Althouse: Why is President Obama skipping the traditional Memorial Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery?

May 28, 2010

Why is President Obama skipping the traditional Memorial Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery?

You'd think with the criticism he's been getting lately — the meme is he's disengaged and doesn't care — that he would do the standard things Presidents do to show that he is caring and engaged. Here, you have a traditional ceremonial presence in a unique place on a specific day, and he leaves it to Biden.

Also, with "don't ask, don't tell" ending — or perhaps ending — Obama has an additional reason to make a showing of his dedication to veterans.

What is he thinking?

107 comments:

Hoosier Daddy said...: Maybe he's going out for waffles.

Nothing this guy does (or doesn't do) surprises me anymore.; 5/28/10, 10:07 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/28/10, 10:08 AM
MadisonMan said...: I don't think he is thinking.

I wonder what he'll do on July 4th.; 5/28/10, 10:09 AM
Palladian said...: He. just. doesn't. care.

And he doesn't care if you notice that he doesn't care, because he's Barack Obama and who the fuck are you? You're a fungible source of government revenue.

Why is this so hard for people to comprehend?; 5/28/10, 10:10 AM
Original Mike said...: "What is he thinking?"

He's thinking that, with the way things are going, he better make sure he at least hangs onto his left-wing base. You don't do that by honoring the military.; 5/28/10, 10:10 AM
Fen said...: As a former Marine, I would prefer Obama stay away.

Its obvious he doesn't give a damn about America's traditions or her Fallen, so anything he might say would not be sincere.; 5/28/10, 10:11 AM
Fen said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/28/10, 10:11 AM
Palladian said...: "I wonder what he'll do on July 4th."

Be smug and clueless?

It's a good bet.; 5/28/10, 10:12 AM
Jason said...: Because Memorial Day is a big fucking deal.; 5/28/10, 10:13 AM
PHenry said...: Because to honor American war dead might inflame tensions with those who killed them?; 5/28/10, 10:17 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I wonder what he'll do on July 4th.

Probably apologize to Great Britain.; 5/28/10, 10:17 AM
Big Mike said...: This is probably the one and only time that a Republican can choose to do or not do something, but a Democrat will be called on it if he skips. Reagan and both Bushes sometimes missed the wreath-laying, but Clinton -- a vastly better politician than Obama -- never missed a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington.

(In fairness to Reagan, twice he was at summit meetings and in 1981 he was still recuperating from Hinckley's assassination attempt. And the one Memorial Day that Dubya missed he honored American dead from World War II at Normandy Beach.); 5/28/10, 10:17 AM
Anonymous said...: As a former soldier..what Fen said above.; 5/28/10, 10:18 AM
Automatic_Wing said...: I wonder what he'll do on July 4th.

He's scheduled to appear at a national cemetary in Chicago. Not sure why it's so important to hang out back in Chicago for the holiday, maybe he's got tickets to a White Sox game or something.; 5/28/10, 10:18 AM
Big Mike said...: @Jason, as a matter of fact, yes it is. You don't get that?; 5/28/10, 10:18 AM
Christopher said...: It means he truly is a man of the left.; 5/28/10, 10:21 AM
Unknown said...: Ann Althouse said...

Also, with "don't ask, don't tell" ending — or perhaps ending — Obama has an additional reason to make a showing of his dedication to veterans.

Memorial Day is supposed to be more about showing respect for those who died in the service of this country than vets - that's why there's November 11. But Zero doesn't care about them, either.

If you remember when The Zero and McCain attended the 9/11 ceremony in '08, McCain very gently placed the flowers he held on the ground while Zero simply threw them. This is the regard he holds for people in this country, particularly those who are casualties of Islam.

Keep in mind, the idea of MacArthur taking the surrender of Japan on the fantail of the USS Missouri makes him "uncomfortable". We're supposed to kowtow to them, whoever they are, regardless of how many of ours died.

No disrespect intended, ma'am. Just saying.

Fen said...

As a former Marine, I would prefer Obama stay away.

