I haven’t seen a picture of one.
Posted on 02/05/2009 3:30:35 PM PST by flyfree
The President walked alone across the South Lawn grass, gave a quick wave to the press and boarded Marine One. But, first he stopped to shake the hand of the very startled, caught off-guard Marine who was standing at attention at the steps to the helicopter.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
OK everybody - back off!
Obama is a loser and will be a failed President, but he is/has done nothing wrong. He has been following protocol (regarding which you need to remember that the President as CinC sets the protocol) and has made every effort to follow it. He was proper at the Inaugural Parade in returning salutes to troops passing in review (even if he had to look out of the corner of his eye at his adjacent military escort to see when to start and stop) and he did everything proper with the Marine at the helicopter (see
pictures above).
Even Presidents Bush (2) and Reagan would shake hands with welcoming military hosts after their salute when deplaning Air Force 1. And returning the salute is relatively new and infrequent, starting with Reagan, athough out of habit Ike would do it at times.
He has quite a diddy bop to his walk doesn’t he?
I thought a fist bump would be more appropriate.
I was once told that the president wasn’t technically supposed to return the salute, since he’s a civilain; but, Reagan started returning it, and its been done that way ever sense. Not sure if thats completely accurate.
I saw him salute the audience with his left hand while bounding up the steps to a campaign appearance. I watched it on my DVR and played it a few times to make sure. I guess he's learned to use his right hand by now.
I agree. But everytime I try to say something reasonable here that's seen as "defending" Obama, I'm called a troll from DU.
But I do agree with you. This is ridiculous nitpicking. He's done nothing wrong here with the salute and handshake.
I agree AND I disagree. The Marine was placed in a no-win situation by the Obamoron. Had he saluted and NOT shaken his hand, it would have been interpreted by the Obamoron as an insult and the young man really WOULD have gotten his butt reamed by the brass. By shaking his hand, he may get his butt reamed, but I kinda doubt it. The military has to know that politicians are extremely unpredictable and prone to do stuff like this.
Other than that, I agree with everything else you said.
But he did I saw him. Too both.
If Marine One's flight path is jagged it has nothing to do with restricted airspace. It could, can, and does fly wherever it wants.
Why not a fist bump??
Maybe I used the wrong word when I said ‘restricted’, but basically, as I understand it, the flight path of Marine One in and out of the White House landing zone is jagged and tightly controlled.
No, it cannot fly where it wants in D. C. It ain’t horseshoes.
;-)
On 2nd thought, restricted air space is the correct term, but it’s the opposite of the way it’s usually used. Marine One’s flight path must remain IN the restricted air space, for safety and security.
More clear?
If it is flying as Marine One, it CAN go anywhere its passenger wants to go. Its flight path is controlled so as not to be predictable. Depending on the 'code' onboard a military aircraft many rules and controls disappear.
That is a very rare picture for me. I have yet to see him boarding the helicopter or Air Force 1 and I have yet to see him walking in and out of the White House. Not watching network news does wonders.
That's because this is the first time he's done so.
There’s a difference between ‘fly anywhere’, which is what I said, and ‘go anywhere’, as you said.
Do you really think the pilot of Marine One is going to fly into harm’s way? He must remain in the restricted air space in D. C. unless under attack and needing to escape. It’s not even a close argument.
(If under attack, Marine One is far from alone in the air.)
What is he doing....thumbing his nose at the country?
Another non-salute. He wasn’t President yet when that photo was taken.
Looks like he is trying to pick his nose with his thumb while trying to salute & failing miserably at both.
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