Obama not visiting the troops

[Angel Heart]

Obama's cancellation of a military hospital visit leaves unanswered questions | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

But first, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs released a statement Thursday night saying the senator had decided "out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign."

The campaign amended that explanation this morning. Obama wanted to thank the troops for their service, but "we learned from the Pentagon last night that the visit would be viewed instead as....

...a campaign event.," Obama advisor Scott Gration, a retired Air Force major general, said in a statement.

That account, however, didn’t square with the Defense Department’s explanation. The Pentagon said it informed the Obama campaign on Monday that he and his Senate staff could visit Landstuhl, where wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are treated, but that no press would be allowed.

"Sen. Obama is more than welcome to visit Landstuhl or any other military hospital around the world," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. "But he has to do so, just as any other senator has to do so, in his official capacity. It is not acceptable to do so as a candidate."

 

[Charles_Main]

I hear he went for a work out at the Ritz Carlton Instead of Visiting the wounded troops, because the big bad Pentagon told him no reporters, and no campaign staff!!

way to go Obama!

 

[chapstic]

He thought it would be inappropriate to show up and chat the wounded vets. Barack Hussein Obama's logic is pure genius. With a mind like his? Who wouldn't vote for him?

 

[Charles_Main]

He thought it would be inappropriate to show up and chat the wounded vets. Barack Hussein Obama's logic is pure genius. With a mind like his? Who wouldn't vote for him?

of course it would be inappropriate, No photo opp

 

[chapstic]

of course it would be inappropriate, No photo opp

I'll go with, he doesn't care about anyone but his own racist self and his very controversial beliefs.

 

[Manuel]

"out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign."

That is a lame excuse!

 

[Charles_Main]

That is a lame excuse!

No shit, He could have gone there with just his Secret service people and at least talked to him, But IMO because he could not make a Photo Opp out of it, he chose not too.

Just one more reason to think Obama is an elitist arss!!!

 

[chapstic]

No shit, He could have gone there with just his Secret service people and at least talked to him, But IMO because he could not make a Photo Opp out of it, he chose not too.

Just one more reason to think Obama is an elitist arss!!!

how could you say such a thing about the "jesus of our time"? *slap your hand with ruler*

 

[Ninja]

He was told he couldn't bring his entourage, but if he wanted to bring a few advisors and meet with injured Vets privately he could certainly do that. In fact, some of the injured Vets were really looking forward to meeting him.

However, no entourage means no camera crew or photographers.

No camera crew or photogs means no footage of The Messiah meeting with injured Vets and healing them with His magical touch.

Once he found out that he couldn't Dahmerize their sacrifices to advance his political agenda, they became useless to him. He probably went and shot hoops, or booty called Larry Sinclair.

 

[chapstic]

He was told he couldn't bring his entourage, but if he wanted to bring a few advisors and meet with injured Vets privately he could certainly do that. In fact, some of the injured Vets were really looking forward to meeting him.

However, no entourage means no camera crew or photographers.

No camera crew or photogs means no footage of The Messiah meeting with injured Vets and healing them with His magical touch.

Once he found out that he couldn't Dahmerize their sacrifices to advance his political agenda, they became useless to him. He probably went and shot hoops, or booty called Larry Sinclair.

As i said before, he cares about his racist self more than any American father/son/sister/brother/etc... who has sacrificed their well being to protect our country. If it were a hospital full of african american veterans, he would of been there in a heart beat.

 

[Manuel]

As i said before, he cares about his racist self more than any American father/son/sister/brother/etc... who has sacrificed their well being to protect our country. If it were a hospital full of african american veterans, he would of been there in a heart beat.

Didn't know that the landstuhl hospital is for white's only

 

[chapstic]

Didn't know that the landstuhl hospital is for white's only

that hospital is for any injured veteran that serves our country. and I appreciate that very much. but if it was a hospital filled with only black veterans, Mr. 0bama would have been there in a matter of seconds.