Semper Fi, sir. And to all those at Althouse who served, we thank you.; 5/28/10, 10:21 AM
Original Mike said...: Don't give him any ideas, Hoosier.; 5/28/10, 10:21 AM
Mike H said...: He's not thinking. It's not that he doesn't care either (at least I have a hard time believing that, but I'm probably just young and naive) it's that the entire administration just doesn't think about things like this.; 5/28/10, 10:23 AM
Tank said...: This is like going to church.

It's not necessary to put on that act now that he's President.

Why should he make believe he cares about men and women who died for this country? He and his wife don't really like this country much. Why should he salute the people who "ran this country into a ditch?" They should just STFU.; 5/28/10, 10:24 AM
Joe said...: I wonder what he'll do on July 4th.

Probably apologize to Great Britain.

No remember we only apologize to our ENEMIES, not our allies...; 5/28/10, 10:24 AM
Automatic_Wing said...: Just to reiterate - he is going to appear at a national cemetary on Memorial Day, just not Arlington.

Exactly what is the big fucking deal here?; 5/28/10, 10:27 AM
lemondog said...: Probably do an Abe Lincoln schtick

Obama will use Memorial weekend for a trip home to Chicago; 5/28/10, 10:30 AM
Anonymous said...: He's mad at us. Again.; 5/28/10, 10:31 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Send Biden,

He's an idiot, but he has a son in the Guard and gets it.; 5/28/10, 10:33 AM
Original Mike said...: He is sending Biden:

"On Monday, Obama will make remarks at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, south of Chicago - missing the usual tradition of presidents speaking at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day.

Vice President Biden and his wife will appear in Obama's place, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as well as holding a breakfast for Gold Star families -- families whose loved ones died in military service -- at the White House earlier that day."; 5/28/10, 10:37 AM
Mick said...: He doesn't care because he has limited allegiance to this country and it's Constitution. He is a Usurper, Non Natural Born Citizen (born a British Subject due to father's Kenyan Citizenship) installed by the power elite to finish the final nails in the coffin of the sovereignty of We the People. He swore before God and the World to protect the very Constitution that he breaks. What does that say?; 5/28/10, 10:40 AM
GMay said...: Didn't he get some golf in last time?

As a sitting Commander in Chief who is presiding over two wars, it's actually a duty to pay respects to those who have fallen in them.; 5/28/10, 10:42 AM
AllenS said...: What Fen said.; 5/28/10, 10:43 AM
Unknown said...: double standards, eh, righties ?; 5/28/10, 10:45 AM
Monkeyboy said...: Maguro, its a big deal for a couple of reasons.
1. The Lincoln Cemetary is a national cemetary but Arlington is the national cemetary, tht is where the president belongs as our national representative.
2. He's not missing out because of business, but he's decided on another vacation and a round of golf near home.
3. I don't know who is still being buried in Chicago, probably local WWII vets as they die off, but Arlington is still being used for active duty. The newest graves there are people that President Obama has sent to war.
4. Its his flipping job to go there. Interesting to think what parts of his job he thinks are unimportant and which he has to attend.; 5/28/10, 10:51 AM
Unknown said...: danielle said...

double standards, eh, righties ?

Both were off doing President stuff, dear.; 5/28/10, 10:57 AM
Automatic_Wing said...: 3. I don't know who is still being buried in Chicago, probably local WWII vets as they die off, but Arlington is still being used for active duty. The newest graves there are people that President Obama has sent to war.

That is a good point, I hadn't considered that aspect of it.; 5/28/10, 10:57 AM
Blue@9 said...: "double standards, eh, righties ?"

He certainly doesn't *have* to go, but it's a headscratcher to many of us. He's in a somewhat precarious position in terms of public opinion. He's taking a hammering over the Gulf spill, his party is still feeling the hangover from health care reform, and he's about to wade into a bunch of other stuff, including DADT.

You would think he'd be going out of his way to do all the traditional Presidential moves, or at least avoid doing things that invite criticism. It just seems tone deaf.; 5/28/10, 10:58 AM
Damon said...: Obama has been successful at pushing his progressive agenda and corralling his Dem majority to adopt legislation that will get themselves voted out of office. His actual governing aside from legislation pushes has been weak (incompetent even).

