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- allisonrose870, on 07/24/2008, -11/+36How can the biggest hospital for treating the wounded soldiers coming out of the Middle East not be on the [official] schedule for this trip!!!! This is beyond insane. What was in Paris that was more important than visiting the wounded troops in Germany?
I mean, let's get real here. OB has raised more money than he possibly knows what to do with (ahem ... he rejected the public campaign money b/c he reaped in millions upon millions in private campaign donations - remember!!!) and has the wealthiest of wealthy to back his Presidential campaign run. It's not like he made a special trip trans Atlantic just to visit the wounded in Germany in his justifying this stop an inappropriate expenditure of campaign funds. He was already right there!!!!!
So, is OB really saying his bloated Presidential campaign war chest couldn't scrape up a few dollars to detour to the hospital before his flight to Paris? Sounds like he got advised it wouldn't be good PR to bypass the wounded soldiers, so it got added last minute, like an after thought.
OB only recalls the wounded when it's for lip service and pandering to the voters. He obviously couldn't give a rats ass about them for real or he would have made this stop - period!
Who knows, maybe OB doesn't have the stomach to look these brave and courageous soldiers in the eye, because he knows deep down inside he's just a loser riding on the coattails of his backers and the MSM. Or he's not astute enough to do an impromptu hospital visit, which is shaking hands and thanking those who have sacrificed for our country.
This is a complete blunder and disgrace. OB couldn't find his way out of a paper bag without blowing it if he had to do it all by himself. - Gandalff, on 07/24/2008, -7/+27Are you kidding... Not appropriate to visit our citizens and wish them well but give speeches to other country persons and wish them well and unity. He should definitely add Hillary to the VP list as they share the same disdain for our military when it is not a photo op that can be staged.
Thanks for the SPEECH Obama I am sure the wounded had to listen to it in their beds if not watch it on TV then hear you would not visit them. - aki009, on 07/24/2008, -9/+23Hardly surprising that Obama wouldn't show up where it would really matter. Speaks volumes. Much more so than empty speeches and pretending to gain "experience" in foreign relations by traveling with a media sycophant entourage.
- tedtlogan, on 07/24/2008, -6/+19mts, don't be such a goober. I've benefit from the gi bill personally and I support mccain's vote against this. The bill didn't allow for transfers. Maybe one day when you get a family of yourself you'll understand why transfers of benefits are important.
And yes, we all know the party of micheal moore supports the military - mustangmike53, on 07/25/2008, -7/+20Why would he visit the wounded American troops? He's a citizen of The World.
- ifpk454, on 07/25/2008, -2/+14Obama has no excuse - no matter if the DoD asked he not go - no matter what.
He should have done it quietly, and respectfully. If there is a will, there is a way.
He should know better. - dualdiagnosis, on 07/25/2008, -6/+18It doesn't even occur to him or his team that this is just disgusting, he can give a speech to Berlin about "improbable hope", but skip visiting American soldiers who have sacrificed so much for our country.
This man can't bring his own church together much less the whole world. - flyoverman, on 07/25/2008, -2/+14Actions not words have meaning. Obama is unfit and does not even begin to have the character to be a city councilman, much less The President.
- statuintensis, on 07/25/2008, -4/+15Keep in mind that the visit he stated he had to cancel was NEVER ON THE ITINERARY IN THE FIRST PLACE !!! The visit to the troops was simply an afterthought, a fictional scheduled visit they "unfortunately" had to cancel out of respect for our brave soldiers. Yeah, right. Dry that out and you could fertilize all of Iowa.
- jason4188, on 07/24/2008, -3/+14I believe they said Obama decided against it to make room for some time in the gym, I mean the guy has to keep in shape. I mean would you rather get in a nice work out or spend time with injuried troops and for just a small amount of time take their minds of their injuries. I am sure that if Obama is elected he will reform the entire country, he should be able to with the amount of money he brings in from the massive tax hikes, well until he runs most small and large american business into the ground with the taxes. New Obama slogan, "Spend it while you got it!" after his capital gains tax and other tax hikes hit, we will really see a recession, Jimmy Carter X 2 = Obama.
