It's not like he's a f'ing pile of dog sh#t that uses caskets of American soldiers for a photo op. Nobody is that crass, classless and dishonorable......
Of course he is a democrat...so maybe he is...
Posted on 10/30/2009 10:36:44 AM PDT by kristinn
ABC News' Pentagon correspondent Luis Martinez reports that Barack Obama brought twenty-four reporters, photographers and videographers from fourteen media outlets to Dover Air Force Base to cover his 'surprise' visit there early Thursday morning.
The New York Times reported earlier that there was a "small contingent" of media at Dover. However, two dozen is a crowd, especially when vulnerable grieving families are involved.
Liz Cheney is being attacked (and here) for pointing out that Obama imposed the question of media coverage on the families by his presence at Dover. Seventeen out of the eighteen families of the fifteen soldiers and three DEA agents refused media coverage of the return to American soil of their loved ones.
The AP reports that one family changed their minds and decided against media coverage when they were informed Obama would be there:
The wife of Army Pfc. Brian Bates, who died Tuesday in Afghanistan, said she changed her mind and decided against allowing coverage after learning by phone around 11 p.m. EDT Wednesday that Obama would attend.
"Brian met the president, and that's all that matters," Enjolie Bates, who was not at Dover for the transfer, said in a telephone interview from her home in Lakewood, Wash. "I know he would like that. We didn't need to broadcast it to the world."
Thanks to Obama, Pfc. Bates' grieving widow is answering phone calls from the AP not about her hero husband, but about Obama and the media.
The AP also reported claims by the Pentagon and Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs that "there was no suggestion from the government for the families to lean either way on media coverage."
As was reported yesterday, the sole family out eighteen to permit coverage is well below the sixty percent rate of permission granted since the ban on media coverage was lifted by Obama in April.
Fourteen of the eighteen families were present at Dover Thursday morning, which is consistent with the seventy-three percent rate of families of the fallen coming to Dover since the Pentagon changed its policy to now pay for travel and hotel costs for the families. That policy was also instated in April.
The Pentagon videotapes each dignified transfer, apart from the media, and offers the video to the families. ABC reports about three-quarters of the families accept the videos.
It's unfortunate that Obama's motives in going to Dover are suspect, but his terrorist associations and his leaving his general and troops twisting in the wind in Afghanistan leave Obama open to such doubts--especially from military families.
I remember when the soldiers were killed in the Gander Newfoundland crash in 1985. My husband was in Korea at the time (thank God) or he could have been on that flight. He lost a lot of friends that day. I worked at a Ft. Campbell school at the time and everyone knew that President and Mrs. Reagan were coming to the airfield hangar to meet with the families. Everyone wanted him there and he didn’t do it for a photo-op. There were one or two Nashville news organizations there, but it was not a circus. President and Mrs. Reagan offered their heart-felt condolences and
the families really appreciated it.
President Reagan had class, Obama doesn’t.
Good job, kristinn
We visited the site of the crash in Gander and were truly humbled by the reverence with which the Newfoundlanders treat the site.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.
It's not like he's a f'ing pile of dog sh#t that uses caskets of American soldiers for a photo op. Nobody is that crass, classless and dishonorable......
Of course he is a democrat...so maybe he is...
“ABC News’ Pentagon correspondent Luis Martinez reports that Barack Obama brought TWENTY-FOUR reporters, photographers and videographers from FOURTEEN media outlets to Dover Air Force Base to cover his ‘surprise’ visit there early Thursday morning.”
Dead soldiers are meer “props” for Obama. What a disgrace he is to our country.
I’m stealing that from you... that’s one of the most succinct statements I’ve ever heard... thank you.
President Bush just never did quite get the knack of marketing himself. It seems he was too busy being a decent human being who put the needs of the people he served before his own. I guess we need not worry about that now.
I heard this morning that one of the mothers or wives told Obama not to abandon the boys in Afghanistan, but I missed the whole report. Is it true do you know?
those other families need to get together and run some Swiftboat-style TV ads expressing their disappointment
This is only going to get worse...for Zero.
Welcome to FR....that was FABULOUS!! Freeper worthy!!
I think the left-wing media attacked Bush for not going to Dover to meet the coffins of the soldiers...maybe Obama’s motive in going to Dover was to inspire some more newspaper pieces attacking Bush.
Besides thugging his way into office?
That sentence came out wrong. I meant to say, "I can't post all the invectives I used while explaining to my wife what that puke of a president did for a photo op."
Another instance when I wish FR had an edit button.
About the president's decision to meet the airplane, Tully said, "He ought to be there for every last one of them." A bit later, she said, "Obama needs to do something. Our kids are just dying. For what? What kind of war is this? We're not trying to win."
It doesn't look like she was at Dover.
There are only a few family members who were at Dover that I've seen quoted so far. Their remarks have been measured and non-political.
Thank you.
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