Submitted by Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
“I should have anticipated the optics.”
–President Barack Obama
President Obama claimed in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press that he regretted playing a round of golf immediately following a press conference in which he spoke of the murder of captured Journalist James Foley by ISIS terrorists. This comes after weeks in some media circles of condemnation for showing lack of sincerity and being aloof to what had taken place.
The president stated that he “had to hold back tears” when speaking to the family of Mr. Foley but added that there was the possibility of a “jarring contrast” between world events and his desire to carve out a semblance of a normal life involving recreation.
The president also admitted that sometimes his own performance in some of the more public rituals of the presidency was lacking.
“Part of this job, is also the theater of it.
“It’s not something that always comes naturally to me. But it matters. And I’m mindful of that,” Obama said.
President Obama’s statements are surely not going to temper anger in the minds of those who were affronted by his remarks. It could be asked if his regret was whether he might have upset the family and those who knew and loved Mr. Foley or if his own image might have been tarnished.
One has to wonder how much else is theater with proffered claims of sincerity.
By Darren Smith
Source:
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Well Paul, I have trouble taking what you say seriously, no offense.
What part of honoring an oath don’t you understand Annie? Service members don’t take an oath to a person; we take an oath to something that transcends ANY office holder.
“I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
We have been blessed with the capacity to reason, independent from outside influence. As military or civilian citizens of the United States, we have a duty to know what lawful orders and constitutional government are. It is the worst form of dishonor to accept Article 138 conduct when it doesn’t impact you and equally as dishonorable to accept the trampling of our rule of law simply because you agree with the outcome.
This blog’s host understands that so why is it so difficult for so many others?
http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2013/07/25/oath-keepers-rally-reveals-radical-politics-of-group/
Oath Keepers rally reveals radical politics of this group. They do not deserve respect IMO.
annie – splc is a hate group. They have not had my respect since their inception. I cannot take anything they say seriously.
I have no “unconditional love” for any politician. I do however love my country.
Olly, just as I suspected. Because your group disregards this President’s authority as CinC you feel you have an imperative to commit insurrection? What if you are WRONG? The term limit is only 8 years for any President. We (barely) survived Bush. You will survive Obama and more importantly our Consitution will survive.
annie – Obama has done such serious damage to the country, the big question is how long it will take to recover.
Annie – do you know who the best general the Allies had during WWII?
Hitler.
The best general our enemies have is Obama.
She is quite the card, Paul. Gotta appreciate the unconditional love but at some point the parent has to realize they are enabling this behavior.
Bush like to cut brush.
Paul, I was having a side bar with Olly. Disregard it if it bothers you.
“Those who foment insurrection do not show respect for the Office of the Commander in Chief or the Constitution of the US.”
That would be utterly hysterical if it weren’t so pathetic. What if the disrespect for the Constitution is coming from the CinC himself!? I have never known one person so committed to fomenting a divide than this President.
LOL, when citizens are viewed as radical, fringe or insurrectionist because they demand respect for the rule of law then it’s time to take a serious look at what the heck “mainstream” folks use to measure proper governance. WOW, something is seriously out of whack!
Olly – annie seems to be worried about a group with no power and I am worried about people in power, government employees.
http://thebigslice2013.org/american-warlords-the-cspoaoath-keepers/
American Warlords: the CSPOA/Oath Keepers. This should concern everyone.
annie – what do the oathkeepers have to do with obama golfing 4 times more than bush?
Paul, no one here said you can’t hate it, you can do whatever you want short of insurrection. Even O’Reilly has issues with the notion of such groups as Oath Keepers. He called them “extreme”, amazing.
http://youtu.be/gn0PFmw7tcw
annie – thanks for letting me think my own thoughts and write them down. BTW, I would no more take Bill O’Reilly’s opinion on something than I would Barack Obama.