I think the bigger thing is he doesn't like the job anymore. Doesn't like the criticism and doesn't like to make decisions. He likes campaigning and community organizing (twisting arms) for his pet projects. The rest is a real hassle and he cannot hide his indifference. See Simon Cowell.; 5/28/10, 10:58 AM
Skyler said...: The Memorial Day is meant to honor people who died for the country that Michelle and B. Hussein were not yet proud of.; 5/28/10, 10:59 AM
Anonymous said...: Palladian said what I came to say, so I'll repeat his post:

He. just. doesn't. care.

And he doesn't care if you notice that he doesn't care, because he's Barack Obama and who the fuck are you? You're a fungible source of government revenue.

Why is this so hard for people to comprehend?; 5/28/10, 11:00 AM
Mick said...: danielle said...
"double standards, eh, righties ?"

Typical response from the little children on the Left (johnny did it too!!). They were on the business of the Nation. The Usurper is on VAKAY. DUH.; 5/28/10, 11:00 AM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Simple explanation is that he is amazingly politically tone deaf. His rise to the top is not due to political ability/instincts.; 5/28/10, 11:07 AM
Michael Haz said...: This year, on Memorial Day, President Obama will leave a handful of red, white, and blue golf tees on the grave of the unknown caddy.; 5/28/10, 11:21 AM
Ron said...: If we're not careful, Biden will give us back to the Commonwealth!; 5/28/10, 11:21 AM
MamaM said...: dis: not
dignari: to deem worthy

Latin root for disdain; 5/28/10, 11:22 AM
Unknown said...: Michael Hasenstab said...

This year, on Memorial Day, President Obama will leave a handful of red, white, and blue golf tees on the grave of the unknown caddy.

Very droll, sir, but don't give him ideas.; 5/28/10, 11:26 AM
former law student said...: Obama has an additional reason to make a showing of his dedication to veterans.

Yes, he's showing that gay veterans made the same sacrifice as straight veterans.

1. The Lincoln Cemetary is a national cemetary but Arlington is the national cemetary, tht is where the president belongs as our national representative.
2. He's not missing out because of business, but he's decided on another vacation and a round of golf near home.
3. I don't know who is still being buried in Chicago, probably local WWII vets as they die off,

So, what have we learned from monkeyboy?

Fuck WW II vets whose service was so long ago. Their sacrifice doesn't mean shit.

Fuck vets not prominent enough to get buried at Arlington. Their sacrifice doesn't mean shit.

(I would point out that interred at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery is Medal of Honor Recipient First Sergeant Theodore Hyatt, (Civil War), Company D, 127th Illinois Infantry, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps. Battle of Vicksburg, May 22, 1863. (Section 1, Grave 1613))

Fuck Abraham Lincoln. The National Cemetery named in his honor doesn't mean shit.

In sum, the national cemetery that's a short drive from the White House is the only one worth a Presidential visit.

I'd also like to point out that Army veteran Dwight David Eisenhower played an average of two rounds of golf a week while President, despite the constant threat of imminent nuclear destruction.; 5/28/10, 11:32 AM
paul a'barge said...: "What is he thinking"

Indeed.

He's thinking "I'm black and I'm cool and I got mine". Screw the rest of you".; 5/28/10, 11:34 AM
Original Mike said...: @Danielle: Maybe he should take a cue from his predecessor.

Aside: I got a kick out of this line: "Bush's last round of golf as president dates back to October 13, 2003, according to meticulous records kept by CBS news."; 5/28/10, 11:34 AM
Original Mike said...: "So, what have we learned from monkeyboy? ... Fuck Abraham Lincoln."

Yeah, I took that away from MonkeyBoy's post, too. [/sarcasm]; 5/28/10, 11:38 AM
Lawyerly said...: He wants to see the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup.; 5/28/10, 11:40 AM
Roger J. said...: What Fen said. And Lars Porsena--Mr Obama appears to me to remarkably tone deaf, but thats his problem.; 5/28/10, 11:46 AM
Jason said...: @Big Mike,

I get Memorial Day. You didn't get the joke.

