Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Media, Military, Politics

Semper Latte: Cup Salute Seems To Generate More Attention Than Undeclared War In National Debate

1411505445739_wps_3_Americans_weren_t_amused_It is being called “Semper Latte” and, if this is the biggest scandal that President Barack Obama has to worry about, his Administration is safe. Various people are denouncing the President for saluting his Marine guard while holding a cup of tea or coffee. From CNN to the Daily Mail to ABC to the New York Daily News to the Washington Post to the New York Post to NBC to CBS to countless others, the salute is generating heated comments across the country. YouTube clips show the salute over and over along with multiple postings expressing outrage. My reaction is a bit different. The President has launched another declared war that his aides say could last “years.” However, there seem more debate over this tempest in a tea [cup] than the fact that we are bombing another nation.


The President did not put his styrofoam cup in his other hand while stepping out of Marine One — a breach of military regulations and decorum. He appears to have forgotten the salute as he multitasked with his cup while buttoning his jacket.

What truly amazes me is that the White House released the photo. No one saw the problem and actually viewed the picture as worthy of sending out on the web.

However, it is the relative attention given the issue that is mystifying. Many irate people over the salute are less aggrieved by the war just commenced on the sole authority of this President. Just as there is an appropriate way to salute a Marine, there is an appropriate way to send a Marine to war. The Constitution is quite clear about starting wars and there is far more at stake. We should be at least as aggrieved when our Constitution is being disrespected or ignored as we are the Marine guard this week. Just a thought.

287 thoughts on “Semper Latte: Cup Salute Seems To Generate More Attention Than Undeclared War In National Debate”

  1. One month after Obama was elected, how did ANYONE know that anyone’s “liberty” would be needing to be “defended”? That’s a mighty leap into the rabbit hole. That ” defending liberty” shtick that you suggest the Oath Keepers were engaging in ONE MONTH after Obama was elected is simply an excuse for an extremist racist ideology.

  2. It appears that Bush wasn’t walking either, he was stationary. Whereas Obama was moving down the stairs.

  4. “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater

  6. Olly: “The Bush photo is also disrespectful.”

    Maybe.

    At a guess based on his posture and expression, Bush was in an awkward position holding his dog (Barney, IIRC) and straightening up to a proper posture at the moment the photo was taken.

    The controversial photo also caught Obama in an awkward moment, but the difference is he was carrying a big cup in his saluting hand. There’s no possibility there of a frozen image captured out of context of Obama straightening up. That’s just a mistake.

    As I said upthread, at his rank, a President can be perfunctory, loose, or even sloppy in his salute. But there’s a still a minimum standard. Carrying a big cup into your salute falls below it.

    In any case, not a big deal. I highly doubt there was any intent to disrespect, but the President did make a mistake.

    1. Eric – there is video of Obama. He saluted cup in hand and moved on in his imperial way. Reminded me of Caligula in ‘I, Cladius.’

  7. You’re cracking me up this morning Annie. How did they know? You call them fools and yet they were correct to be concerned. It’s called understanding that progressivism infects both major parties; it’s called not wanting to continue growing the administrative state; it’s called understanding what government is supposed to do; it’s called understanding the character necessary for the job. It’s studying history so that you don’t STUPIDLY make the same mistakes that destroyed every other republic in history. Unfortunately, they don’t outnumber the *ahem* enlightened folks that decided they were ready for a “mere change of masters”.

  8. Olly, what is disrespectful is a group of bigoted Obama haters who got together only a month after Obama was elected and formed a group called The Oath Keepers. The same nuts who were at the Bundy Ranch. The one’s who promote insurrection. tell me how did these fools, the Oath Keepers know anything about what kind of an Administartion or Presiden Obama would be , one months after he took office? It was a racist reaction to a black man being elected President. Many in the military are minorities and women who do not vote for Republicans, for good reason.

  9. jonathanturley: “The Constitution is quite clear about starting wars and there is far more at stake. We should be at least as aggrieved when our Constitution is being disrespected or ignored”.

    Your view on the Constitution differs from Congress’s view on the Constitution regarding international terrorism, though.

    PL 107-40 premise: “the President has authority under the Constitution to take action to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States”.

    Not every military action requires a war authorization by Congress.