- taternuggets, on 07/24/2008, -7/+18mts7748 - Well, your father and brother have honor apparently, unfortunately it didn't carry over to you dirtbag. Might want to stop drinking the kool-aid there buddy.
- DCMacHead, on 07/25/2008, -0/+10Yes! That's why he won't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance nor will he wear an American Flag pin on his lapel. Major ***** on Obama's part. He's going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as has been typical of Democrats for the last 2 elections.
- ernestmcd, on 07/25/2008, -2/+12BHO is apparently surrounded by advisers who, as "citizens of the world" have never served in the Armed Forces of the United States, and probably don't know anyone who has served. It’s clear that his campaign staff doesn't see how poorly this blunder is going to play back home in the USA considering BHO is actually campaigning to be not just President of the United States, but also "Commander in Chief".
As for not wanting to spend campaign dollars on a visit to see the troops, that's simply a red herring to get the friendly MSM "anchors" travelling with Senator Obama to ignore this...nothing to see here...move along. I would think that the Air Force Attache at the brand new American Embassy on Pariser Platz in Berlin (just opened July 4, 2008) would have been only too happy to arrange a quick military flight for the Senators on this trip to fly down to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to meet the troops including our wounded, and thank them for their service...all at taxpayer expense.
I've been to the Landstuhl Medical Center while serving in Germany 77 - 80, it is a huge facility, largest in Europe for the United States with a sizeable complement of active duty service members, civilians, and patients. Do you think that a least a few dozen service members there hail from Illinois, and might have enjoyed meeting their junior Senator, and perhaps even shooting some hoops with the man who would like to be their Commander in Chief?
I do…and I think that in the weeks to come, this seemingly insignificant issue of not visiting wounded American service men and women, who can actually vote in our elections, will prove to be a major stumbling block for Obama's campaign. - DCMacHead, on 07/25/2008, -2/+11this man is a disgusting man. looks like he found time to play basketball with the troops, eat with troops, ride in helicopters with troops on the trip. the man says it himself...he's a citizen of the world, not the united states. ***** him. i'm looking forward to watching this story blow up hiroshima style in his face.
- MrDuke77, on 07/24/2008, -5/+14"...because the Democratic presidential candidate thought it would be inappropriate on a campaign-funded journey..."
Only if he intentionally MADE it into a publicity visit rather than an earnest, from-the-heart visit. He could've taken a quiet trip unaccompanied by his fawning media leftist loons and made a respectful appearance to thank them for serving this greatest of countries. But then again, he's a citizen of the WORLD so U.S. wounded soldiers are but a small blip on his radar. If it were a hospital filled with wounded U.N. soldiers, he might've made the effort. - vexingmodstwo, on 07/25/2008, -1/+10He couldn't just tell the press to stay in their hotels for the visit? This guy is a total fraud.
- MrDuke77, on 07/25/2008, -0/+8The Pentagon welcomed him unless he was going to bring the press and entourage. He decided not to go. Dugg down.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell-
"We made it clear to him that campaign staff and press would not be permitted to accompany him," Morrell said of Obama. "We relayed those ground rules. They made a choice based upon the information we relayed to them. It was their choice. We had nothing to do with it."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/ ... - flyoverman, on 07/25/2008, -1/+9You heard wrong. Any visitor especially a US Senator is always welcome. The military could give a rip how you get there. You just have to have the desire to show up. He'd rather work out in the gym. Besides they are the sons and daughters of those bitter people clinging to their religon and guns. Heck, they do not even eat arugula.
- gmdz, on 07/25/2008, -1/+8Yeah! It's George Bush's fault that Obama didn't think visiting the injured troops was appropriate.
- ArcherB, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7That's funny. The Pentagon says he was welcome as long as he only brought campaign staffers and secret service with him. In other words, NO PRESS OR PHOTOGRAPHERS.
I know that flies counter to your completely unbiased article by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun Times, but that's the facts.
