WaPo
“You guys make a pretty good photo op”
Obama arrived on the base 3:19 p.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time), and received a rousing welcome from 1,500 troops in camouflage uniforms, many holding cameras or pointing cell phones to snap pictures.
“You guys make a pretty good photo op,” the president said.
Standing on a riser wearing a blue suit and red tie, with a cluster of troops and a large American flag behind him, Obama expressed “the gratitude of the American public” and said his meetings in four countries over eight days in Asia will help deliver a “safer more prosperous world for all of us.”
He got a huge cheer when he told them he was increasing military pay. “That’s what you call an applause line,” he said, before boarding his jet and taking off at 4:11 p.m.
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I hope he fails.
forest on November 19, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Since the WH claims Obama’s Afghanistan decision is imminent, I predict his intentions to pull out of Afghanistan will be announced on Black Friday. Not only a slow news day, but much of the country will be focused on their holiday shopping.
kasubo on November 19, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Soulless Narcissistic empty suit…
d1carter on November 19, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Look on the bright side. If Obama is coming back into the country, then Holder must not have any more bad news for us at the moment.
tom on November 19, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Correct me if I’m wrong, seeing as it’s been 6 years since I was in the Navy, but the military pay gets increased once a year.
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Who said Freud is dead?
Obama is an imbecillic narcissistic teenager.
Schadenfreude on November 19, 2009 at 12:07 PM
“Mission Accomplished”
Clink on November 19, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Dude, you are praying for the death of the President of the United States? I mean, it’s OK to oppose the guy, but pray for his death? What’s that, Obama Derangement Syndrome?
factoid on November 19, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Anyone want to guess the general make up of those soldiers.
Yes, I said it. So what.
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2009 at 12:09 PM
I’m not supposed to hate anyone, but God help me, I hate this man. A PHOTO OP?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s completely offensive!
UnderstandingisPower on November 19, 2009 at 12:15 PM
You’re seeing phantoms. Have you heard of the concept of “impeach for dereliction or inability of duty”?
Schadenfreude on November 19, 2009 at 12:15 PM
another tidbit that BHO was probably unaware of. of the 10 yrs my husband spent in the military he received a raise every yr. sometimes it was only 2% but even so – some type of raise is given every yr…unless something changed but unlikely.
i’m sure that BHO will spin it like he’s the only pres that has ever given the military a raise.
poppieseeds on November 19, 2009 at 12:16 PM
I’m betting it was mostly enlisted soldiers, and about two-thirds of them were male. I’m going to further bet that the majority of them had been in Korea less than 1 year, the average age was about 23, and it was predominately support and headquarters elements, because those are the guys who get sent to do things like provide the backdrop for VIP visits. I think I nailed all the important demographics.
If I missed any, what’s your point?
Spc Steve on November 19, 2009 at 12:16 PM
WH spin
“The president didn’t mean himself but how many cameras there were in the audience”
Schadenfreude on November 19, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Lady Liberty-Sarah Palin. I really like that. Did you read in the book where she chose to go see troops off rather than attend a luncheon for candidates. “These luncheons will always be there. Our troops may not.” She’s got her priorities straight. Our present leader? Not so much.
UnderstandingisPower on November 19, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Wondering if he said this at Dover as well… and Fort Hood…
Sorry. This REALLY ticks me off!
UnderstandingisPower on November 19, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Do I really have to remind you of the time several months ago where Obama spoke to a bunch of troops? Do I really have to point out the pictures?
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Seriously, our President is an asshole.
WoosterOh on November 19, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Oh, and the pay raise of 3.4% for 2010 is the smallest in the past 3 years. President Obama’s proposal was 2.9%. So there you go.
Our pay raises have been steadily declining since FY 2006. The attempts by the Bush administration to close the pay gap between the military and similar private sector jobs ended when the most ethical congress evah took control of the legislature.
Spc Steve on November 19, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Forgot the link
Spc Steve on November 19, 2009 at 12:25 PM
I’m afraid you’re going to have to. I don’t get invited to those kinds of parties, as I’m usually working.
Spc Steve on November 19, 2009 at 12:27 PM
I’m trying to find the HotAir post but am having trouble finding it. I can’t remember what month or even quater that it happened.
