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About Obama’s Staged Photo-Op at Dover Air-Base
Written By : Donald Douglas

People often criticize me for “dishonoring” the office of the president (the anarcho-socialist James Webb, for example), but I wrote a respectful post yesterday in response to President Obama’s visit to Dover: “Obama Honors Fallen Troops at Dover.” Sure, the president’s visit was perhaps the worst instance of political grandstanding since taking office, but knowing he’s already stabbing our troops in the back, I imagine Obama sleeps better having staged the Dover event.

Nice Deb has the best post on this, “Obama At Dover Air Force Base: Tribute or Photo-Op?

It’s too awful to think that the President would be so base and cynical as to use the death of these brave and worthy men to prop himself up. One is inclined to hope that he only had the best of intentions.
But one wonders.

Via The Mudville Gazette I noticed that The New York Times had originally reported in their article, Obama Visits Air Base to Honor Returning Dead:

The images and the sentiment of the president’s five-hour trip to Delaware were intended by the White House to convey to the nation that Mr. Obama was not making his Afghanistan decision lightly or in haste.

That line was changed to this:

The image of the commander in chief standing on a darkened tarmac, offering a salute to one of the soldiers, highlighted the poignancy of a decision he is facing.

Greyhawk noted that the President’s approval ratings on Afghanistan have been in free fall:

How to turn the situation around? Some say more troops, some say change strategy, others say withdraw – but someone in the White House got the bright idea that now would be a good time for a photo op.

See also, Right Wing Nut House, “OBAMA’S TIMELY VISIT TO DOVER.”

My friend Mark at Snooper’s Report tipped me off to a despicable post over at our familiar hate-site, Firedoglake. From Blue Texan, “Disgraceful: In 8 Years, George W. Bush Never Greeted Fallen Troops.”

See Mark’s post, “Blue Texan: A Blustering and Bloviating Moron.” Also, in response to the administration, “Dover Dead: Obama’s Disgrace.”

Also, from Cassandra, at Villainous Company, on the nihilist Firedoglake:

Obama could have visited Dover at any time during the past 8 months – 10, if you take into account the fact that there was no need to have the press document his visit for the TV cameras. But I don’t think the facts matter to these people at all. Their hatred is so strong that it blinds them to anything but simmering anger and poisonous contempt. To them, fallen warriors are nothing more than cannon fodder, conscripted against their will – even in death – to fight an obscene war against a President who is no longer in office. Consumed by hatred, they just can’t let it go.

What they cannot understand is that unlike Barack Obama, who makes sure the few sops he throws to the military are well documented by the press, George Bush understood our wish not to be used as photo ops. It ought to be simple to understand why George Bush was never photographed at Dover: under George Bush, the press were not allowed at Dover. So there would be no photograph. But more importantly, President Bush understood that the families of the fallen had given enough. The last thing grieving families want is to have a camera or a microphone shoved in their faces; to have legions of Secret Service, White House aides, and other support staff invade an exquisitely private moment that ought to be reserved for those who knew and loved the deceased. Our funerals are not public spectacles, but private observances of grief. Our last President, unlike the antiwar left, understood and respected that.

Read the whole thing. Cassandra includes this video, and adds: “When hatred is so strong that its adherents fear the truth, no factual rebuttal is likely to pierce the wall of lies that surrounds the willfully ignorant. But the truth remains, regardless of their stubborn refusal to admit it“:

Also, Cassandra’s doing exemplary work with the Project Valor IT fundraiser, “Project Valour IT – Who, What, When, Where, Why (and How!)“.

Please join me making a contribution, here.

Cross-posted from American Power.

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  • Robert_Ingersoll

    Damned if you do, damned if you don't. But this time damned with the consent of the families.

  • TheBaud

    Damned if you do, damned if you don't. But this time damned with the consent of the families.

    Posted by Robert_Ingersoll 2009-10-30 13:53:54

    Only one family consented, Robert. Pay Attention!

  • D-Vega

    It was not staged, as most of the ceremonies (meetings with the familes of the 18 killed, a prayer service) were not allowed to be photographed.

    Only one casket was allowed to be photographed being removed from the plane, and that is because the family granted permission.

    Get over yourselves.

  • libliever

    Posted by D-Vega

    2009-10-30 17:47:11

    Ditto.

    If this was a different kind of post I would have choicier words for Mr. Douglas.

    His hatred for the President is fine.

    But showing contempt for POTUS shows disrespect for the fallen in this particular.

    I know his clouded view of Obama will make it impossible for him to see that but it is as manifest as those coffins at Dover.

    So please Mr. Douglas just shut up.

  • libliever

    But showing contempt for POTUS shows disrespect for the fallen in this particular 'situation'. (Third sentence should read)

  • http://networdblog.blogspot.com/ Christopher_Taylor

    I think particular setting he'd have been better served sending more troops and backing his generals in Afghanistan rather than a photo op, but what do you want from a hapless, inexperienced community organizer? He's great at looking good and following Alinsky. Not so good at making decisions and taking action, or showing leadership.

  • libliever

    Posted by Christopher_Taylor

    2009-10-30 21:10:08

    CT, I don't know how to express myself here without spitting nails but I'll try.

