Obama to troops: “You guys make a pretty good photo op”
posted at 9:42 pm on November 19, 2009 by Allahpundit
Drudge was teasing this all day and we had the WaPo write-up in Headlines earlier, so I feel obliged to set the record straight. On paper it sounds iffy but the vid proves that it was received in precisely the spirit it was intended, i.e. as a joke. There are plenty of reasons to object to The One (here’s one that just rolled into my RSS reader). This ain’t one of them.
In fact, while this is indeed a “pretty good photo op,” it’s not the best one he had while in Korea. Dude.
Blowback
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FUBO.
MrScribbler on November 19, 2009 at 10:29 PM
MrScribbler: Thats FU BO The Clown!!hehe:)
canopfor on November 19, 2009 at 10:32 PM
I saw that earlier, it is awesome. Thank for linking it.
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I don’t have a problem with the joke as much as the spirit behind it.
It’s like my grandma used to call…”Kidding on facts”.
And hearing this joke reminds me of Obama the candidate, who was unwilling to meet with the wounded troops in Germany when he learned he couldn’t take the press with him.
So he played hoops instead.
powerpro on November 19, 2009 at 10:33 PM
“General Betrayus”, a derogatory term coined by a leftist group before the general had said one word about his surge plan for Iraq.
Yeah, Blue, you lefties simply ooze respect for the troops even when you hate the wars they fight.
Bishop on November 19, 2009 at 10:33 PM
It’s all about “stagecraft” with this guy. The Reagan team was great at stagecraft as well. But the old B-movie actor knew the difference between acting and commanding. Obama doesn’t. Each time Reagan left the stage, he went back to do the work of governing and commanding. When Obama leaves the stage, he simply goes to another stage.
SleeplessinChicago on November 19, 2009 at 10:34 PM
This post demonstrates what Allahpundit has said a thousand times before, he’ll report the good news and the bad news about Obama and about Palin.
The way he weights the good or bad — all in your imagination.
Stephen M on November 19, 2009 at 10:35 PM
That’s about the only time Barry finds the armed forces useful.
GarandFan on November 19, 2009 at 10:36 PM
KMA. When Obama stops stonewalling with my friends in Afghanistan and tells his AG to cease persecution of those who protect your way of life for doing just that, then maybe his little “jokes” will be better received.
baldilocks on November 19, 2009 at 10:32 PM
baldilocks: Obama is deliberately allowing Afghanistan to
fall apart!!:)
canopfor on November 19, 2009 at 10:36 PM
Y’all who air raid villages and kill citizens. Y’all whose rules of engagement are more restrictive – thanks to me – that more soldiers are doing. Man, y’all are a great photo op.
Uh. Thanks?
lorien1973 on November 19, 2009 at 10:36 PM
I saw that earlier, it is awesome. Thank for linking it.
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Cindy Munford: I wasn’t sure,:)
canopfor on November 19, 2009 at 10:38 PM
I didn’t see the subject in headlines earlier nor have I read comments on this thread, yet, but will say before doing so I just saw the clip and saw and heard uncomfortable chuckling over the boobish “joke”.
It came off precisely as it sounds on paper.
KittyLowrey on November 19, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Troops to Obama: “Yeah, we ain’t got nothin’ better to do than to wait for three effing hours to stand behind your ass while you denigrate us. You’re welcome jack, and BTW, payback’s a beeeeatch.”
ted c on November 19, 2009 at 10:42 PM
You never fail to find just the right thing. You have a gift.
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Troops to Obama: “You would make a pretty good CIC”
i.e. as a joke
MB4 on November 19, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Pass my absentee ballot…..
no wonder they rarely get counted.
Here’s example one.
ted c on November 19, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Exactly!!!
galvestonian on November 19, 2009 at 10:44 PM
Classic Allahpundit. He always jumps at the chance to set the record straight in case anyone is thinking the worst of Teh One.
Sharke on November 19, 2009 at 10:45 PM
he’s been watching those Bob Gibbs and Eric Holder clips again…correctin’ all that misinfo’mation n’ stuff.
ted c on November 19, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Ha ha ha … it’s a joke, get it?
Would’ve been REALLY funny if the Airmen didn’t give him a courtesy laugh.
