Obama Nixes Visit with Wounded Troops to Work on his Abs at the Gym.

by politisite | July 24, 2008 at 09:50 pm | 2002 views | 36 comments

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BARACK OBAMA

A Workout at the Ritz Instead of Meeting U.S. Troops? Bad Move, Senator Obama.

By Albert N. Milliron, Editor, Politisite.com, Opinion-Editorial

Scheduling Snafus happen, we all are aware that Obama had to cancel some dates due to his plane having mechanical problems. But in this case, not so. Based on multiple sources, Senator Obama went to the Ritz Gym instead of visiting the major medical center in which our troops come out of the battlefield and receive care prior to being returned to the United States.

So visiting national leaders, going to the wailing wall, giving a wonderful speech about how he Loves America, then goes to the Gym at the Ritz to wind down from all of his world wide recognition and campaigning. The final thing he accomplished is that a Public Relations Officer at both hospitals had to tell the wounded and recovering troops he would be not be visiting them.

How proud the Obama camp must be.

The following sources tell the story better then I as they were eye witness accounts. The photo of Barack Obama is displayed here

So who is to blame? In the Obama Campaign, who has always been the blame. A staffer. Yes the potential commander in chief blamed a staffer because a campaign staffer refused to go to the hospital citing some obscure rule that campaign staff can't be present while visiting troops. Well presidential candidate Obama, your should have left the staffer behind and visited the troops. Lets be presidential.

Remember in my former writings, on Politisite and NowPublic, The Obama Rule? The Obama rule is, "When Obama is wrong, Blame a staffer".

The trip was not a campaign trip. Not a campaign Rally. It was a Senator who sits on certain committees who have some jurisdiction over the region. He was on a fact finding mission. The campaign trip excuse doesn't pass the sniff test.

Schedule snafus happen SPIEGEL ONLINE has learned that Obama has canceled a planned short visit to the Rammstein and Landstuhl US military bases in the southwest German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The visits were planned for Friday. "Barack Obama will not be coming to us," a spokesperson for the US military hospital in Landstuhl announced. "I don't know why." Shortly before the same spokeswoman had announced a planned visit by Obama.

coupled with this...

Obama noted that in a break from his whirlwind schedule, "we've got some down time tonight. What are you guys gonna do in Berlin? Huh? Huh? You guys got any big. plans? ...I've never been to Berlin, so...I would love to tour around a little bit."

and this report of Obama using the fitness room of the Berlin Ritz Carlton suggest that Obama and/or the people around him have egregious sensibilities on what his priorities ought to be.

You just don't cancel on the troops. You just don't.

You particular don't cancel on the troops, but go on with other events like the rally. He'll get tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Germans to chant his name? Terrific. Too bad he's not campaigning to represent them. Let him immigrate and run for Chancellor if he wants.

UPDATE: Obama, on the plane to Berlin:

Aboard his plane early this morning, someone asked what was the high point of the trip so far. "This," Obama deadpanned, referring to his 15-minute appearance in the back cabin with reporters. "I had to earn it," he said. "I said, 'When do I get a chance to go back and talk to the press?' "

Amid laughter, he was asked for his second-favorite moment. He paused. "You know I really get a kick out of spending time with the troops. Their morale is high, but they really appreciate acknowledgement of what they're doing," Obama said. "You know, everywhere we went in Afghanistan and Iraq they were just really eager to tell their story, what they were doing. And it was moving. And it's neat to see the mix. You have a bunch of 20-year olds and then you'll get a 40-year old or 50-year old who's in the Guard; a Missouri banker who's helping to try to set up a agricultural project. You know, that's pretty spectacular."

Who decided that Obama had spent enough time with the troops?

UPDATE: A very interesting email from a source I must protect suggests that Obama's visit to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center had the green light until a campaign staffer raised a stink about going with Obama. (There are rules meant to ensure candidates do not use soldiers or military bases for campaign purposes, and they state that personal and committee staff may accompany a sitting senator on a visit but campaign staff may not.) I am told that when one of Obama's campaign staff was told he or she would be denied access, the visit was canceled.