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Or you could just say “the majority of the soldiers who turn out to see this President, or seem to end up in the background of his photos are [insert demographic here].” The fact is, VIP visits are annoying to the average soldiers. They involve showing up hours early, going through rehearsals time and again, and being briefed endlessly on what to do and not to do. No one would volunteer to do it unless they really wanted to see/get photos of the President. If it’s mostly black soldiers, or female soldiers, or combat arms soldiers (highly unlikely), who volunteer, so what? I imagine most attendees are volun-told to attend, which means, like I said, it’s more likely to be support personnel, which, if you go by demographics, traditionally have a higher percentage of African-American soldiers than do front-line, combat arms MOSs. So, to be honest, you might see a whole lot of black soldiers, but that might still be within the mean representation of a given unit.
Spc Steve on November 19, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Admitted draft dodger Bill Clinton stages 5 aircraft carrier photo ops = “Good”.
Actual military fighter pilot Chimpy Bush does 1 = “Bad”
Del Dolemonte on November 19, 2009 at 12:52 PM
I think that’s what Matthew Bankes (aka DethMetalCookieMonst) was getting at, but was afraid to mention by name, any specific minority groups who tend to be prominently displayed in the front rows of these kinds of photo ops.
UltimateBob on November 19, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Redstate. One could add what kind of man refers to those who serve their country as a “photo op”?
Answer was a man who sees everyone as a tool or an obstacle.
And both tools and obstacles are things, not persons.
Wethal on November 19, 2009 at 12:59 PM
What double standard?
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Not that I’m a huge fan of this guy, but I try not to get caught up in little things like this. It might have been a tongue and cheek jab at the fact that his critics bring up how he tends to use the troops as a photo op and he was making what ended up being a poorly recieved joke.
Unfortunately for Obama, perceptions tend to lead that his meeting with the troops are nothing but a photo op.
risawn on November 19, 2009 at 1:09 PM
If he just wanted to visit then he could have done so without cameras. I am sure he can say it was joke but few will think it’s funny.
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 1:12 PM
How.Freaking.Insulting.
Basically he was saying, “Thanks for making it so easy for me to exploit you all.”
blink on November 19, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Here’s the question.
Will Obama have Thanksgiving dinner with the troops in Afghanistan?
blink on November 19, 2009 at 1:22 PM
blink on November 19, 2009 at 1:22 PM
I think not
risawn on November 19, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 1:12 PM
That’s the problem with Obama. He has no sense of humor, so when he does attempt to tell a joke, it usually falls flat. In this case, it was very unpresidential of him, but honestly I do believe it was tongue in cheek.
And unfortunately his reputation with the troops has it made out that he doesn’t go visit them unless cameras are present (IE Landstuhl) so this doesn’t help his case.
I just think people are making a bigger case of this then it should be is all. There are a lot of things to criticize Obama about, but this is just nit picky and reminds me when people would criticize Bush over stupid things like this.
For the Record – I’m a Staff Sergeant in the Army, if that is even relevant
risawn on November 19, 2009 at 1:31 PM
For the sake of soldiers deployed to Afghanistan if he were to visit, I certainly hope not. Like I said, VIP visits are pretty much an annoyance to the average soldier.
The Battalion I was in during my 1st deployment in Iraq had the responsibility for perimeter security at BIAP, including for Pres. Bush’s visit on Thanksgiving in 2003. I ended up pulling a 12 hour patrol that day as part of the increased security detail for the day. A friend of mine from HQ platoon went to the Bob Hope D-FAC, and later informed me that I got a much better shake in the deal.
Spc Steve on November 19, 2009 at 1:34 PM
I’m guessing there will be no secret surprise trip to Iraq or Afghanistan to serve the troops this Thanksgiving.
Mommynator on November 19, 2009 at 1:38 PM
He’s very lucky that you will give him the benefit of the doubt, he’s your boss. To me it’s just one more unintended glimpse of this man’s soul. Or lack there of.
Cindy Munford on November 19, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Funny, I was thinking the same thing about Obama.
Socratease on November 19, 2009 at 2:00 PM
3:19pm to 4:11pm
52 minutes spent with the military. How impressive for the commander in chief.
angryed on November 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
It was worse.
“You volunteered in a time of war, knowing that you could be sent into harm’s way,” the president said. “Many of you served in Iraq.”
The comment brought applause and affirmative shouts of “Hoo-ah!”
“Others among you served in Afghanistan.”
More applause and hoo-ahs.
“… Others among you will deploy yet again,” he said.
This time, barely three or four people in the crowd made sounds of approval, then quickly fell silent.
Stars and Stripes
The troops don’t like to be goaded by their Commander in Chief
BDU-33 on November 19, 2009 at 3:14 PM
President Photobama, a negative development.
profitsbeard on November 19, 2009 at 6:11 PM
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