Here, try this source:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/ ... - ArcherB, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7He was welcome to visit. However, when he found out that the press would not be allowed and the only photographers allowed were Army photographers, the trip was canceled.
- taternuggets, on 07/24/2008, -6/+13Ol' BO cares about the soldiers..... Why just this morning I saw that he was deeply concerned that they all seemed to watch Fox News. Apparently he was concerned that they were all FORCED to do this by their commander in chief, not that they would actually CHOOSE to watch it. See....he cares. No really...he does.
- vexingmodstwo, on 07/25/2008, -2/+8So he was there as a candidate and therefore LIED in the very first sentence of his speech?
- gmdz, on 07/25/2008, -1/+7OH NO! Someone might call it a photo-op, which will really be mean to Obama!
That's a good reason NOT to go visit the injured troops.
BTW, itt was reported by the sycophant media that is following Obama--he went to the gym TWICE on Wed, and again Thurs morning. I'm amazed he has the time while being on such an incredible trip. - Poppa150, on 07/25/2008, -2/+8Do you mean FDR didn't kill no troops? Lemme get to mah histry book.
- barktwiggs, on 07/25/2008, -0/+6The Pentagon told them the campaign staff shouldn't visit, but that Obama and a few of his senate staff could visit. The ball was in Obama's court and he dropped it.
- MrDuke77, on 07/25/2008, -0/+6"Andrea Mitchell reported this morning that Obama asked if he could go without the media and the Pentagon still said no."
Hmmmm...Who to believe: Sycophant liberal B.O.-loving Andrea Mitchell, or Pentagon spokesman Morrell?
I think I'll place my bet with the American Patriot rather than the B.O. cheerleader. - Slugo, on 07/25/2008, -1/+7Time was going to be an issue...it would take hours to find ONE man in a U.S. uniform that would pump his ego and bow down to the democratic messiah.
- ArcherB, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Uh, it couldn't have been used as a photo op, dumbass. Photographers and the press would not have been allowed per military rules. That is the reason it was canceled. It could not have been used as a campaign visit.
- Dibou, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Obama was told that the press would not be allowed to follow him to the hospital. Once the possibility of using wounded soldiers was taken away, Obama suddenly decided that the visit was worthless.
- 2612, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Nice comeback, doc
- strictnein, on 07/25/2008, -6/+11This is an AP story, smart guy. So much for "intelligent".
- MrDuke77, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5B.S. got burried, not "truthful comments".
The FACT is the DOD told B.O. he couldn't visit IF he made it into a campaign event:
"...Morrell, in a subsequent interview, added that military officials told Obama he could only visit the military facility with his Secret Service detail and Senate staff.
"We made it clear to him that campaign staff and press would not be permitted to accompany him," Morrell said of Obama. "We relayed those ground rules. They made a choice based upon the information we relayed to them. It was their choice. We had nothing to do with it." - aa1voice, on 07/25/2008, -2/+7Wake up idiot Democrats. This guy is a complete piece of waste. You have nominated another unelectable moron. Congratulations! Idiots
- EZLA, on 07/25/2008, -1/+6He had time for a gym. Time to address people who are not citizens of the USA for a photo-op. To what end, to make him look experienced? The man has served less then two weeks (80 hours) in the senate? He is an articulate speaker I will give him that much, But the context of his words are hollow, their meaning shadowed. He makes Bill Clinton's statement "that depends on the meaning of what "is" is" look lame. What's really scary is his proclamation that "People of the world this is our time" and "We are the ones" those utterances had chills running down the spines of Germans that remembered another charismatic leader that led us into the darkest point in the people of the world's collective historical memory. Israel beware..........America beware.....People often get what they wish for only to find out it is a curse rather than a blessing.
- briscuits, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Okay, Obama has used everything else for political gain, his visit to Israel, his speech in Germany, not in the name of politics, why not visit the troops? Under any circumstances, he would be accused of using it for political gain if he brought cameras because what he has done so far, but he should have gone regardless if he really cared about the troops.
