Clinton, Crusty and Chelsea on a carrier: Photo

Corbis photos ^ | 5/8/3

[Snidely Whiplash]

THE SKUNK WAS WAVING AT THE MILITARY MEN SALUTING HIM!!!

Wha? So what? Last I knew, the POTUS is a civilian and not required to return salutes. I think the returning a salute business is a recent custom that I believe Ronald Reagan started because he felt it was appropriate. It's a cool thing to do, but not in any fashion required or even expected. Of all the things we had to be pissed at Clinton about for eight years, this business was the most insignificant bunch of crap I could think of to get wound up over. Snidely

[Concerned]

LONG CUT WROTE: "When a VIP visits a ship, base, or ANY commmand, and the visit is not for a solemn, formal event like a commissioning or a funeral, the NICEST thing he can do is put the enlisteds and junior officers through as LITTLE hassle as possible. The President seems comfortable with Sailors in their deck togs and combat gear. He also seems to like shaking hands, putting a friendly arm on them for photos, and generally being WITH them."

Having met him several times (and even having been kissed by him once--in front of Laura BTW), I can tell you, President Bush is a VERY personable, VERY easy to talk to guy. He talks with you as if you are the only person around. Laura Bush is the same way. (I got to talk with her again last Feb. 20).

I would LOVE to have known them for years and to have been a long-time friend of theirs. I probably COULD have gotten to know them better had I tried to contact them after I witnessed an ABSOLUTE IDIOT repeatedly nearly fall off the brand new railing on opening day, 04/11/1994, at the Ballpark in Arlington while she was leaning WAAAAAAY over it backwards to have her friend take a picture of her. I was sitting just 4 rows behind her, at Sec 247, Row 5, Seat 8 (I kept my framed ticket stub). She was being so INSANELY WRECKLESS that I ALMOST told the IDIOT to "SIT DOWN OR YOU'RE GOING TO FALL OFF BACKWARDS!!!"---and she eventually DID!!! Unfortunately, she finally fell about five minutes after I left or I WOULD have pursued filing a witness report. I keep wondering whether I could have helped the Rangers and Ballpark with what I did witness.

LONG CUT ADDED: "Contrast that with the Slick One, who seems to regard them as decorations. At the very least, President Bush seems to return ALL salutes offered him, while Clinton barely seems to notice."

Doesn't surprise me in the least.

LONG CUT ADDED: "Little things like this have made President Bush unbelievably popular with those of us on the deckplates, as well as the officer corps. It's fair to say that he is at least as popular with the troops as Reagan was."

I am SOOOOOOO THANKFUL that President Bush is president---and I am PROUD that President Bush IS from TEXAS!!!

I now have huge vinyl lettering on the back window of my car which reads: "Thank You, Pres. Bush & Troops!"

[Concerned]

SPALD WROTE: "John Kennedy's private plane goes down off Martha's Vineyard. The Coast Guard and Navy spend four or five days tring to find the body. Then, once the body is found, Senator Kennedy (D, Mass) has John buried at sea off a Navy vessel. What does THIS photo op cost? And how in the h*ll does Kennedy get approval for this?"

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! Teddy-boy spends OUR MONEY like it was WHISKEY to retrieve Johnny-boy's body from the WATER and then has Johnny-boy buried AT SEA!!!!!

[Consort]

...Akkk Akkk Byrd aboard the French carrier Clememceau....

[retrokitten]

I won't forget an interview with Laura Bush and she was asked about that...she said something to the effect, you should be more careful of getting your information or at least confirming it, that Barbara did wear a dress to meet the Queen.

I remember that, too! Yet no one ever says anything about Chelseas attire ever.

[cgk]

Here is Byrd's response via e-mail, received this morning. I did not receive it right away, but 6 1/2 hours after the message was sent, which leads me to believe it is not an auto-responder (?), but a cut & paste reply.

I am noticing that several of my e-mails to Dems respond this way also: "Please resend your message to me on my website." As in, "I didn't, and won't acknowledge you at this time."

-----------

(complete e-mail response starts now)

I am in receipt of your recent message to my office via electronic mail. In order to respond to your concerns more quickly and efficiently, you are now able to email me through my Web site. Please resend your message to my updated Web site at , and click on the "Contact Senator Byrd" link. If you are a West Virginia constituent, I will provide you with a written response.

Sincerely,

Robert C. Byrd
United States Senator

[hattend]

Just as an aside and to bump the thread. From where the hell are they walking? Did the three of them just get off that F-14? (Hill and Chel hung on the fuel pylons, I guess that explains the hairdos)

Or did they just materialize at the end of that rug and begin walking?

[Paleo Conservative]

[JoeSchem]

The more I look at this picture, the angrier I get...Chelsea is past casual, she could at least show some respect by the way she dressed.

My guess is that her disrespect for the military began with disrespect for its commander-in-chief.