Obama scraps visit to wounded troops

[wmenorr67]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D924E4KO0&show_article=1

BERLIN (AP) - Sen. Barack Obama scrapped plans to visit wounded members of the armed forces in Germany as part of his overseas trip, a decision his spokesman said was made because the Democratic presidential candidate thought it would be inappropriate on a campaign-funded journey.
The spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said Thursday that Obama made his decision out of respect for the servicemen and women, but Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign immediately criticized the move.

"Barack Obama is wrong. It is never inappropriate to visit our men and women in the military," said Brian Rogers, a spokesman for the Republican contender.

Obama's decision raised a number of questions because the visit, which had been scheduled for Friday, never appeared on the schedule of events distributed to reporters who are accompanying him on his travels.

The first word from the campaign about its existence was Gibbs' statement.

Obama had been planning to go to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany before a flight to Paris. Gibbs said the stop was canceled because Obama decided "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."

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.  Service men, women and the families of such.

[Standing Wolf]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

Maybe.

If I were lying in a hospital bed with wounds incurred in defense of my nation, I surely wouldn't want to see a socialist parasite wandering up and down the ward.

[wmenorr67]

"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."

But this quoted leads me to believe that he would have no problem spending tax payers dollars to do it.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying the President shouldn't do it either because then it would be at tax payers expense.  What I am saying is why do you need to justify if you go to visit troops or not?

[seeker_two]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

Maybe.

If I were lying in a hospital bed with wounds incurred in defense of my nation, I surely wouldn't want to see a socialist parasite wandering up and down the ward.

Why not? Leeches have been used in the medical arts for centuries.....

[LadySmith]

"Barack Obama is wrong. It is never inappropriate to visit our men and women in the military," said Brian Rogers, a spokesman for the Republican contender.

I agree with Brian Rogers.
This makes it appear that our wounded military personnel have been dissed and dismissed by Obama. 

[Manedwolf]

"Barack Obama is wrong. It is never inappropriate to visit our men and women in the military," said Brian Rogers, a spokesman for the Republican contender.

I agree with Brian Rogers.
This makes it appear that our wounded military personnel have been dissed and dismissed by Obama. 

Call it a preview. To a leftist, soldiers are pawns, not people. They're either "killers", or members of the uneducated lower classes who should be sent to dig ditches for "less fortunate" people.

And yes, they do think that way.

[MicroBalrog]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

He knows they won't vote for him any way. Soldiers traditionally lean Republican.

And yes, I am disgusted by it.

[wmenorr67]

I would say it isn't as cut and dried as that Micro.  I know several service members that claim to be Democrats.

[ilbob]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

Maybe.

If I were lying in a hospital bed with wounds incurred in defense of my nation, I surely wouldn't want to see a socialist parasite wandering up and down the ward.

+1

maybe no wounded vetereans wanted to be visited by him.

[MicroBalrog]

I would say it isn't as cut and dried as that Micro.  I know several service members that claim to be Democrats.

Quite, but MOST of them are Repubs.

[wmenorr67]

I would actually say that most service members are more independent than showing alligance to one party over another.

If you could get away with it the military actually could probably put out a strong "third" party canidate all their own that would be very centalized in their thinking.  And that canidate would have a strong chance of winning the election.

[Dannyboy]

Obama had been planning to go to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany before a flight to Paris. Gibbs said the stop was canceled because Obama decided "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."

Personally, I think this proves what everyone already believes, that BHO doesn't care about the military.  If he was truly sincere then what better way to show it than by spending his own money?

[Manedwolf]

This was posted on another board, a supposed email from someone stationed in Afghanistan. I can't verify it, but I have no reason to believe it's false, based on what's said.

"Hello everyone,

As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to "The War Zone". I wanted to share with you what happened. He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram. As the Soldiers were lined up to shake his hand, he blew them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service. So really he was just here to make a showing for the American's back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here, you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you. I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States. I just don't understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country, but the press> reported this story in a completely different light than it happened. This is scary, people!! If this is blunt and to the point, I am sorry, but I wanted you all to know what kind of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake, but you will never hear this story in the news!!!!!

In service,
CPT XXXXX
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch

[wmenorr67]

The "official" reason he blew off the wounded service members.  Reading between the lines is that he couldn't bring the press.  Read some of the comments after the story.  Brings more to light.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/07/25/obama-campaign-says-cancelled-visit-followed-pentagon-ruling/

The Obama campaign is responding to criticism for its canceling of a planned visit to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. The trip was to follow Sen. Barack Obama’s speech Thursday in Berlin that was attended by 200,000 Europeans.

Obama’s opponents have used the canceled visit to charge the Democrat cares more about European sentiment then American soldiers. The Obama camp said they canceled the event after the Pentagon ruled it was a campaign event, and needed to be funded from the senator’s election kitty.