- Soulcase, on 07/25/2008, -2/+6No, the reason he canceled is because he was only allowed by regulations to bring 4 staffers. No friendly (commercial) media, no additional workers or staffers. In other words, NO PROPAGANDA COUP.
It is hilarious to me to hear libs bitch and moan about how the media is controlled by the Republicans or the government or something else I tune out. Here is an example of their "Icon of Hope" choosing to do something morally wrong, and hand-feeding them sound bites and photo ops at the same time. The media will not report something like this. Ever. NYT killed McCain's OPED piece. The MSM is so far into BHO's colon they can taste what flavor protein shake he had after his 15 daily workouts.
And then you read that the Republicans killed the troops. No, idiot. Afghan and Iraqi Muslims killed our brothers-in-arms. Would you blame FDR for killing GI's in WWII? No, the Germans and Japanese did. And if you must blame the Republicans (EVEN THOUGH THE DEMOCRATS ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY VOTED FOR AUTHORIZING FORCE BOTH IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN), can you at least credit them with all the good kills? We've killed a lot of terrorists/insurgents/muj over there. Drive on. - Gandalff, on 07/25/2008, -2/+6@dagnabbit
Wrong again... it was a personal decision He made after receiving a call from DOD he was NEVER TOLD to "cancel the visit" which had not been planned at all by the way.
"Sen. Obama is welcome to visit Landstuhl or any military hospital in his official capacity as a United States senator," Morrell said in a brief interview. "But there is a DOD policy which governs campaigning and electioneering at military facilities that would have to be respected if he were to visit. That distinction was relayed and made clear to campaign, and they made a decision on their own based on that guidance."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/ ... - dualdiagnosis, on 07/25/2008, -2/+6Your first guess is probably right, he just didn't have the time to visit our wounded troops.
- inactive, on 07/25/2008, -2/+6So I suppose you've somehow managed to filter out HuffPost and ThinkProgress submissions?
- winwardsoul, on 07/25/2008, -2/+6for all of you who bash Fox news, i just thought you might want to know that as a United States Marine, I have seen more military members watching Fox news. i am a journalist for the Marine Corps, and so part of my job is staying up with current events.
i don't care what Obama's reasoning is, if he claims to care about his troops at all, he should have gone to the hospital. whether it was campaign funds, or the taxpayer dollar. hell, if he had used his own money (or better said his wife's money) it would have been a great boost to his campaign. this is just proof that Obama is not fit to lead, and will not be getting the vote of anyone i know and respect. - legolas68, on 07/25/2008, -1/+5Landstuhl has been a stop for any high ranking American dignitary for decades. The stop was "missed" on purpose.
- Poppa150, on 07/25/2008, -3/+7What flavor of Kool-Aid you be drinkin'?
- ArcherB, on 07/25/2008, -1/+5No, the Pentagon told him that press nor their photographers would not be allowed. Obama was welcome as is any US Senator. They even did a lot of work getting ready for the visit. I guess since he wouldn't get any political points over the visit, there was no reason in going.
- Dibou, on 07/25/2008, -2/+5How on earth is this story inaccurate?
- inactive, on 07/25/2008, -2/+5Obama certainly wouldn't be better off under that scenario.
- ArcherB, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3Uh, YOU need to get it right. And don't let the FACTS cloud your (pre) judgement:
"Sen. Obama is welcome to visit Landstuhl or any military hospital in his official capacity as a United States senator," Morrell said in a brief interview. "But there is a DoD policy which governs campaigning and electioneering at military facilities that would have to be respected if he were to visit. That distinction was relayed and made clear to campaign, and they made a decision on their own based on that guidance."
Morrell, in a subsequent interview, added that military officials told Obama he could only visit the military facility with his Secret Service detail and Senate staff.
"We made it clear to him that campaign staff and press would not be permitted to accompany him," Morrell said of Obama. "We relayed those ground rules. They made a choice based upon the information we relayed to them. It was their choice. We had nothing to do with it." - inactive, on 07/25/2008, -2/+5Can't argue with that. Although there is still something pretty telling about this as far as a man's priorities go.
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