Biden is going to Arlington because Memorial Day is a big fucking deal (TM).; 5/28/10, 11:47 AM
Jason said...: Obama to unknown soldier: "Drop dead."; 5/28/10, 11:48 AM
Roger J. said...: FLS--your comment about DDE was a bit foolish even by your low standards--We have faced nuclear destruction since the late 1940s--is it honestly your contention that every sitting president since the russians got the bomb we should cower in the bunker? Are you really that stupid?; 5/28/10, 11:50 AM
Unknown said...: If the Lefties are so concerned about homosexuals and their rights, why don't they start demanding a harder line with the Dinner Jacket - you know, the guy who said there are no homosexuals in Iran?

Kinda like the way the Left feels about women's rights. When somebody did something about the oppression of women under the Taliban, his name was Buck Fush.; 5/28/10, 11:51 AM
PHenry said...: Because the Lincoln cemetery honors those who died in the Civil war, the war where Americans fought Americans, thus, the last time an American war was 'justified'?; 5/28/10, 11:55 AM
Scott M said...: I didn't have time to snap a pic of it this morning, but on the drive in, someone called the show I was listening to and mentioned that someone had hung a banner over the side of an overpass on what is one of the busiest rush-hour highways in St Louis. It read,

"ARLINGTON IS NOT IN CHICAGO YOU COMMIE"

and had a prominent USSR hammer and sickle under it.

Not the most well-thought-out banner in history, I would say, but A+ for effort.; 5/28/10, 11:55 AM
Scott M said...: Isn't it usually customary for a Presidential press conference to have an American flag in the background? Or am I loopy?; 5/28/10, 11:57 AM
The Drill SGT said...: FLS said....Fuck vets not prominent enough to get buried at Arlington. Their sacrifice doesn't mean shit.

For the record, anybody can get buried at Arlington if you meet the military criteria. There is a higher demand than elsewhere, but if you meet the minimums, you get a plot. The crematoria has a lower threshold.

short version

1. died on active duty
2. retired active duty
3. retired reserve who also served AD other than training.
4. holders of purple heart or SS and above.
5. Former President
6. Former Congressperson
7. POWs
8. spouses of above
9 a couple of odds and ends

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/funeral_information/guide.interment.html; 5/28/10, 11:57 AM
Mick said...: Ron said...
"If we're not careful, Biden will give us back to the Commonwealth!"

Wouldn't surprise me. The Usurper was born a British Subject after all (since his father was Kenyan, before independence).; 5/28/10, 11:59 AM
garage mahal said...: You'd think with the criticism he's been getting lately — the meme is he's disengaged and doesn't care — that he would do the standard things Presidents do to show that he is caring and engaged.

Old Spin: Obama is an iron fist socialist dictator taking control of everything!

New Spin: He's aloof! Doesn't care. He won't take control of anything!; 5/28/10, 12:11 PM
Scott M said...: Obama is an iron fist socialist dictator taking control of everything because he's aloof and doesn't care.

There, garage, fixed it for you.; 5/28/10, 12:15 PM
garage mahal said...: Leave me ALONE!
Hold Me!; 5/28/10, 12:17 PM
Trooper York said...: "garage mahal said...
Leave me ALONE!
Hold Me!"

Dude did you tap Meadehouse's phone lines again?

That's not nice.; 5/28/10, 12:23 PM
The Drill SGT said...: (I would point out that interred at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery is Medal of Honor Recipient First Sergeant Theodore Hyatt, (Civil War), Company D, 127th Illinois Infantry, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps. Battle of Vicksburg, May 22, 1863. (Section 1, Grave 1613)

for the record, we gave out more than 1500 MOH during the last 3 years of the Civil war. I would have thought that the Chicago Cemetary would have 10-20 MOH graves. I suspect that Arlington has hundreds. FWIW

850 since the beginning of WWII; 5/28/10, 12:24 PM
Trooper York said...: Sorry.

A gratuitous insult is a great way to start off a holiday weekend.; 5/28/10, 12:24 PM
garage mahal said...: That's what I love about you Trooper. No whining.; 5/28/10, 12:24 PM
Damon said...: fls - are you for real? Maybe you don't agree with all of monkeyboy's comments, but you conspicuously ignore the strongest argument (monkeyboy failed to put first).

"Arlington is still being used for active duty. The newest graves there are people that President Obama has sent to war." How about you respond to that?

