Obama Snubs the Injured Troops - No cameras no campaign photo ops
This story is from multiple sources: First the clip from Fox News
Sphere: Related ContentWhile Barack Obama was on his 2008 European Tour, he was scheduled to visit injured service members in Landstuhl and Ramstein. He didn’t.
The USA Today says it was because Obama felt it would be seen as a campaign event and not true appreciation:
“Senator Obama had hoped to and had every intention of visiting our troops to express his appreciation and gratitude for their service to our country.
“We learned from the Pentagon last night that the visit would be viewed instead as a campaign event. Senator Obama did not want to have a trip to see our wounded warriors perceived as a campaign event when his visit was to show his appreciation for our troops and decided instead not to go.”
This from NBC:
A U.S. military official tells NBC News they were making preparations for Sen. Barack Obama to visit wounded troops at the Landstuhl Medical Center at Ramstein, Germany on Friday, but “for some reason the visit was called off.”
One military official who was working on the Obama visit said because political candidates are prohibited from using military installations as campaign backdrops, Obama’s representatives were told, “he could only bring two or three of his Senate staff member, no campaign officials or workers.” In addition, “Obama could not bring any media. Only military photographers would be permitted to record Obama’s visit.”
The official said “We didn’t know why” the request to visit the wounded troops was withdrawn. “He (Obama) was more than welcome. We were all ready for him.”
The military said it didn’t allow military installations to be used as campaign backdrops. So, really, the Pentagon didn’t say what Obama said it did. The Pentagon said, “Go ahead, but you can’t take your campaign there with you. You have to go without your entourage.”
No media, no Obama. Shows you his true appreciation for their service.
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
It was a no win for Obama - if he went to visit the right wing would be saying he used the troops, so as not to be like the Repoblicans and use injured he didn’t go. Don’t want to do as Bush McCain do
July 26th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Hardly. If he went to see the wounded, without media coverage but just as a sincere and grateful visitor without a media train, he would have at least possibly earned the respect of veterans and hospital staff. He was extended an invitation for a quiet and dignified private visit, but he declined.
The right will skewer him no matter what - so why forego the visit? No, he didn’t want it if he couldn’t use it as a photo op. Not an efficient use of campaign time and money it seems. Obama has no qualms about using people to further his own ends. When they are of no use to him, under the bus they go.