.
You will notice when the trip was first announced, there were no objections. In fact, no one paid much attention to the visit at all until the planned jet landing was revealed. STILL there was no objection.
I think what has set them off is the President's appearance in the flight suit! They are panicked that he looked born to wear it, and NONE of their people can even come close.
This is pure envy and spite. They are jealous of his appearance, nothing more. I find it hilarious, because every time they gripe about it they remind people of how cool the entire event was.
I still say sell pictures and a video of the event, reimburse any extra costs by the Navy (which I believe are minimal) and donate any extra money to the surviving relatives of those KIA in Afghanistan and Iraq. This will generate still MORE stories, and more flight suit photos, driving Waxman, Byrd et al into a frenzy.
Besides, I think we need to see that flight suit photo every day. Heheheh.
Howlin, read my post just above. I have concluded that the whole thing is because of the flight suit. Not a word was said about using the aircraft carrier, nor later when they found out about the jet landing (probably they were hoping it would crash).
Nope, it wasn't until they saw him in the flight suit that they started griping! HAHAHAHAHA!
Hmmmmm...and the numerous times Clinton had his photo-ops with 'his' brown leather bomber jacket? The numerous photo-ops at the Korean DMZ? Clinton's speeches at the Arlington National cemetery auditorium? Or the use of Armed Forces Honor Guards as Clinton luggage carriers? Hmmmm...shall I go on??? The Democrat Clinton enabler/apologists still stand out by their hypocritical silence (then and now).
So how is the old Klu Klux Klan Grand Kleagle lately? In "pretty, pretty, pretty" good health? LOL!
Five Navy aviators Clinton bodyguards/escorts (names not determined) died: 3/26/93 - all died in a crash of an E-2C Hawkeye in Italy. The crash occurred shortly after the plane was "waved off" from a landing attempt on the Carrier Roosevelt, due to a "foul deck". - All five men had been Clinton's escorts during Clinton's visit to the Roosevelt 2 weeks prior. Three other men, who had flown Clinton to the Roosevelt for that visit also died later in a helicopter crash.
Other Clinton Related Deaths
President Clinton piped aboard the USS Independence, April 17, 1996.
President Clinton took time out from a state visit to Japan to thank the crew for deployment in the Taiwan crisis. Note he is there with Marine One, full dress on the sideboys, and a suit.
This is what the democrats thought they would see on TV. They did NOT expect the jet and the flight suit. That is what has them in a dither.
They have realized too late the power of those photos. I will bet you 10 dollars that we never see another picture of the President in anything like that. Probably no brush-cutting pictures from Texas, either, since the guy looks good in jeans.
Absolutely! And don't forget all the expense saved by not having to undergo all those days of security checks that did NOT have to be done because the carrier was in an isolated area and already certified to be terrorist-free.
We might just let Sen. Sheets know that a considerable expense was saved.
Can anyone tell me why sailors on a carrier would be armed? It seems to be a secure location already.
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