Currently I am trying to keep my house from floating away so I am not going to sweat the small stuff.
http://pocho.com/why-do-republicans-hate-it-when-obama-plays-golf-toon/
Eight months into President George W. Bush’s second term, the Washington Post wrote that Bush’s frequent trips to his Texas ranch symbolized “a lackadaisical approach to the world’s most important day job” and gleefully noted that Bush was intent on setting the record for being on “vacation”–or away from Washington, D.C.–for the most number of days of any president.
But when President Barack Obama vacations in Hawaii, sets up a fantasy golf vacation for himself with Butch Harmon and Tiger Woods, averages more than a vacation a month in 2013 while purporting to be a man of the people and demanding the rich pay their fair share, and playing sequester politics by shutting down White House tours, the mainstream media is silent.
And while Bush spent more time outside of Washington than Obama, it is also worth nothing that nearly all of Bush’s vacations were trips back to his Texas ranch or family vacation homes in Maine.
The Post, in 2005, conceded that Bush’s vacations–unlike Obama’s–were not lavish and he did not “make time for fun.”
“Bush rarely takes the type of vacation one would consider exotic — or, to some, even appealing,” the Post wrote. “His notion of relaxation is chopping cedar on his ranch or mountain biking through rough terrain, all in 100-degree-plus temperatures in dusty Texas where crickets are known to roast on the summer pavement. He seems to relish the idea of exposing aides and reporters to the hothouse environment.”
Obama, on the other hand, has traveled to Hawaii every winter. The Obama daughters are vacationing at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas this week with a full Secret Service detail, as Breitbart News reported, even as the White House claimed they could not afford to pay Secret Service agents to continue the popular White House tours for other students who are on their spring vacations in Washington, D.C.
The Obamas have gone to Martha’s Vineyard multiple times while the country was in recession and Americans were struggling to find jobs. Michelle Obama has taken a whirlwind trip to Spain and a ski trip to Aspen.
Obama took 13 vacations in his first term, which spanned all or part of 83 days. But they have been much more lavish than Bush’s. His annual vacations to Hawaii alone have cost taxpayers at least $20 million during his first term. In 2011 alone, Michelle Obama may have cost taxpayers $10 million on vacations herself. Obama’s fantasy golf outing this year cost local law enforcement in Florida a reported $78, 205.
Bush was content to work from home during his vacations. And for doing so, the mainstream media tagged him as lazy and disinterested. The Obamas gallivant around, making plenty of “time for fun,” and the mainstream media does not call them out for wasting taxpayer dollars or even for the terrible “optics.”
Oath Keepers are a quasi insurrectiontist movement and have forfeighted any respect from current military members or their families, IMO. Those who foment insurrection do not show respect for the Office of the Commander in Chief or the Constitution of the US. There is NO reason to have another “oath” beyond what oath was taken at the time of their swearing in. You are free to disagree.
Annie,
This is a quote from you on another thread:
“I don’t think anyone here has ever indicated that our military members shouldn’t be treated with utmost respect and honor, especially our veterans.”
The largest percentage of Oathkeepers are military veterans. The fact they honor the oath of service into their post-military lives should be respected and not ridiculed. I would expect as a parent of a service-member you would understand that, especially given your quote above.
You should look at Article 138 of the UCMJ when considering: “that our current President IS the Commander in Chief and should be afforded the respect of his Office, by current military members.”
The irony is thick.
Olly, I didn’t know you were in the Navy. Ever in San Diego? And remember, when you spend time engaging w/ folks w/ a middle school demeanor you never get that time back. Our time is precious. I live a happy life by not engaging negative, troubled people, here and in the real world. But, you are a sharp dude. You’ll figure that out.
It’s a reminder that our current President IS the Commander in Chief and should be afforded the respect of his Office, by current military members. My daughter served under Bush who she did not vote for, she didn’t call for additional oaths, such as the loony toon Oath Keepers have.
Does that phrase precede “I know your are but what am I?” in the whole maturity timeline or is it after?
I’m going to opt for “lumping it” when it deserves to be lumped. Thanks
Also, let us not forget who the Commander in Chief is, like it or lump it.
annie – although Obama is the commander-in-chief we can hate it, we don’t just have to lump it.