Tony737 on November 19, 2009 at 10:52 PM
I think AP is missing the point here.
If GWB had said this, we would laugh along with him, as we would have known he wasn’t slighting the troops in any way.
With Obama, everything he says troop-related, even if really meant in jest, is automatically suspect, as the anti-military baggage that he brings to the show does not allow him the same consideration GWB would be afforded.
Dave R. on November 19, 2009 at 10:54 PM
DIRT doesn’t matter. You don’t defeat a trans-national terrorist organization by occupying medieval villages.
Yesterday, President Obama presented his “comprehensive new strategy” for Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was neither new, nor a strategy. Behind all the rhetoric, he just said, I’m sending more troops and more money.
Barack Obama? I heard Lyndon Johnson. The only LBJ touch that BHO lacked was the word “escalation.”
The rhetoric was masterly. The content was drivel. He said, “The situation is increasingly perilous.” Which situation? Why? For whom? Certainly, it’s becoming more perilous for our troops as we escalate in support of the wrong policy.
Our pathetically naive president articulated one sound goal — defeating al Qaeda — then told us how he wasn’t going to do it. Like LBJ, all he can think of is more troops and more aid. Can’t we ask ourselves why the Taliban’s thriving? After the military beatings we’ve given them? How many of our troops must die for an empty policy?
Hey, hey, ho, ho, BHO, why don’t your supporters go?
MB4 on November 19, 2009 at 10:54 PM
for making the troops he refuses to support the butt of a joke…
alexraye on November 19, 2009 at 10:59 PM
I think that few men despise The One more than Allahpundit and that he despises him partly because he says so much stupid sh1t. I think he despises The One’s stupid sh1t because he despises stupid sh1t as such. Far be it from Allahpundit, then, to utter any sh1t so stupid as that The One made the remark in earnest. Moreover, I doubt that Allahpundit makes any distinction between The One’s stupid sh1t and yours. It is all the same sh1t.
Kralizec on November 19, 2009 at 11:00 PM
I guess it was a joke, but it’s still interesting to see what subjects are on his beady little mind. Wouldn’t have occurred to me to even make that joke.
Ronnie on November 19, 2009 at 11:02 PM
I’ll conceded it was a “joke”, or at least an attempt at one. Much more telling, however, is the tone of his voice when he says, “We are grateful for your service.” Talk about disingenuous and insincere. It was nothing more than the next line in his speech. The guy is a disgrace.
Dopenstrange on November 19, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Hey, you know what would make a great photo op? The same picture with 80,000 more troops behind him.
Ronnie on November 19, 2009 at 11:07 PM
.. on the way to Afghanistan, of course.
Ronnie on November 19, 2009 at 11:09 PM
canopfor on November 19, 2009 at 10:38 PM
You never fail to find just the right thing. You have a gift.
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Cindy Munford:I`m working on it,and so kind!!:)
canopfor on November 19, 2009 at 11:14 PM
Not sure if this has been pointed out before, but this “joke” seems to be just another slam of Bush. Bush was really popular with the troops and video of GW with the troops was always positive.
AZfederalist on November 19, 2009 at 11:15 PM
.
Why don’t you act like it?
CWforFreedom on November 19, 2009 at 11:18 PM
To all of the Airman/Soliders behind me.
Thanks you make me look like I care about you (which I don’t).
F15Mech on November 19, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Joke? Fail.
rightheaded on November 19, 2009 at 11:19 PM
I’ve come to the conclusion that BO genuinely hates the military, not just from his words, but his actions. Three months to decide not to decide to send reinforcements to Afghanistan…
SG1_Conservative on November 19, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Bush greeted by the Troops in Korea
muggedbyreality on November 19, 2009 at 11:22 PM
No offense intended, however I have to ask. Just how long did it take for you to reach that conclusion?
F15Mech on November 19, 2009 at 11:29 PM
THIS JUST IN FROM AFGHANISTAN. SOLDIERS FROM THE 121ST CAV. WOUNDED BY AN I.E.D. RETURN FIRE AND KILL THE TRIGGERMAN OF THAT I.E.D. AND ARE NOW BEING FACED WITH CHARGES.
