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.
Excellent point, Kristinn, and very well presented.
My heart goes out to the families of those fallen comrades, and my prayers continue to go out for all of our heroes currently serving this nation.
May the good Lord bless and protect the troops and comfort their family, friends and loved ones, as we all wait for the CIC to, hopefully, do the right thing.
I’ll hunt for it and see if I can find it.
Yea, that would be awesome. I would use it almost daily.
Family Remembers Their Fallen Son.
The president met with the Griffin's afterwards and offered his condolences.
"I leaned up to his ear and said Mr. President don't leave our troops hanging," Dona Griffin said.
Oh, that’s great. I thought I had misheard.
Here’s another one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.