Heart-ache: White House cancels kids’ tour to host Steelers

…the only importance here is once again playing the “Imagine this happening last year….” with the MSM.
Marcus on May 22, 2009 at 12:35 PM

Absolutely! While I agree with those pointing out Obama’s responsibility for putting in place the completely classless staff, I also agree with the point that he probably had no idea any of this was happening. Believe me, I wish there was proof that he did and just blew it. Still, if this had been the Bush administration’s bungle, the MSM would have been all over President Bush, even though I think President Bush would have been genuinely sorry for the children’s disappointment, while Obama will just be genuinely angry that one of his staff made him look bad.

Makes you wonder how Bush would’ve handled it?

volsense on May 24, 2009 at 10:23 AM

This story is not exactly the same sort of thing, but it gives a glimpse of Bush’s character and that of his staff. My brother-in-law won a prestigious military award a couple of years ago and part of the honor was a trip to D.C with various tours and ceremonies for him and some 26 other award winners. One of the tours was of the White House. When they were finished, they were milling about out front on Pennsylvania Ave waiting for the bus to come. It was late because the street was cordoned off because President Bush was going to make a speech somewhere. Anyway, as President Bush passed by in his motorcade he noticed them. Now, he was apparently completely unaware of the tour, (so again, I give Obama a pass on the kids) but he told his staff to find out who they were. When he found out, he told his staff he wanted to meet them and to arrange a meeting with them the next morning when he would be back, if they were still available. My brother-in-law (and probably most of the others) had to rearrange his travel plans, but was thrilled to do it. He said President Bush greeted each one of the 27 individually and took a picture shaking hands in front of his desk, then talked to the group for about 45 minutes, asked them questions, explained how he liked to know how people felt about issues, but that, at the end of the day, he was President and had to make the decision he believed to be correct. He seemed genuinely interested in them and their opinions.

It was a great honor for them, though President Bush probably felt the honor was his. At any rate, he had to rearrange his busy schedule to fit them in, not to mention having the security clearances run on all of them, including an Iraqi soldier who was on some sort of exchange. No small feat on such short notice. His administration was not incompetent though.

There was also a fun story about Karl Rove and short chat with Dick Cheney for my brother in law as well. Apparently there is only a single bath/toilet near the conference hall near the Oval Office where they waited until the president finished a previously scheduled meeting. B-i-l had to go and while he was waiting in line, the VP came out, looked at him; asked him what he was doing there and talked for a couple minutes. Nothing spectacular, but I think Dick Cheney is one of the coolest people ever, so I’d list that as an awesome brush with fame. Plus, I’d wonder if any of Obama’s staff would have given the time of day. Maybe, since Biden is such a blabber mouth, but it still wouldn’t have been nearly as cool as saying you chatted with Darth Cheney while waiting to go to the head. ;)

Rove came into the conference hall while they were waiting; asked them what they were doing. They told him and he stayed and talked for about 5 minutes. Then as he was leaving, he told them “Okay, keep it down; I’m trying to get some work done.” They all laughed and he turned and said, “No, seriously, I’m trying to get some work done.” And walked out. My b-i-l thought it was hilarious. Contrast with what they could have expected from Rahm: “Shut the fu** up!”

*sigh* It sure was nice to have people with some class in the White House. Now, it’s just embarrassing.

pannw on May 24, 2009 at 6:18 PM