And your BS about monkeyboy slighting Lincoln. Obama is slighting Lincoln because everybody can tell he doesn't want to be bothered to go to the PROMINENT cemetery that the Lincoln administration ESTABLISHED.

No, you argue that an 11 year old cemetery named after the president should hold more of an honor. That is just plain stupid and makes you look like and ass. Anyone can do a Google search and paste, asshole - http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/abrahamlincoln.asp.; 5/28/10, 12:25 PM
Trooper York said...: I am glad to see that the President agrees.; 5/28/10, 12:25 PM
Mary Martha said...: 3. I don't know who is still being buried in Chicago, probably local WWII vets as they die off, but Arlington is still being used for active duty. The newest graves there are people that President Obama has sent to war.
I can tell you who is buried there because my father's grave is there.

Next to my father (who was active duty Army in the 50s - all stateside) is a young man who was killed in Iraq. So I would imagine that there may be young men and women who Obama sent to war interred there. Some families choose graves near to home even if their loved ones could be at Arlington

The Abraham National Cemetery was created in 1999 so I am bit confused as to how a Civil War MOH winner is there. I will say it is a very beautiful location.

I personally am peeved that the president will be at my father's cemetery because that means it will be very difficult for me to go there. Arlington is set up for this kind of event. Not so much a national cemetery in rural Illinois. To get there one goes down country roads which I imagine will now be clogged with motorcade and media.

I know it's selfish of me but I really wish he wouldn't go there.; 5/28/10, 12:44 PM
Joe said...: Priorities man...
The tribute concert in the White House's East Room on June 2 will feature performances of McCartney's work by musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Jonas Brothers, Dave Grohl, Jack White, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Herbie Hancock and Corinne Bailey Rae, the Library of Congress said.

Those guys were dead before Memorial Day, are going to be dead on Memorial Day, and will be dead after Memorial Day.

But Paul McCartney won't alwys be around to meet.

Now if Sir Paul could only be persuaded to play at Arlington, then the POTUS might attend.; 5/28/10, 12:46 PM
Roger J. said...: Garage--Gotta tell you dude--for a man who has admitted to poaching road kill--yeah road kill-- in violation of Wisconsin Law, your credibility as an upstanding citizen is seriously threatened. Think about it. Out.; 5/28/10, 12:56 PM
The Drill SGT said...: A bit of Arlington trivia for those interested.

The Property was the home of R E Lee and his wife. (aside, Martha Custis Lee was a relative of Martha Washington) The White building at the hill is the Custis-Lee Mansion.

Robert turned down command of Union forces and returned to Virginia, and later was begged to assume command of Confederate forces in Northern VA, hence the Army of Northern Virginia.

Though always outnumbered, he was quite successful and it pissed the Yankees off. They could not beat him, but they hoped to catch him, so.

They passed a law that forced all landholders in occupied Virginia to pay their taxes in person. Lee didn't show up to pay the $92 and the Feds had the property sold at a Tax sale. General Meigs wanted to ensure that even if Robert ever came back that the house would not be habitable, so they started the cemetary by planting Union boys on the front lawn of the Mansion.

Who says the Federal Government has no sense of humor?

Eventually Robert's Grandson won in front of the SCOTUS and got the land back, which he then proceeded to sell back to the Government, because General Meigs had succeeded in destroying the property for any other purpose.; 5/28/10, 1:06 PM
Roger J. said...: Hey drill--personal note on your post about arlington--the quartermaster general of the Union Army was General Meigs--My West Point classmate was Monty Meigs--a topnotch soldier and great great grandson of General Meigs--and whose lineage went back even further to the war of 1812--Monty was related to Commodore John Roger who commanded the Constitution in one of its engagements with the british--I think it might have been the HMS Java.

The Meigs family has been in the US military for god knows how many generations--one of the meigs family relatives was one Alexander
M (Meigs) Haig who started his career as Douglas McCarthurs aide.