The last-minute cancellation speaks more poorly of this unidentified staffer than of Obama himself. But in the end, shouldn't Obama have been able to say, "fine, the staffer stays in Berlin (or where-ever) and I'm going to Landstuhl? Can he still say so?

Obama Blows Off Visit to Wounded Troops

While making sure he got in his campaign rally in Berlin, Barack Obama ended up blowing off a visit to wounded soldiers in Landstuhl. According to Der Spiegel, Obama “cancelled a planned short visit to the Rammstein and Landstuhl U.S. military bases in the southwest German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The visits were planned for Friday.”

Obama’s campaign had this excuse:

“During his trip as part of the CODEL to Afghanistan and Iraq, Senator Obama visited the combat support hospital in the Green Zone in Baghdad and had a number of other visits with the troops. For the second part of his trip, the senator wanted to visit the men and women at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to express his gratitude for their service and sacrifice. The senator decided out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign.”

A Republican friend of the Swamp helpfully points out that Sen. Barack Obama seems to have time to visit the gym for a workout today, but not to visit the troops during his stay in Germany tomorrow.

According to Spiegel Online, which is tracking Obama's every move, at 1:42 p.m. it learned that "Obama has cancelled a planned short visit to the Rammstein and Landstuhl US military bases in the southwest German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The visits were planned for Friday."

Thanks to a statement from senior adviser Robert Gibbs, the issue seems to be one of ethics and propriety, rather than time.

"During his trip as part of the CODEL to Afghanistan and Iraq, Senator Obama visited the combat support hospital in the Green Zone in Baghdad and had a number of other visits with the troops," Gibbs said. "For the second part of his trip, the senator wanted to visit the men and women at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to express his gratitude for their service and sacrifice. The senator decided out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign."

But that didn't cut it for the McCain campaign: "Barack Obama is wrong. It is never 'inappropriate' to visit our men and women in the military," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

Politisite has been asked if The Obama Trip to Iraq was a Campaign activity or as part of his duties as a U.S. Sentator. His Congressional website posted a Press release on July 21, 2008. This indicates that this trip was part of his senatorial respocibilies. Senator Obama did take some of his campain advisors and may not have been allowed to partisipate in a hospital visit. But since his entire trip was due to his responcibilites are a sentator there would be no prohibiting this staffer to go to the hospital with Senator Obama to visit the wounded troops. Here is a portion of his PR Statement of Senators Obama, Reed, and Hagel on Trip to Iraq

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michael Ortiz (Obama), Chip Unruh (Reed), or Jordan Stark (Hagel)

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - U.S. Senators Barack Obama, Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel traveled today to Iraq, first to Basra, then to Baghdad. In Basra, they met with U.S., British and Iraqi troops; Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, Commander Multinational Corps - Iraq; Major General Barney White-Spunner (UK), Commander, Multinational Division Southeast; and Major General Abdul Aziz, Commander, 14th Iraqi Army Division. In Baghdad, the Senators met with U.S. troops; Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki; President Jalal Talabani; Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi; and Vice President Adil Abdulmahdi. They received a detailed briefing from and consulted extensively with U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus, Commander, MNF Iraq. They visited with doctors, nurses and patients at the 86th Combat Support Hospital and took part in a helicopter over flight of Baghdad conducted by General Petraeus.

"We are in Iraq to thank our troops, diplomats and civilians for the remarkable job they are doing and to let them know that, back home, Americans are proud of them. We came to consult with our military leaders, embassy team and the Iraqi government about a way forward in Iraq that advances the interests of the United States, Iraq and the entire region.

Note: Politisite has removed a portion of this article due to conflicting information. While some are calling the letter a Fake, Others are saying that it is was authentic but the Capt wrote another letter retracting the comments against Obama, and stated the letter was to his family, and was not for public consumption. He further asked that all who have posted the letter to remove it. I expect he was threatened with legal action. The Miltary Information Service went to great to great lenghts to discredit this letter. Which causes me to wonder if this is part of the military misinformation that is part of the, Hearts and Minds" Statagy. Ultimatly we removed the letter as we had no additional source information on its accuracy.

