Not much attention has been given to a very damaging gaffe made by Barack Obama a few days ago. The press has been so busy slobbering all over Obama and reporting how wonderful his overseas tour went - that they have chosen to ignore or barely mention a big Barack mistake. While on his recent Presidential tour, conquering the hearts of people everywhere he went (or so we have been told by the mainstream media), Barack Obama made the decision not to visit the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The German magazine "Der Spiegel" published an article on Thursday, July 24th, saying Obama's planned trip had been canceled. The stop was to include meetings with wounded U.S. soldiers from Iraq.
Here's where it gets interesting. Initially, Obama's senior advisor Robert Gibbs said that Obama decided to cancel the trip out of concern that that campaign-funded tour might be seen as "inappropriate". (Wasn't the point of Obama's trip - to campaign???). When the reaction to that explanation wasn't very favorable, another Obama advisor later told ABC News that the decision was made because the Pentagon advised the Obama camp that the trip would be viewed as a campaign stop.
McCain, to his credit, quickly took Obama to task. McCain's spokesman Brian Rogers said "Barack Obama is wrong. It is never "inappropriate" to visit our men and women in the military." McCain also issued a release from retired Lt. Col. Joe Repya, a veteran of three wars, that scolded Obama for stiffing the troops while "flitting from one European capital to the next."
Still upset over criticism for the canceled visit, the Obama camp said again that the Pentagon advised them not to visit the troops.
The Pentagon, to their credit like John McCain, also took Obama to task. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman denied that the Pentagon had discouraged Obama from visiting the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. He stated "Obama was absolutely told he could visit the troops." Whitman further elaborated that Obama was "certainly welcome to visit a military medical facility any time he wants to - as long as that visit is consistent with that of a sitting senator." Note the key words "sitting senator". Here is where the story becomes clear... As a sitting senator, Obama would have had to follow certain rules in order to visit. The guidelines included:
- Senate staffers could have accompanied Obama, but not campaign staffers
- no photography would have been allowed due to privacy issues
In essence, Obama would have been left to his own devices when meeting with wounded soldiers and other military personnel. It was mentioned that there may have been U.S. soldiers who wished to express their difference of opinions with Mr. Obama over the Iraq War. Obama may have been asked to explain why he was not in favor of the war, didn't support the surge (and still doesn't) and wants an early troop withdrawal (meaning the United States is defeated). Obama would have been in a situation beyond his control - and it could have gone badly. And if there had been pro-Obama moments coming out of the visit - there was no opportunity for a photo op! So, the Obama camp seems to have concluded - why bother?
Obama was later interviewed by FOX News anchor Bill Hemmer regarding his decision to cancel his visit with the U.S. troops and wounded soldiers. Hemmer asked Obama about whether or not nixing the troop visit was a mistake. Obama replied: "Well, no, not at all. It was scheduled, we intended to go, and we got wind that there was some concern that this might be perceived as political because we were using campaign resources. And at that point, the last thing I wanted to do in any way distract the terrific work that's being done in terms of treating our troops, by getting it fouled up by a bunch of politics... I didn't want it to be a distraction."
DISTRACTION? Where have we all heard that word before? Wasn't the Reverend Jeremiah Wright a "distraction"? Wasn't Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers a "distraction"? Wasn't Michelle Obama saying she hadn't been proud of her country a "distraction"? How about the Obama's beneficial land deal with friend (and convicted felon) Tony Rezko - a "distraction"? Even Obama's extremely liberal voting record - will that be a "distraction"? Everything about Obama's past seems to be a "distraction".
In Obama's world, a "distraction" appears to be anything truthful that may interfere with his chances to become the next President of the United States. And one big difference between Obama and McCain - McCain would have visited with our troops no matter what. As a recent McCain ad says: "John McCain is always there for our troops."
The more people learn about Obama, the less his chances of being elected President. As noted liberal columnist Richard Cohen (The Washington Post) wrote a few days ago, "I know that Barack Obama is a near-perfect political package. But I'm not sure what's inside." When the public actually catches glimpses of the real Obama - the socialist views, the damaging associations with the anti-American crowd, as well as questions regarding his patriotism, and now his recent snubbing of U.S. troops and wounded soldiers, Obamamania will fade away. Then Obama will no longer be a "distraction" to the good of the country.