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.
Eric,
Why some people can use foul language and get away with it and I get a post deleted because I use the initials BS…. I think I am being targeted…. So much for free speech and civility…l
Annie,
What’s funny, is I had a comment deleted because I think I used the term neonazis…. It was not directed at anyone…. I just read the civility rules… And it’s pretty general…. But it does say not to feed the trolls and some are here just to upset the status quo…. And if that’s the case, why are my posts being deleted and not the one causing the disruption…..
Anonymouly Yours: “Bigger things to worry about….”
Sure, but it’s in the scope – Professor Turley posted on it so we talked about it.
The other, non-salute issue in the post is the Constitutional setting of the anti-ISIS campaign, which I’ve talked about upthread.
Bigger things to worry about….
I do wish some people would spell their nom de plume correctly. I don’t know who I am being insulted by.
Dust Bunny Queen,
With both hands occupied, a courteous nod and word of acknowledgement from the President with no salute would have sufficed.
A lower rank – say, General Dempsey – shouldn’t greet the President that way, but a President with his hands occupied can certainly greet his Marine guards that way.
Better that he would not have saluted than saluted holding the cup. Obama was caught in an awkward moment, probably with a lot on his mind, defaulted to habit, and made a mistake. It happens.
One issue that no one has brought up regarding the salute. Obama is left handed and he would naturally be holding the cup in his off hand while buttoning his jacket. He salutes with his right hand even though he is left handed.
That isn’t an excuse, however, he should have been prepared to salute. Button up his coat first. Give someone else the cup to hold. It isn’t as if the custom of the salute is a surprise.
Even so. What a stupid thing to get worked up about when there are so many other WORSE actions that Obama has done and is doing.
Tea Party Pot
Tea Party Cold
Tea Party in the Pot nine days old.
Yes folks, the Tea Party is in the Potty on this one. Truman said that the Commander in Chief did not have to return a salute. Abe Lincoln would not salute. We need troops on the ground like we need boots in Angola, ankle bracelets in NYC or sandals in Vegas.
Medical marijauna, good for when one starts hearing…. Voices. o_O
Mama, Being an intelligent person, you know 80% of all communication is nonverbal. And, as you said earlier, eyes are the key. I made my living reading people. My ability to read people literally has saved my life. You are a woman among girls, Mama. There are some other righteous women here, but you’ve been reading, you know the lineup.
Annie,
Yep.
During the years that my daughter was a Corps School Instructor at Great Lakes Naval Base, I happened to be on base with her in her car on our way to the Nex. It was winter and she happened to see one of her students walking down the sidewalk with his hands in his coat pockets, in uniform. She stopped the car got out and berated him for not having his Navy issue gloves and having his hands in his pockets. I felt so bad for that poor young sailor. I thought to myself, “Damn my daughter’s a bad a$$!” Actually her students seemed to really like her and respect her. She had so many parents of students come up to her at graduations and tell her their sons and daughters spoke highly of her.
Annie – I ate lunch at a seafood place near San Diego Marine Base. I overheard several recruits telling their parents how much they enjoyed getting hit with the pugilist sticks. The looks on the parents faces were priceless. 🙂 Read a book called “Influence” and you will understand what went on between your daughter and her students. Nothing untoward. Just how it works.
DS, thank you.
“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.”
Paul, your comment made me chuckle. When I was a junior enlisted, we would go out of our way to force an Officer that we knew always tried to dodge this practice, to return a salute. If we were in a group and saw an Officer coming in the distance, perhaps coming down the brow while we were walking up the pier; we would then split up and stagger ourselves so we only had to give one salute while the Officer had to salute each of us. We would add in a “good morning, Sir” just to make them acknowledge that as well.
When I was a Chief Petty Officer, the Junior Officer’s would come to the Chiefs to seek our advice about how to handle these situations. We had to remind them that they could always pull the first guy aside and perform a quick uniform inspection (and schedule a re-inspection). Word traveled fast and soon no one made that mistake again. Problem solved. 😉
Olly – ah, the wisdom that comes from experience. 🙂
Darren, they sure aren’t merely “girls” as John suggests about women in combat.
Annie,
Yep, I would say fighters is a good word to describe them.
John:
You forgot to copy my old company commander.
Yes I know which one you are referring to anon. Sad that so many excellent commenters are no longer here. It’s amazing, simply amazing that one person, or that person’s um…alter ego could do such damage to an excellent blog.
Hats off to these Kurdish women in the video.
Annie,
I wouldn’t doubt it, but I’m thinking of one very specific incident — one that tipped the balance here…
Jim22,
I don’t believe President Obama intended disrespect. He just made a mistake of basic form by carrying a big cup into the salute.
What I find more interesting in the salute discussion are the varied perceptions about the military salute custom.
Could someone give me the formula for inserting a photo into WordPress. I have one that is relevant to this topic.
OK Olly, because I respect you, I will take your word for it.