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V_rod218813

at 22:15 on July 24th, 2008

Did you read the reason why? He didn't think it was appropriate to visit on a campaign fundraiser, which is just right! He shouldn't be trying to raise money to visit U.S. troops in the hospital. Check how many times he has visited troops in hospitals. I would have been irked if he made a fundraising spectacle out visiting wounded troops. Way to go Obama!

As far as that guy at Bagram goes, I know people up there that talked with him for quite a bit. He wasn't visiting the place to stump with the troops. It would be shameful if he did. When McCain came to Iraq we were greeted to the same exact hello and goodbye. But when Obama came in '05, he played ball with the troops, just like he did in Afghanistan.

politisite

at 01:18 on July 25th, 2008

He is not allowed to campaign overseas. He is not allowed to hold a campaign rally. He can visit troops. If you would like the campaign election laws. I would be more then happy to provide them. The guys in Afghan said they loved him. Same in Iraq.

I know that it is difficult to see soldiers injured. I was a Army medic / combat Psych and worked for the VA. There is no excuse for this man to work out and then hop on his plane to go home letting down these men of service. What you are hearing is spin and you will hear this spin for days. I will be fact checking all the way. Dissing troops is a big issue with this 100% disabled veteran.

V_rod218813

at 22:26 on July 24th, 2008

Here are two emails I got from my buddies up that way. I edited out a good portion because some of it was a little too vulgar for this site, and I didn't want to publish military members name as some kind of endorsement. These are not endorsements by the DOD or military, they are merely opinions. I noticed CPT J didn't use the same little discolosure, which as an officer, which I can tell by the rank, is a MAJOR no-no. There rules are more stringent than enlisted.

Dude, Obama rocks! McCain's done! - Sgt P.

Cool Cat Devil - Hey Victor, you called it, this guy is great. I am going to donate through your page right now.

politisite

at 05:47 on July 27th, 2008

I have retracted the Capt J. Letter. The reasons are included in an end note. Regarding your article, Your statement that Military folks are not allowed to promulgate political information for or against and political candidate since it is a violation of military directives would mean that the two folks who wrote you about Obama also violated those directives and you sharing them he violate those directives as well. I think you should go back to your article and read the first paragraph.

You might as well look at your profile as well as you state

but am turned off by fundamentalist Christian conservatives. I love to crush, nay, destroy conservatives for their hypocritical morons they really are. I like to expose the Limbags, the O'really's, and the Insanity's of the world. The chicken-hawk conservatives are my favorite birds to fry. It is these draft dodging, fear mongering morons that armchair quarterback wars from the comfort of their luxury suites. The pontificate and bloviate without any morality and ethics.

Thank You for sharing with me that there was information about the Capt J Letter.

V_rod218813

at 12:10 on July 27th, 2008

Have you read my entire bio? What does it say my occupation is? Does it describe my line of work. The only way people know my line of work it from personal chat and comments.

V_rod218813

at 22:44 on July 24th, 2008

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-us&vid=c9f95148-dc68-4516-898e-eca9bbc82851&fg=rss

Here is an accurate representation, with links to troops cheering for him.......

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/and-crowd-goes-wild

V_rod218813

at 22:47 on July 24th, 2008

So you don't think people would have thrown the flags and said it was a political stunt? I would guarantee the O'reilly, Limbaughs, and Malkin's would be eating him up.

What do you want to fact check, I can probably direct you where you need to go.

Barry Artiste

at 22:49 on July 24th, 2008

good stuff:

politisite, I like this story. It's good stuff.

politisite

at 22:52 on July 24th, 2008

Thank your Number 1! I see the Obama Campaign has the spinners on. They will be all over morning TV.

René

at 05:20 on July 25th, 2008

And all over this site too!