    Douglas has missed the point and so have you.

    The military sends a high ranking officer to view the coffins when they arrive at Dover.

    Do you know why they do that?

    Obama is the supreme commander of our forces. You can't get anybody on this earth who has more rank than him.

    They view those coffins to remind themselves of the consequences of their actions and their awesome responsibilities.

    You may not believe this but I think Obama is aware of his CIC role and viewing those coffins puts a very tangible consequence to those momentous decisions he will be making as CIC.

    Not everybody is in lockstep agreement to what we should do in Afghanistan and anywhere else the POTUS is fair game for withering criticism on his policies but imho NOT here not when he is showing respect for the fallen.

    If you think like Douglas that it is photo op then fine it's your right to think so but I think you're dead wrong.

  • rmiller

    CT, I don't know how to express myself here without spitting nails but I'll try.

    Posted by libliever

    2009-10-30 21:29:39

    It's ok…you don't have to be spitting nails to argue with conservatives.

    Pres. Obama did what is right.

    The only reason it may be controversial…what President Obama did in receiving the fallen soldiers…. is that he acknowledged that the war is still going on, that soldiers are still being killed, and that he acknowledges that publicly.

    No spitting of nails required. Just human decency.

  • gfchicago

    Sorry D-Vega, Libliever and RMiller, but Obama did this only for a photo opp period. These things are private and should not include pictures of the gag "President" making a spectacle of himself.

    The longer this jerk is in office makes me believe I was correct in my assessment of him being nothing more than a arrogant narcissistic little prick. He makes everything about him. He has absolutely no respect for the office of the Presidency. It's all hey look at me. This has been pointed out time and time again in the various articles provided by the bloggers on this site.

    I was willing to give this jerk the benfit of the doubt at first, but as time has gone on it has become clear to me this jerk has no idea how to govern, all he knows how to do is campaign.

    I have news for him he needs to man up and quit being a whiner and man up an start accepting responsibility for all of his decisions and stop blaming the previous administration for his failures.

    Just looking at the Drudge report, even ABC and CBS are starting to call him out on certain things.

    So stop brown nosing him.

  • D-Vega

    The only ones with brown noses here is the right, who cannot seem to remove themselves from up inside Obama's ass.

  • rmiller

    Sorry D-Vega, Libliever and RMiller, but Obama did this only for a photo opp period. These things are private and should not include pictures of the gag "President" making a spectacle of himse

    So stop brown nosing him.

    Posted by gfchicago

    2009-10-31 00:35:09

    No need to brown-nose. He is the CIC. Acknowledging the deaths of his soldiers is not a political act.

    If it is seen as such, it is in your eyes. You are the one putting quotes around the word President.

  • http://PatriotPost.US bthewolf

    D-Vega, Libliever and RMiller, this was a SHAMELESS photo-op, Bush this did this dozens of times and never once dragged the entire WH Press Corps along.

    SHould he have gone? Yes. Should there have been a press release with a simple photo? Yes, much better than well staged and sham we got see from the narcissist(sp)-in-cheif.

  • bolivar

    Number one: This was a shameless photo op plain and simple from the whiner in chief.

    Number two: Bush DID go to Dover but, the media were banned and he went privately – but you will never hear that from the MSM – will you?

    Number three: Some of the whining, namby-pamby libs who tend to like to spout their wares really toast my bagel! Defending the indefensible cipher is truly deplorable. How can any thinking sentient being have any respect let alone like for this clown is truly beyond me. The cipher has no leadership, no economic skills, is a lousy speaker (I know some say he is riviting – you figure they love him)nor any semblance of decency. His administration is riddled with Marxists, Communists and other assorted radicals but, you NEVER hear about them other than on Fox now do you? Some of you say Fox has an agenda – yes they do – they want to tell the truth and let us figure out who is bad and I for one appreciate all that Roger Ailes has done for the United States.

  • http://www.superdickery.com mightysamurai

    Acknowledging the deaths of his soldiers is not a political act.

    But using it for a photo-op is. Face it, Obama used fallen soldiers for a brazen political stunt.

  • http://networdblog.blogspot.com/ Christopher_Taylor

    Guys, especially you on the left: it was a photo op. The reason we know it was is because there are lots of pictures of it. President Obama shipped a plane full of journalists along with him to make sure they took lots of pictures and reported on it. Was it a crass manipulative effort? Yeah, but its not new. This isn't something shocking or unusual, presidents have been doing this for over a century. President Obama isn't the first, nor will he be the last. It doesn't particularly concern me. That's how politicians are.

    My problem is that if he really wants to show support for the troops and he wants to be a leader, he should be backing his generals, supporting the troops militarily, and taking action to give them victory instead of waffling and delaying.

    So please, you on the left. Stop acting like this was a generous effort on President Obama's part to support the troops and whoops! A bunch of press just happened to show up and get a sneak picture. It was planned.

    And you on the right: guys, this isn't unique of President Obama, President Bush did the same thing. Granted I'm a lot more willing to believe Bush liked the troops and it was genuine on his part to support and admire them, but he shipped the press in for things like this too.

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