 

[Chris]

If Obama is elected president he will bring the troops home, and there won't be any wounded troops.

 

[jillian]

If Obama is elected president he will bring the troops home, and there won't be any wounded troops.

i disagree with both you and chapstic. He's not going to bring all the troops home. He will move troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. He'll ask Nato to sent more troops in to help with that.

He also doesn't appear to have "dissed" the troops. It was pretty much "damned if you do; damned if you don't", so he decided not to do the photo op with the troops thing.

I do love how McCain was whining about how Obama shouldn't have gone to Europe in the first place... considering he went to Canada and Mexico. I actually heard one of his surrogates try to say it was okay because McCain visited places "on our continent".

I thought that was pretty funny.

But chappy's whole racist spin... that's pretty laughable.

 

[stivex]

He also doesn't appear to have "dissed" the troops. It was pretty much "damned if you do; damned if you don't", so he decided not to do the photo op with the troops thing.

Yes, he did. As a US Senator, he should visit the wounded troops. He should do so at any opportunity, not because he is a presidential candidate. However, as one that is trying to be the next commander-in-Chief, he should make visiting the troop a priority above attending German rock concerts to give speeches about being a world citizen.

 

[Chris]

Yes, he did. As a US Senator, he should visit the wounded troops. He should do so at any opportunity, not because he is a presidential candidate. However, as one that is trying to be the next commander-in-Chief, he should make visiting the troop a priority above attending German rock concerts to give speeches about being a world citizen.

It's amazing isn't it? Obama is already more influenial in the world than George Bush or John McCain, and his ability to take the world stage gracefully will help the United States greatly when he becomes president.

 

[Gunny]

From Alexander Mooney
CNN

(CNN) -- A top aide to Sen. Barack Obama said Friday the campaign canceled a scheduled visit to an American military base in Germany the day before because the Pentagon expressed concerns it would be viewed as a campaign trip.

The incident is representative of the delicacy with which the Obama campaign has attempted to navigate the Illinois senator's entire journey abroad -- at once staging elaborate photo-ops beamed back to the American media while at the same time insisting that Obama's trip is not a political one by definition.

The Illinois senator had planned on visiting a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, currently housing American troops injured in Iraq.

more ... Obama's canceled visit to military hospital sparks controversy - CNN.com

 

[stivex]

It's amazing isn't it? Obama is already more influenial in the world than George Bush or John McCain, and his ability to take the world stage gracefully will help the United States greatly when he becomes president.

Now see, I take this statement as one that takes the military vote for granted. The world opinion doesn't really matter except in dialog with them. Diplomatic issues are solved by the "What's in it for me" concept anyway. Your world popularity will only help after getting elected. We are not the leaders of the free world because we are more like the Europeans. The US conforming to the EU is not leadership. It is a following role.

Anyway, what does matter is to show the American voters (which includes the military, do not forget) that you actually do care about the troops. Dismissing them in favor of a speech (not as a presidential candidate) in Berlin is not the way to do that.

 

[Chris]

Now see, I take this statement as one that takes the military vote for granted. The world opinion doesn't really matter except in dialog with them. Diplomatic issues are solved by the "What's in it for me" concept anyway. Your world popularity will only help after getting elected. We are not the leaders of the free world because we are more like the Europeans. The US conforming to the EU is not leadership. It is a following role.

Anyway, what does matter is to show the American voters (which includes the military, do not forget) that you actually do care about the troops. Dismissing them in favor of a speech (not as a presidential candidate) in Berlin is not the way to do that.

Obama cares more about the troops than McCain. Obama wants to bring them home to their families.

 

[stivex]

He won't bring them all home. We will still have some presence their no matter what. We never leave completely when we go some place. If the Iraqis are able to handle their own security, then we should start bringing the troops home. If they can't handle the job yet, we should keep a presence in the interest of their nation stability until then.