V_rod218813

at 22:58 on July 24th, 2008

Hey, I am just another troop like CPT J. So how is he not a spinner and I am? Would you find it appropriate if Obama stopped in at a hospital on a campaign fundraising event?

politisite

at 23:02 on July 24th, 2008

Again, his trip was not a campaign fundraiser. As you noiticed his speech started with, I am a citizen of the United States. His trip comes under his job as a senator fact finding.

Leebo (not verified)

at 08:34 on July 25th, 2008

Wrong. There were two different legs of this trip. (Stick with me here - it gets rather complex for some you...)

When he was in the war zones, the trip was funded and sponsored through the Senate. That's why he visited wounded soldiers there.

Europe was paid for by his campaign - he knew it would be inapporiate to visit the base if it could be misconstrued as a campaign stop.

Follow the money and you'll get the real story.

politisite

at 11:17 on July 27th, 2008

Thanks for your input, a Pentagon spokeperson stated that she told Obama that he could visit the troops in Germany, he could even take his senate staff. He could not take his campain staff or use the event as a media event. So he descided not to go. I guess it just didn't meet his cause. By the way, the troops in hospitals in Iraq, and Afghan are forward medical facilities for the injured who will most likely return back to duty. The troops at the medical centers in Germany are the most serious injured in the combat theater. It is diffiuclt for anyone to enter a facility like that. It is not Walter Reed where troops are undergoing rehab. These are the troops that are extremley injured. I worked at a VA hospital for years and have seen nearly every thing. I was a Medic /Combat Psychiatry durng the first Gulf war. Maybe he had an out and took it. But if this man wants to be the President he should see for himself what war does.

V_rod218813

at 15:51 on July 27th, 2008

Once again, politistie, please get the facts right, people considering you a reliable source. His senate staff was sent home after the Mid East portion, because it was funded by his campaign, and not the taxpayers. Please don't degrade yourself by missing key facts.

Are you saying the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that are wounded are less important for patriotism purposes than those in Germany? Are you, a trusted news source, telling me that because they aren't missing limbs they aren't sexy enough for you to consider Obama patriotic? I would really like you to explain that position.

You don't even mention that he called the troops in Germany to apologize about the mix up and talk to them. I know much of your other stuff is pretty decent, but your credibility has become shot on the numerous facts you never even looked at, and that comment about troops in Iraq/Afghanistan/Walter Reed really offends me.

V_rod218813

at 15:38 on July 27th, 2008

Well then, I guess his campaign should be refunded the portion of the Europe tour. It seems the tax payers owe Obama. However, you are wrong, the Pentagon stated their opposition, because this was being funded by his campaign. His trip to Middle East was fact finding. You are a damn media guy, you should understand what a CODEL trip is and should investigate the facts better. But I guess we are all part time journalists on this site. Your integrity and credibility has been violated. Especially with that smear letter you posted on your other story. That is trash journalism, and you should have waited for the details behind such letter to emerge. You also stated that he was your friend, when he wasn't anybody's friend. The same trash letter is on hundreds of blogs. Here is what Senator Reed had to say about the trip, which would illustrate the trip to Iraq being a CODEL, funded as a bi-partisan fact finding trip.

"Senator Hagel, Senator Obama and I visited the combat support hospital in Baghdad to thank those nurses, those doctors, to see patients that were there, to bring a bit of greetings from home and profound thanks," he said. "That should be in the ad that Senator McCain is running.

"I think Senator Obama made a very wise choice [about Germany]. Any suggestion that a visit to a military hospital would be political, he made the wise choice not to go.

"But when we were in Baghdad, we made a point, at the end of a very exhausting day, to go in and see these magnificent young Americans and those doctors and nurses that give such tremendous care - without a lot of fanfare, just to say 'Thanks.'

"We went to Jalalabad to see the soldiers of the 173rd. We stopped in Basra to see our soldiers down there. We went into Anbar province to see soldiers there.