My classmate Monty is a brilliant soldier and I have the highest regard for him--his wife did my wife's baby shower back in fort knox and I have been on canoe trips and hunting trips thruout Kentucky--The connections are astounding as I reflect on them.; 5/28/10, 1:22 PM
traditionalguy said...: He won! So why does anyone expect to influence the actions of the Winner? The proletariat has no voice when the Party Leader has made his decision. If Pearl Harbor had been attacked under Obama, he would apologise to the Japs for firing at the 60 Jap aircraft that were shot down during the attack, and then go on vacation.; 5/28/10, 1:23 PM
Patrick said...: I still wouldn't be surprised at a surprise trip to Afghanistan or Iraq. He's not too bright, but he is a reasonably good politician.; 5/28/10, 1:24 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: I have a nice big American flag I fly.I am thinking of adding one of those Gadsden flags [Tea Party supporter] for national holidays.; 5/28/10, 1:26 PM
Anonymous said...: "Hey drill--personal note on your post about arlington--the quartermaster general of the Union Army was General Meigs...

That made me curious and I googled up some history re Meigs. Apparently he was brilliant and scrupulously honest. As Quartermaster he personally disbursed 10's of millions without a hint of impropriety, which confounded his contemporaries.; 5/28/10, 1:31 PM
lemondog said...: I still wouldn't be surprised at a surprise trip to Afghanistan or Iraq. He's not too bright, but he is a reasonably good politician.

I had been thinking along the lines of a visit to Chicago hospitalized vets.; 5/28/10, 1:33 PM
Big Mike said...: @danielle, please look at what I posted at 10:17. And you're slightly correct; every once in a while the double standard bites Democrats instead of only biting Republicans. Deal with it.

@Jason. Oops. You're right -- I missed it.

@Drill SGT, you're wasting the energy it takes to tap the keys to try to explain reality to garage. All the left-liberal talking points in the world aren't going to help FLS, or danielle, or garage cover Obama's butt for him.

One veteran to another Drill SGT (I'm Vietnam Era, but fortunately stayed stateside both years of my tour of duty), this is a time for us to think of friends we've lost while they wore our country's uniform and not worry about educating people who don't get it and never will.

Really, the only valid excuse that Barack Obama could have for not being in Arlington on Monday would be if he visited a national cemetary in or near New Orleans while trying belatedly to get on top of the oil cleanup. Speaking of which, I enjoyed the analysis in today's column by Peggy Noonan. The title alone is devastating: He Was Supposed to Be Competent.; 5/28/10, 1:35 PM
Anonymous said...: "I still wouldn't be surprised at a surprise trip to Afghanistan or Iraq. He's not too bright, but he is a reasonably good politician.'

Excellent idea..and it would divert some of the heat he's been taking from the 'hole' problem. He could play the commander-in-chief for a weekend and show the nation he's in charge. Well played,sir.; 5/28/10, 1:37 PM
holdfast said...: Blogger Hoosier Daddy said...

I wonder what he'll do on July 4th.

Probably apologize to Great Britain.

I assume you mean apologize for the revolution, not for the iPod of Speeches, the DVDs, returning the Churchill bust and dicking over Brown?; 5/28/10, 1:39 PM
John said...: None of those people who died for their country are worthy of The Obama's attention. I mean seriously, most of them were white any way. You don't expect him to care do you?; 5/28/10, 1:44 PM
Roger J. said...: Drill and Lars--I would like to provide my personal assurance that Quartermaster General Meigs' honesty was a trait that his great grandson had in abundance.
The gran pere Meigs was probably the first officer who had to deal with modern warfare in the industrial age--the american civil war is deemed to be the first technological war that relied on telegraphs, railroads, observation balloons and the ability to mobilize industrial capacity to fight. The American Civil was was observed by numerous european officers who learned the lessons and applied them most notably in the franco prussian war--The us civil war was the first "modern" war where technology become important.; 5/28/10, 1:48 PM
The Drill SGT said...: One veteran to another Drill SGT (I'm Vietnam Era, but fortunately stayed stateside both years of my tour of duty), this is a time for us to think of friends we've lost while they wore our country's uniform and not worry about educating people who don't get it and never will.

The toast is:
Absent Companions!

