Posted on 10/30/2009 8:00:54 PM PDT by kristinn
At today's White House briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Barack Obama has spent "close to 20 direct hours" in meetings on Afghanistan since Gen. Stanley McChrystal's request for tens of thousands of reinforcements was submitted over two months ago with a warning the war would be lost in twelve months without more troops.
Gibbs says Obama also spends "quite a bit of time" thinking about the war in Afghanistan.
Gibbs was asked about a statement by the mother of one of the fallen soldiers, Sgt. Dale Griffin, killed in Afghanistan this week whom Obama met with at Dover early Thursday morning. The mother, Dona Griffin, said she told Obama, Don't leave our troops hanging," when he asked the families if there was anything he could do for them. Gibbs was asked if Obama feels like he is leaving the troops hanging.
He responded that Obama is trying to "understand the full cost of the war."
MR. GIBBS: Again, we haven't gotten into broad specifics on that yet.
On the first part, Jeff, you know, look, I think -- I don't -- I used to have it calculated, I should just go back and do it, the number of hours that he has spent in these meetings is probably now -- well, at the end of today will probably be getting close to 20 direct hours of his time. The group -- the principals that meet with the President additionally take time to get the material ready, and are prepared to answer questions for the President, probably at least twice as much of that of the President's time the principals have spent.
So obviously we -- the President and his team have spent a pretty big chunk of time evaluating very, very closely each of these individual countries, their relationship together and their impact on the region.
At the conclusion of these meetings, he generally is off to the next thing. I think he has spent quite a bit of time after the meetings back in the office -- back in his office, probably primarily in the Residence at night, going back and reading through his notes, as well as -- notes that he's taken on the meetings, and oftentimes will come out with questions that the team will prepare the answers for, for the next meeting.
SNIPQ--Early yesterday morning when he was in Dover and met with the families, the families said that he asked, is there anything we can do for the families. And the mother of -- Dona Griffin, a mother of the last of the dignified transfers, said that she told the President, "Don't leave our troops hanging." When he walks into the Situation Room right about now, does he have any sense that the time he's taking to make these decisions is leaving those troops hanging?
MR. GIBBS: Again, to go back through what's happened, the President believed that additional forces were needed in March and he added them to get us to a point where we could evaluate the outcome of the election. That obviously has been delayed a little bit, but he believes this is a point in which it's necessary to fully assess where we are. I don't believe the President thinks -- I know he doesn't believe that this assessment is in any way doing that. I think he understands and I think, as you heard him say yesterday in the Oval Office, I think his commitment, particularly after going to a place like Dover, is to understand the full cost of the war.
take a look at this brave soldier...it will do your heart good..this is what it's all about!.warning, your screen will go blurry
Injured soldier, Carl Miskotten's altruism bring crowd to tears
Is dereliction of duty impeachable?
He does not care. As long as he has a 747 a staff and press that kisses his ass nothing else matters to him.
Gibbs probably thinks his comment burnishes Obama's laurels. In the past Lincoln and FDR have been praised by many historians as great war presidents. Clearly they will be bumped down in future ratings to make room for Obama.
Every American understands the full cost of war, even without having to go take a photo op at Dover. What Obama doesn't understand is that the full cost mounts every day as he messes around. Americans already understand that and will hold him accountable.
We know he spent more then that on his little outing to the Olympic committee.
If so, we can expect to see the high casualties continue while 0bama has his finger in the air and his head up his ass.
earlier article today said he helps get the girls off to school in the morning and works out with the wookie, and makes it to the office generally around 9 or 10.
Sickening for those of us who have been living with the war for 8 years now.
>> Let’s put in perspective. It is not 20 hours in two months, it is 20 hours in nine months. Or about 1.25% of his time as president.
Or 6 minutes each business day. 0 minutes over the weekend.
It is certain some cannot. more is the pity.
“...and are prepared to answer questions for the President, probably at least twice as much of that of the President’s time the principals have spent.”
Can somebody translate this for me?
Not to be picky but your math is too generous.
9 x 30 = 270
270 x 16 (minus eight hours per day for sleep just to be fair) = 4320
4320 divided by 100 = 43.2
20 hrs. divided by 43.2 = .46
So the real amount, factoring in sleep, would be about 1/2 of 1%.
Wow, a whole 20 hours! Part time idiot for a full time job.
1. 20 hours? Consider the contrast to somebody like LBJ, who, whether or not you like the decisions he made, really sweated over the lives of the soldiers. (Of course there is a longer list of presidents who spent a lot of time concerned with the wars of their times and the soldiers at risk.)
2. How long did the jaunt to Copenhagen for the Olympic bid take? Now there was something that was of life and death import...
Look up pansy in the dictionary and Obama’s picture will be there as a definition.
No doubt, he's spent a lot more than 20 hours shooting hoops. He has just spent 20 hours after being criticized for not talking but once with the General for a few minutes.
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