Everything I am hearing from Afghanistan is that our military folks want to come home; TO DRAG OBAMA OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND HANG HIM!
nelsonknows on November 19, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Can I be there to see it?
nelsonknows on November 19, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Obama knows all about what makes a good photo op when it comes to our troops.
mizflame98 on November 19, 2009 at 11:36 PM
lol, actually before he was even elected. I guess what I meant was only recently have my fears been confirmed. I’ve always noticed that whenever he is questioned about his commitment to the war on terror he gets very defensive and whenever he talks about the troops, he came off to me as very insincere. No offense taken btw :)
SG1_Conservative on November 19, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Bob Hope he ain’t.
Dhuka on November 19, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Scumbag.
HornetSting on November 19, 2009 at 11:55 PM
That isn’t going to endear him to the troops at all. They are good props for him and nothing else.
Mr Purple on November 20, 2009 at 12:05 AM
I just finished the Ron Kessler book, “In The President’s Secret Service.” According to the Secret Service, it was W’s idea to make the trip. They recount their preparation for that sort of spontaneous trip.
Remember what the media focused on? Whether Bush used a fake turkey as a “photo-op.”
Keep in mind that this 55 minute trip was in South Korea, not a combat zone like Afghanistan (which is in Asia) or Iraq.
conservative pilgrim on November 20, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Obama translation: “I’m pretending to be grateful for your service, except those torturers that run Gitmo.”
CP on November 20, 2009 at 12:43 AM
You just can’t make this stuff up~he’s dumber than a box of rocks.
HornetSting on November 20, 2009 at 12:47 AM
After that pathetic photo op with the returning soldiers’ caskets a week or so ago, I am incredulous that you’re willing to give him a pass on this? Tsk, tsk, tsk. What’s next?
PoodleSkirt on November 20, 2009 at 1:15 AM
What a POSER!
CynicalOptimist on November 20, 2009 at 1:21 AM
The President never does anything by accident, yes, this is a photo op. He can’t visit our troops without cameras and the MSM following him around.
yoda on November 20, 2009 at 1:33 AM
You’re damn right he’s not.
Sharke on November 20, 2009 at 2:04 AM
Naw, It kinda looking like a pattern.
Germany, Couldn’t or wouldn’t meet the wounded troops without HIS photographers.
Dover, Went to show? Not respect, he wouldn’t have needed the camera crews and the reporters IF he was showing respect.
2 min of “who’s in the house shout out, then oh btw a Bunch of soldiers were killed in Texas, Fort hood.
And now this, it kinda sorta points to Obama using the troops as “Photo ops props”
DSchoen on November 20, 2009 at 2:32 AM
Since some people might wonder what the lowest enlisted man on the site thinks, I’ll put my two cents in.
On the surface it’s something of an off-color joke. We’re not a photo op, and he may not understand that troops do a pretty good job of looking fired up after getting there hours before him to get organized, rehearse, and still look and act appropriately upon his rather short visit.
Far worse was his tooting his own horn on passing the smallest pay raise in recent memory, although the pay raise is a half a point more than what he proposed for the defense budget. The pay raise is equal to or less than inflation, and does nothing to compensate for cost of living, let alone closing the pay gap between soldiers and similarly trained private sector occupations.
Spc Steve on November 20, 2009 at 2:55 AM
The “joke” and Sen. Kerry
DSchoen on November 20, 2009 at 3:04 AM
Pay per View!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bill30097 on November 20, 2009 at 5:58 AM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18227928/
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/03/murtha-petraeus-2
Or maybe not.
Supporting like, say, KSM in a New York City show trial AFTER declaring himself guilty in a military trial and wanting death.
Typical liberal support for our troops.
dthorny on November 20, 2009 at 7:17 AM
I don’t like Obama, but he is just kidding the guys here and they seem to know it. No big deal.
Terrye on November 20, 2009 at 7:18 AM
Yeah, just like his second act after getting elected was to tell veterans to pay for our war wounds – or have you forgotten? He made his contempt just as clear as could be then. His political mentor bombed then Pentagon and he seems to follow in those same ideological footsteps.