BTW: The Blue Star is for my wife, not me :); 5/28/10, 1:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Gosh!! Now that I think about it it was 40 years almost exactly to this minute that I raised my right hand, recited the oath, and started my meteoric rise to 'permanent latrine orderly'.; 5/28/10, 2:05 PM
Big Mike said...: @Lars, $200 a month and all you can eat. What a deal!; 5/28/10, 2:16 PM
The Drill SGT said...: LarsPorsena said...
Gosh!! Now that I think about it it was 40 years almost exactly to this minute that I raised my right hand,

LOL,

and 40 years ago, I was about 2 weeks in country (Vietnam). I was assigned to an Intelliegence outfit, but only had a SECRET clearance, so literally, I burned shit for a number of months. That's what PFC's did in the old Army. Whatever the SGT told you to do :); 5/28/10, 2:17 PM
The Drill SGT said...: I can spell Intelligence; 5/28/10, 2:17 PM
Calypso Facto said...: @Drill: Absent companions!!!
Wish I had more than a diet Pepsi for that toast.
@tg: thisguy did a lot of the shooting down. And this'll be the first Memorial Day he'll be with those who've gone before.; 5/28/10, 2:21 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/28/10, 2:22 PM
Anonymous said...: "..but only had a SECRET clearance, so literally, I burned shit for a number of months."
I was MI too.
I had a TS which allowed me (in addition to my latrine patrol) to do KP in the officer's mess.; 5/28/10, 2:31 PM
Big Mike said...: @Drill SGT: Keep the faith.; 5/28/10, 2:34 PM
Big Mike said...: Whatever the SGT told you to do.

"Well the captain told the lieutenant to polish up the floor.

The lieutenant told the sergeant, and Man! did he get sore.

The sergeant told the corporal who got mad as he could be.

And I just talked to the corporal so I guess it's up to me."; 5/28/10, 2:39 PM
The Drill SGT said...: I got my TS after a while and went to work inside the fence (except for some interesting side trips).

I was at the 8th Radio Research Field Station. Phu Bai, just south of Hue.

And some TDY at the 265th RRCo in the 101st; 5/28/10, 2:49 PM
Peano said...: Ann: "What is he thinking?"

Bambi: "[T]his is what I wake up to in the morning and this is what I go to bed at night thinking about: the spill."

He don't do no multitasking.; 5/28/10, 3:41 PM
HDR said...: Visiting Arlington on Memorial Day is a dream event for politicians: (a) it's easy; and (b) it's widely popular.

It's low-hanging fruit.

Anytime a politician refuses to do something that is both politically beneficial and easy, there's only one possible explanation:

His personal belief that the event has no value is so strong that it overrides the political considerations.

President Obama just doesn't value the military. Period.

This isn't difficult.; 5/28/10, 4:25 PM
Cedarford said...: More and more America is being ossified into ritualistic traditions that are designed to pin leadership into a specific function in a specific place at a specific time....
And any violations are an UNIMAGINABLY GRAVE SLIGHT!! to this or that special interest group and their "champions".

Several days are now reserved for Presidential ceremonial functions and both parties try to outdo each other in showing how much each politician LOVES MLK, the holy Start of Ramadan, the annual AIPAC meeting, Memorial Day, the Pardoning of the White House Turkeys Ceremony, 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, death of some lawyer appointed to the Supreme Court.

Or fetishize one place as the only appropropriate place to honor service.

I side with Obama.
99.5% of KIA, Vets are buried outside Arlington. Their service is as meaningful as the ones honored at the fetishized Arlington. (Which also has a number of non-soldier Ruling ELites, spouses interned there)
Arlington is just our version of the graves along the Wall in Red Square Soviet leaders fetishized each May Day and VE day. THe smarter Soviets realized there was a bigger country than just Moscow and went absent from the Moscow ceremonies to be in St. Pete, Volgagrad, Minsk where the ordinary people and soldiers living and dead were.

Besides the tyranny of tradition binding people to do this or that on certain days, we also have the new Disaster protocols. A hurricane happens, a mass murder or a terror attack happens.
ONLY THE PRESIDENT AS HEALER IN CHIEF AND SOLVER OF ALL PROBLEMS SUFFICES TO ATTEND!! The media demands this so "recovery and CLOSURE can be so sanctified by POTUS's holy presence..); 5/28/10, 5:08 PM
paul a'barge said...: OK, I have to temper my criticism of Obama.

