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ATFS_Crash
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 Posted: Jul 25, 2008 - 05:09 PM
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Forum Veteran
Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM
Posts: 760
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IMAO
This seems like a stupid game of self-serving politics.
Apparently the first major news release is from the Obama campaign claiming that they’re scrapping the visits because they themselves think that it would be inappropriate, that it might be seen as campaigning in bad taste.
Apparently the second news release was from the Obama campaign trying to blame the government (inadvertently blaming the presidentPresident) for denying the visits.
Apparently the reason that the requests were denied was that normally it is against the rules to use some government property as backdrops for political campaigns.
I feel like that both sides are trying to exploit the situation politically, particularly Obama.
You know that if Obama really cared about the wounded troops, that he wouldn’t have to bring his political entourage along for some personal visits. I don’t think there’s anything stopping Obama from coming into the hospitals and visiting wounded troops without his political entourage.
It seems that Obama is not willing to visit our wounded troops unless he can exploit them to use for his political campaign. It seems he is not willing to visit the troops, unless his visits can be used for soundbites and video clips to show “what a great guy he is”. The bottom line is that Obama apparently is not a great guy.
It might do some great morale for the troops to have some visits by some political candidates, particularly if the candidates are not exploiting the situation for their own gain. What happened to the days that candidates would visit a hospital without a campaign entourage? What happened to the days that candidates would take Polaroid pictures with the soldiers and sign them to give to the troops as a momento? Instead the candidates only seem interested in self-promotion, particularly in the mass media. Sometimes the attention that candidates can bring can be beneficial, such as when they make an unannounced visit; it might help address some issues, such as patients not getting the care that they should. Sometimes even without complaining a little limelight can help improve the conditions and care at hospital facilities. Regrettably some patients are neglected; anywhere from delayed/denied surgery, pain medication, infrequent sheet changes, to infrequent changing bedpans, ect…
It might do a little for our soldiers morale to have candidates come and tell the wounded soldiers that the candidates appreciate the sacrifices that the soldiers make for their country and freedom.
Perhaps deep down Obama and his campaign also realizes that some soldiers may give him a sour welcome, since Obama has a history of opposing the fight on terrorism (such as operation Iraqi freedom). I think many soldiers despise Obama because he is a defeatist and appeaser.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080724/ap_ ... a_troops_3 |
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Sponsor
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 Posted: Jun 19, 2013 - 4:38 PM
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F-16.net Sponsor
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Guysmiley
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Posted: Jul 25, 2008 - 05:49 PM
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Elite 1K
Joined: May 26, 2005 - 08:39 PM
Posts: 1496
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I feel like that both sides are trying to exploit the situation politically, particularly Obama.
  
Both sides, but REALLY Obama? This just in: Politicians do what politicians do. If he visits then he gets flak for using wounded soldiers as a political stunt. If he doesn't then he doesn't care about the troops.
If we could attach magnets to your rant we'd have a perpetual motion machine. |
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ATFS_Crash
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Posted: Jul 25, 2008 - 06:29 PM
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Forum Veteran
Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM
Posts: 760
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Guysmiley wrote:
Quote:
I feel like that both sides are trying to exploit the situation politically, particularly Obama.
Both sides, but REALLY Obama? This just in: Politicians do what politicians do. If he visits then he gets flak for using wounded soldiers as a political stunt. If he doesn't then he doesn't care about the troops.
If we could attach magnets to your rant we'd have a perpetual motion machine.
Sure Obama would be criticized whether he visited the wounded troops or not. The honorable thing would be to visit the troops in a manner that is not shamelessly exploiting the situation politically.
You missed part of my point. Obama apparently was denied using the facility in a political fashion with his entourage. If Obama really cared about the wounded soldiers that he was going to have photo ops with for his political gain; I don’t think there’s anything preventing Obama from visiting the soldiers without his political entourage.
As I said I think it’s beneficial in many cases for political candidates to visit our troops. I think ignoring our troops is bad, I think exploiting our troops politically is bad.
Why can’t more candidates visit our troops without trying to make it a political campaign and media circus in a way that wildly exploits our troops?
Sure Obama would get criticized if he ignored the wounded troops, as he would if he went to visit the wounded troops and made a big media spectacle of it. Can’t Obama visit our wounded troops without making a media spectacle and wildly exploiting the situation politically?
How would you feel if you got injured in a controversial manner and the only friends you had that would come visit you, made their visits conditionally that the interviews and photos could be used in some tabloid without your control or rights. I would say “some friend, go fly a kite in a lightning storm“.
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Guysmiley
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Posted: Jul 25, 2008 - 06:35 PM
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Elite 1K
Joined: May 26, 2005 - 08:39 PM
Posts: 1496
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Quote:
How would you feel if you got injured in a controversial manner and the only friends you had that would come visit you, made their visits conditionally that the interviews and photos could be used in some tabloid without your control or rights. I would say “some friend, go fly a kite in a lightning storm“.
Well for one, I don't have any friends that are politicians. That's probably not a coincidence. I don't particularly like EITHER candidate in this campaign. I'm not saying Obama is right or wrong, I'm just pointing out the feedback loop. |
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