“Senator Obama did not want to have a trip to see our wounded warriors perceived as a campaign event when his visit was to show his appreciation for our troops and decided instead not to go,” Obama advisor, retired Gen. Scott Gration, said in a statement.

The Obama campaign’s chief spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said: “The senator 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.”
Obama is next set to fly to Paris to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy Friday afternoon. The two will have a press conference afterwards.

Obama ends his 10-day overseas trip Saturday after meetings in London with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor, Tony Blair.

[longeyes]

Now why would a leftist lightworker want to visit tools of imperalist aggression?

[anygunanywhere]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

He knows they won't vote for him any way. Soldiers traditionally lean Republican.

And yes, I am disgusted by it.

Even if the soldiers want to vote in the election there will be problems ahead.

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/rnovak/2008/rdh_07241.shtml

Excerpt:

The Soldier Voting Scandal
By Robert D. Novak
July 24, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Roy Blunt, the House Republican whip, on July 8 introduced a resolution demanding that the Defense Department better enable U.S. military personnel overseas to vote in the November elections. That act was followed by silence. Democrats normally leap on an opportunity to find fault with the Bush Pentagon. But not a single Democrat joined Blunt as a co-sponsor, and an all-Republican proposal cannot pass in the Democratic-controlled House.

Analysis by the federal Election Assistance Commission, rejecting inflated Defense Department voting claims, estimated overseas and absentee military voting for the 2006 midterm elections at a disgracefully low 5.5 percent. The quality of voting statistics is so poor that there is no way to tell how many of the slightly over 330,000 votes actually were sent in by the absentee military voters and their dependents and how many by civilian Americans living abroad -- 6 million all total.

[Manedwolf]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

He knows they won't vote for him any way. Soldiers traditionally lean Republican.

And yes, I am disgusted by it.

Even if the soldiers want to vote in the election there will be problems ahead.

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/rnovak/2008/rdh_07241.shtml

Excerpt:

The Soldier Voting Scandal
By Robert D. Novak
July 24, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Roy Blunt, the House Republican whip, on July 8 introduced a resolution demanding that the Defense Department better enable U.S. military personnel overseas to vote in the November elections. That act was followed by silence. Democrats normally leap on an opportunity to find fault with the Bush Pentagon. But not a single Democrat joined Blunt as a co-sponsor, and an all-Republican proposal cannot pass in the Democratic-controlled House.

Analysis by the federal Election Assistance Commission, rejecting inflated Defense Department voting claims, estimated overseas and absentee military voting for the 2006 midterm elections at a disgracefully low 5.5 percent. The quality of voting statistics is so poor that there is no way to tell how many of the slightly over 330,000 votes actually were sent in by the absentee military voters and their dependents and how many by civilian Americans living abroad -- 6 million all total.

Hopefully Novak will be a bulldog and won't let it drop.

[longeyes]

In the world to come former vets will be a significant political force.

[seeker_two]

In the world to come former vets will be a significant political force.

...and Washington DC should ponder the ways they can be a significant political force.... 

[Tallpine]

Let see - it's okay to campaign among German nationals but not among American citizens wounded in combat    

[yesitsloaded]

He was probably scared to death that one of them might ask him a question that wasn't a softball.

[taurusowner]

I would actually say that most service members are more independent than showing alligance to one party over another.

If you could get away with it the military actually could probably put out a strong "third" party canidate all their own that would be very centalized in their thinking.  And that canidate would have a strong chance of winning the election.

I'm in an MP unit of about 150 soldiers.  I would say the politics of the soldiers I know fall into 2 groups.  Those who follow the issues and are staunch conservatives, and those who don't follow politics at all.  I guess you could call them "independents."  I can't think of a single soldier that pays attention to politics and is a Democrat.


I can't think of anyone who has expressed real interest in Obama either. 

[roo_ster]

What a way to piss off a large group of voters.

He knows they won't vote for him any way. Soldiers traditionally lean Republican.

And yes, I am disgusted by it.

Hmm, that tradition is only about 40 years old.  IOW, since about 1968.

We had a few Dems in my unit.  We didn't give them a hard time, as they wouldn't have gotten there without volunteering four times over and proving their motivation under stressful circumstances.

We had more libertarian-leaners than Dems, though.  I recall swapping Ayn Rand & Sherlock Holmes books with one of the staff Os and having my copy of "The Fountainhead" making it through a good portion of the S3 shop.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

i thinkhope and change feared the type of reaction he might get

[taurusowner]

I would love for some wounded soldier to politely let Obama have it while all the cameras are watching.  Just rip into his socialist and statist views, his disrespect for the Constitution, the military, his incompetence, corrupt Chicago background and total lack of economic sense.  I know the media would never air it, but maybe another solider would have a camera phone and put it on youtube.