I just heard on the TV that Ronald Reagan went to Arlington 4 times (in 8 years) and George Herbert W. Bush (41, Bush the father) never went.

Obama went last year.

I'll shut up now.; 5/28/10, 5:40 PM
Fen said...: Danielle: double standards, eh, righties?

"Both were off doing President stuff, dear."

Exactly. If Obama was skipping because he was going to be down in the Gulf doing his job:

Clean Water Act of 1990:

"requires the President to ensure effective and immediate removal of an oil discharge and, where there is substantial threat to public health or welfare, requires the President to require all Federal, State and private actions to remove the oil discharge or mitigate it"

...that would be one thing. But the President is instead going to Chicago for vacation and fund-raisers.

Maybe Obama will send the Marine Corps some CDs of his speeches...; 5/28/10, 5:44 PM
Big Mike said...: @paul, it may be a double standard, but like it or not Democrat politicians from the left wing lunatic fringe need to demonstrate regularly and repeatedly that they appreciate the sacrifices of their men and women in uniform.

Republicans get cut some slack.

Them's the breaks.; 5/28/10, 5:47 PM
1775OGG said...: What fen said, and what lars said. Yeah, Biden might get it, who knows?

God Bless all all the active duty troops over in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cheers.; 5/28/10, 5:50 PM
lucid said...: It is very difficult to understand this disrespect except in terms of the extent to which Obama thinks himself a member of an elite with nothing in common with the lower castes whose members are likely to have to die in military service.

It is an obscenity that he does this as men as young as nineteen and twenty die thousands of miles from home while under his command.; 5/28/10, 10:17 PM
opfor311 said...: Drill Sgt and LarsPorsena,

Good to see someone else who spent time in MI. I was with the 311th MI BN in the Gulf War as a 98C. There were still a few around when I got there who had served with the 265th ASA.

Things don't change too much as time goes on. I spent enough time burning latrines in Saudi as an E5. (We didn't have any PFC's in my day. By the time they got out of DLI and AIT, they were already Spec 4's.); 5/28/10, 11:02 PM
george said...: Why would he honor that which he hates? There is no chance that he can deceive anyone by pretending otherwise so why bother?

I think he is psychologically incapable of feeling empathy. He wants to change everything not because he has any consistent philosophy or any great desire to help others but merely because what exists was created by someone else... someone who is not him... so it must be destroyed if people are to acknowledge His Greatness.

Ignoring old traditions is just part and parcel of the process. That such a philosophy necessarily makes him an enemy of his own country and puts him on the side of petty tyrants like the one in Honduras is something he is incapable of understanding. Nor would he care if he did. This is illustrated in his response that he would not lower capital gains rates even if it resulted in more revenue and a better economy.

Combine that psychopathic strain of narcissism with less than average intelligence and an inability to reason in a logical fashion and you get the walking DSM violation that is Obama.; 5/28/10, 11:45 PM
traditionalguy said...: The answer lies in the inability of the dead heroes buried in Arlington to write Obama their own large checks. If enough wealthy relatives of the soldiers, sailors and marines buried there will purchase $5,000 donation tickets to Obama, then Obama and most of his Cabinet will gladly show their heart filled respect and full honor to these fallen Americans on the Memorial Fund Fund Raiser. It is a Chicago thing.; 5/28/10, 11:51 PM
reader_iam said...: Memorial Day weekend: the one where I think it's most important for the American people, individual American people, to remember those American people, in particular as individual people, who served and lost their lives.

For example: Charles Allen Knochel, b. 2/12/1940, Rensselaer, IN (hometown: Lafayette, IN); died 9/22/1966, Vietnam.; 5/29/10, 12:20 AM
Maggie Goff said...: Here is what Gold Star mother, Angelia Phillips, has to say: "It would be fake and I don’t want that wreath laid for my son and his brothers and sisters by someone who so obviously despises everything my son stood for and died for."

http://knottiesniche.com/2010/05/25/enjoy-your-vacation-mr-president/

I agree.; 5/29/10, 1:55 AM
Deborah M. said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/29/10, 6:16 AM