Don’t forget Bill Arkin, telling us troops that we should support him undermining the war we fight because we’re just rapist murdering mercenaries with obscene amenities overseas. ESAD.
My thoughts exactly.
CPL 310 on November 20, 2009 at 7:21 AM
Obowma lied, Afghanistan troops denied.
Which places Obowma as winner of the Oscar as least supporting actor.
dthorny on November 20, 2009 at 7:23 AM
At least John Kerry’s insult resulted in some funny stuff.
Halp us!
CPL 310 on November 20, 2009 at 7:23 AM
Obama just can’t seem to get over how wonderful he is. It would almost be funny if he wasn’t the President.
zoyclem on November 20, 2009 at 7:45 AM
Awkward
SouthernGent on November 20, 2009 at 8:17 AM
To summarize a bunch of comments:
During the campaign President Obama said troops were just air raiding villages and killing civilians in the war he’s now in charge of. He cancelled a visit to see wounded troops in Germany once he learned cameras could not come with, and choose instead to play a game of basketball.
Since the election he’s proposed making wounded vets pay for their own health care. He’s letting our guys twist in the wind in Afghanistan trying to execute a strategy he signed off on months ago. He’s giving shout outs right after terrorist attacks against American soldiers, and is too busy giving health care speeches to Congress to visit them. When he finally does he turns it into a media event, complete with cheering fans. And now, he props a thousand troops right behind him and ‘jokes’ about them being a pretty good photo op.
Nope, no truth to that joke at all.
BadgerHawk on November 20, 2009 at 8:37 AM
TRAITOR!!!!!
Like one poster said earlier the left crucified Allen over “Macaca”.
Why should we cut our American Judas any slack?
He is a disgrace to the office and his real boss Soros and Stern and the bankers telling him what to do must think he’s a piece!
1-20-13, come soon!!!!
PappyD61 on November 20, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Good summary.
At first, I was inclined to agree with Allahpundit that this was an attempt to be winsome. After all, the President’s jokes always seem to use other people as the butts, and always seem to somehow point back at how much of teh awesum! he is, but that’s just his style. Self-deprecation is not his strong suit.
But looking at his track record with regard to military, um, regard, it does also sound like a rather candid confession of his intent.
BlueCollarAstronaut on November 20, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Still, those smiling troops in the background made me smile too. They make this country look good.
jeanie on November 20, 2009 at 9:42 AM
Epic FAIL, as usual.
You can’t say you support the troops unless you also support what they are doing, in other words, their mission. And you can’t support the troops’ mission without supporting their commanders.
Del Dolemonte on November 20, 2009 at 9:51 AM
This guy’s making photo op jokes while troops are bleeding in Afghanistan waiting for him to decide on whether or not to send reinforcements?
olesparkie on November 20, 2009 at 10:30 AM
It was just a joke? Just A JOKE?!? Did you like expect him to turn around and say, “You’re nothing but a photo-op to me; let’s get this damned thing over with?”
Dude, sometimes you’ve got this weirdly RINOvian impulse to jump up as the “reasonable” righty and give the Looter-in-Chief an entirely undeserved benefit of the doubt. Maybe that preserves a kind of “mainstream viability” for your site and might be smart business (a la Bill O’Reilly), but it’s pretty nauseating to watch.
O is well beyond any doubt as to whether the military is anything more to him than a political tool/campaign prop/contemptible rabble of imperialist rednecks whose lives don’t mean a f***. His meeting our servicemen in Korea was PURELY a photo-op to him and it would have been beyond obvious even had he not blurted out the very term that had been rolling around in his miserable head all morning.
DrZin on November 20, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Heh. Now Obama can tell Putin and Kim Jong-il “Don’t mess with me — I have a black belt in TaeKwon-Do!”
SheofTwoMinds on November 20, 2009 at 1:01 PM
I thought I would never see this day. His lips moved and he wasn’t lying.
TrickyDick on November 20, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Oh, and even when we hate the war, we leftists do like and respect the troops.
Bleeds Blue on November 19, 2009 at 10:10 PM
_______________________________________________________
Oh, please…
Dopenstrange on November 20, 2009 at 3:21 PM
That’s the most honest thing Barry’s said all year.
Cylor on November 20, 2009 at 7:07 PM
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