    Congress has already authorized the President’s international counter-terrorism. Or rather, Congress has already affirmed the President’s inherent Constitutional authority for international counter-terrorism.

    As I said under a previous post, take a look at President Clinton’s anti-AQ – but not anti-Taliban – missile strikes in Afghanistan and Sudan. I fail to see the distinction between Clinton’s anti-AQ strikes and Obama’s anti-ISIS strikes. The anti-ISIS bombing is not directed against the Syrian state anymore than Clinton’s anti-AQ bombing was directed against the Afghan state.

    Now, the same can’t be said for the increased, non-covert arming of anti-Assad forces that are ostensibly also anti-ISIS. Not coincidentally perhaps, that piece has been attached to a Congressional authorization.

    Of course, if Assad chooses war with us over the violation of Syria’s sovereignty, like the Taliban chose to defend their AQ guests after 9/11, then it switches to a sovereign war, which triggers a war authorization protocol.

  10. Why would I do that Annie? Her service is honorable and should not be questioned. She’s one data point on this subject and so am I. Take it for what it’s worth.

  11. The Bush photo is also disrespectful. Who’s trying to give it a pass?

    “I think that room was probably pretty representative of the military in general.” LOL If you say so then it must be so. Of course you have your finger on the pulse given your vast military experience.

  12. Olly, my daughter is very respectful of the military and the country she serves. She thinks this brouhaha is stupid. She said “Who cares”? Now are you going to try to discredit my daughter as an active duty Navy member since 2002, served a year in Afghanistan, was there during the Camp Bastion Attack in 2012, just down the road from where the Taliban got through the fence? She’s highly thought of by her fellow sailors and her superiors. Her promotions have actually been ahead of schedule compared to other’s. She represents our military honorably.

    1. annie – I am most appreciative of your daughter’s service to this country, but you trot out that Camp Bastion thing about once every couple of weeks. It is like playing the race card. it has lost its value. And, Annie, Bush did not salute with the dog IN his hand.

      BTW, back in the distant past, when I was taking ROTC we used to go around campus to find our ‘superior officers’ who had their books in their right hand or had their right arm around their girl friend and run up and salute them. It was much fun. Pay back is a bitch.

  15. John, when my daughter was in Afghanistan it was during the 2012 Presidential election. She was in a room with others who were watching the election results coming in. When Obama won the room erupted in applause and cheers. She voted for him twice, so did the most of the minorities and women in the room and about half of the white males. The truth of the matter isn’t what you want it to be, but what it is. I think that room was probably pretty representative of the military in general.

  16. Olly,
    I have to disagree that this “salute” is a big issue. What is a big issue is that fact that we are even discussing it, as suggested earlier. How many missiles were sent today?
    Annie,
    Great link to the New York Times and a wonderful picture of GW and his puppy.

  17. The salute has traditionally been a gesture of respect. The junior initiates the salute and the senior responds in kind. My experience is you have situations where you are prepared to salute and others where you are not. You are expected to keep your right hand free when in areas you may have to salute. If you happen to be carrying something in your right hand and have to unexpectedly offer or return a salute then you shift hands and perform the salute. It is acceptable to salute left-handed if using the right hand is not possible.

    My problem with this is that his exit out of the aircraft is not unexpected. He knows well in advance that he will be presented a salute and will be expected to return the salute. His wife is following him without a cup in her hand; he could have handed it to her. His aides on the aircraft could have just as easily carried it for him. He could have ordered 20 cups be at the ready when got in the limo or on AF1. He could have done any number of things to demonstrate just how much he respects the military and THIS is what he chose to do.

    The military prides itself on the principle of “paying attention to detail”. I guarantee you that ANY service member that respects the traditions of the military will not simply dismiss this as insignificant. Any that would place politics above service. This is not a “one off” but rather a pattern of “inattention to detail” that has a deleterious effect to the good order and discipline of the armed forces as well as the civilian public sector.

  18. Well, being a good little girl reporter, I have the REAL story on this!!! In the form of an Irish Poem, naturlich:

    A Whole Latte Shaking Going On???
    An Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm

    Said the President, “Guys, have no fears!”
    “What you see is NOT what it appears”
    “These copters get chilly”
    “Sooo, quit being silly!”
    “I was trying to warm up my ears!”

    Squeeky Fromm
    Girl Reporter

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