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.
Well said, ODH. I'm surprised I wasn't flamed when I expressed my support for the CINC being there. At the time, I didn't know he brought two dozen media with him.
Speaking of poor reporting...there has been absolutely no mention of Obama's gaffe on Monday, in Jacksonville. He pronounced Corpsmen as "Corpse-men", and it was captured on several You-Tube videos.
NO. Please tell me that's not true. Does anyone remember POTATO-E?
If Bush had done that, it would have led the evening news.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmWiACxlSR4
Or you can go to youtube, and do a search from "obama jacksonville".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNwdYwEZYWY&feature=related
Another ENTOURAGE for Obama
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I never called Obama an evil bastard
No, you never did, thoughts aren’t words!
You just like to surf the turf.......heh
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FR is connecting very slow
It is bad tonight
It comes and goes for me, but I am having computer troubles too.
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I’m noticing some new sleepers on FR too
I haven’t had the time to read thread comments.
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August 2009
More will be on FR
LOL, I must be tired.
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I must be too -
I think so, go get your sleep.
unbelievable...but believable from a supposedly intelligent many who said that there were 57 states. All Dan Quayle did was fail to challenge the teachers who wrote the incorrect spelling on a spelling bee card. The DBM is so disgusting.
Bet the teleprompter said “Use your right hand”, “NO your RIGHT hand!”
Had that been my family my mother would have said “Could you get one from Dubya?”
I am trying to be objective, but I swear he did not look like a man who has ever felt real emotion.. Ambivalence sums it up.
A posse of 24-—disgusting.
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