Isn’t the most plausible explanation at this point that Gration’s ego was wounded by the Pentagon deciding he couldn’t go, and Obama, forced to choose between leaving him behind and soothing his ruffled feathers by canceling the trip to see the troops, chose the latter?

I think this almost has it right.

Obama CANNOT risk trusting himself to himself in extemporaneous matters, such as an unscripted visit to a military hospital (or a visit to anywhere) He cannot be left to his own devices, without advisors to reign in his flailing mouth, and inability to speak not when he shouldn’t.

IF Obama had the stones to tell the Commanding Officer of the Landstuhl Medical Center that he[Obama] was a serving US Senator and wished to spend some private off the record time with wounded troops and he wanted to do it right now, the Colonel would have allowed it [I've yet to meet a full bird refuse a request from a US Senator in that sort of situation, ever...]. Obama would have gained a lot of cred among the US military community in Germany and perhaps even here in the States as well, once the troops sent their letters and emails home or facebooked their own pictures.

Instead, Obama balked. And has spent the past week having to parse and re-parse every imaginable rationale for not going to Landstuhl, thus amplifying the misstep he chose to make.

coldwarrior on July 30, 2008 at 1:46 PM

Of course with your reasoning he would be damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.

McCain’s campaign straight talking express has jumped the shark. But at least you will have 8 years of Obama in the WH to blame for the last 8 years.

As each day passes, the “official” Obama camp explanation becomes more and more convoluted the more they try to make it some sort of simple misunderstanding…the essence of a lie.

But the bottom line…IF Obama wanted to visit the troops Obama would have visited the troops. He chose not to. All the rationalizations in the world, in the real world, and in the Obama world, will not still that fact. He made a choice. He had his priorities.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0708/McCain_campaign_backs_off_cameras_charge.html

Snapping turtles

HE DIDN’T BECAUSE HE DIDN’T
Dave Rywall on July 29, 2008 at 5:54 PM

And “Just the facts, madam”

You don’t know what was said.
Tom_Shipley on July 29, 2008 at 5:58 PM

If only liberals stick to the FACTS all the time.

Isn’t the most plausible explanation at this point that Gration’s ego was wounded by the Pentagon deciding he couldn’t go, and Obama, forced to choose between leaving him behind and soothing his ruffled feathers by canceling the trip to see the troops, chose the latter?

If that is the even remotely the case, it does not speak well of a potential commander-in-chief when he may have to order fine men and women into harm’s way to protect the nations and its citizens. This would seem to indicate that BO’s priorities are out of balance and unbecoming of this nation’s commander-in-chief.

Never has an ad which ran only 6 times gotten so much air play by the so called “liberal” media.

READ IT!!! He/She speaks the truth. Nothing is left to chance on these visits. Been there. Done that. Got that T-Shirt. Hooah.

For a man who wants to be commander in chief to walk away from that opportunity for any reason not related to national security is abysmal.

Quisp on July 29, 2008 at 6:49 PM

This is the reason for the “dead horse beating” illustrated again.

If BigO’s so worried about ruffling Gration’s feathers, then why is he letting him be the fall guy for this kerfuffle?

Quisp on July 29, 2008 at 4:50 PM

Not a reassuring trait for a wannabe Commander/Leader.

HE DIDN’T BECAUSE HE DIDN’T

You know, my ten-year-old niece would know better than to put forth such circular logic. She’s also past the foot-stomping stage. Long past in kid years.

Why does this dead horse continue to be beaten?

Dave Rywall on July 29, 2008 at 5:54 PM

See my first statement.

I won’t call you wrong because you’re too cynical — I think cynicism gets a bad rap personally. I was cynical of the claims that Obama didn’t visit the troops because the press wasn’t allowed, and it turns out I was right to be.

I think just think one needs to combine common sense with cynicism. I think this is a case of the correct answer being the most obvious one (ie… the explanation Obama’s team has been giving). It makes the most sense to me.

dustoffmom on July 29, 2008 at 4:50 PM

yes, please do…..

Nope, I don’t. You are right, I don’t have evidence for mine. I’m going on what my impressions are and what I think is likely.

Your example is plausible, too. I can understand your estimation based on your sensibilities. Maybe he did get into a sticky-wicket by the way things played out. It happens sometimes. As you can tell from my “naive” remark, I’m pretty cynical when it comes to politicians but I put a much lower probability on your scenario because they so often prove my cynicism valid, especially when it comes to campaigns.

Maybe my initial comment should have been “the Obama campaign’s convenient interpretation of the rules” rather than placing the emphasis on Obama himself, but I consider him the boss and that’s where the buck stops.

Call me wrong because I’m too cynical, and I’ll be fine with it. :-)

So what you are saying is that Obama was kinda sorta wondering around Germany and then it occurred to him that there was this military hospital and so he thought what the hey, I’ll give the boys a thrill and show up for a visit with a few dozen of my closest friends. and then once again, out of the clear blue sky, he was turned away and trudged off all hurt and stuff.

If this guy was so incompetent that he could not manage to plan and carry out a visit to a hospital as you seem to think he was, then he can’t handle this job. That is for sure.

We often developed and had “talking points” and briefing books for ANY visit that involved ANY US government official above the rank of deputy assistance undersecretary. Tghehse were living documents, subject to change at a moments notice, so all sorts of exignecies had to be identified and courses of action laid out in detail. The staff officers serving the intended visitor were consulted all across the board on every aspect of each trip. All scenarios were planned for, especially at the higher ranks and even moreso for US Senators or Cabinet Secretaries, so there would be no “surprise” or embarassing situations. Focal point officers on each end were identified and kept in 24/7 contact with each other until the subject was safely back in the States at the end of the visit. Coordination at all levels was demanded and vital.

Obama had a huge Senate staff with him on the Iraq and Afghan legs of his trip, and he had a huge campaign staff with him when he hit Europe, and none of these staffers, handlers or advisors had even thought for even a moment that transitioning from US Senator on a Senate junket to a campaigning candidate for President would involve a change of applicable rules, and require a different level and focus of coordination?

If this is the level of expertise Obama shuttles around with now, one has to seriously wonder who he will have around him should he become President?