"That is a completely distorted and, I think, inappropriate advertisement."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/27/ftn/main4297769.shtml

politisite

at 17:12 on July 27th, 2008

What I have gathered from you is that you only use data that reflects your opinions. Even when the Pentagon says something differing from you. You have stated that it is your intention to smear conservatives. I will not be commenting on any of your emails or posts as you are not open to dialogue. You speak that soldiers should not talk about politics or campaign, but then you post a friends email to you that says, hey you were right, Obama is all that. When you speak of credibility it is always good to look at your motivations and disired outcomes. Journalism require that you report what happened as well as look at the possiblities that there were other factors. This Capt you speak of calling him incredable, speaking that he wrote a retraction. He in the military, if the LTC says write a retraction, thats what you do. It happens all the time. Think about the metal given to the pro ball player. The army covered up a friendly fire incident. Or what about the testifiers to congress on Kuwait. Talking about Iraqi soldiers taking babys out of the nursury leaving them to dies. Only to find out the woman who testified was an ambassadors daughter and had never been to Kuwait. The military has and does lie, and not just for tacticle reasons. I know all about psychologal warfare.

You are very biased toward your candidate. If you notice when I write a story about a candidate who is no where near my belief system I give the best perspective I can based on the information. If a candidate blows it I report that as well. Had you read my stories here over the last 7 months you will see articles both good and bad on McCain and Obama. I don't spend my time working for a candidate. I try to be objective. I realize that nothing I can say here will help you... But I wanted to finalize my communications with you.

I hope to see more of your work as you write here at Now Public. I thought a few of your pieces showed some real talent.

politisite

at 23:04 on July 24th, 2008

Because Cpt J. Is speaking of a first hand news event with his opinion of the events.

V_rod218813

at 15:53 on July 27th, 2008

His name is Captain Porter, a Battle Captain with the Utah National Guard. Get the facts straight please. And his own press statement says he didn't know the information and he asked that people stop forwarding it out.

V_rod218813

at 23:10 on July 24th, 2008

Ok, well, then I will give you my opinion as a troop. I actually read this story hours ago, and said to myself, he is gonna crap about this, but I respect him for it.

He didn't need to go into the hospital with news crews and cameras all over him, and then listen to people on the right say it was a political stunt............which they already have.

It was a pot shot story, spun by you and whoever you're partner CPT J is?

Edmund Jenks

at 23:21 on July 24th, 2008

good stuff:

politisite, I like this story. It's good stuff.

One Word Answer - PRICELESS!

Question - Uplifting wonded troops spirits by showing up and foregoing ones personal regimen to tell them how important their sacrafice was to the country and its freedoms.

V_rod218813

at 23:28 on July 24th, 2008

Ok, well, then I will give you my opinion as a troop. I actually read this story hours ago, and said to myself, he is gonna get crap about this, but I respect him for it.

He didn't need to go into the hospital with news crews and cameras all over him, and then listen to people on the right say it was a political stunt............which they already have.

He's has been to Walter Reed and visited wounded vets, so it's nothing against troops. He has done countless things to benefit the military and veterans. McCain has voted against NUMEROUS veterans bills and even opposed the GI bill, and later took credit. Obama introduced, the Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act, legislation written to care for members of the Armed Forces recovering from injuries. He has been good to the troops and vets.

It was a pot shot story, spun by you and whoever you're partner CPT J is?

V_rod218813

at 23:55 on July 24th, 2008

It wasn't a partisan political activity, right? Well why did the U.S. embassy ban foreign workers from attending.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin has instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed there not to attend Sen. Barack Obama's public rally today, which the State Department this week labeled a "partisan political activity" prohibited under its regulations for those serving overseas.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/23/AR2008072303388.html?sub=AR

politisite

at 01:14 on July 25th, 2008

Why would you have to go to the Washington Post when that article appeared on NowPublic Today
Obama Rally in Berlin is Off-Limits for Embassy Workers

The Foreign Service overseas did not want there members "appear" as they were supporting one Senator Obama for president. The Hatch Act allows government employees to participate in campaign activities , but not in an official capacity. The state department called this a partisan activity because they thought if Foreign service personnel participated it would appear to the people of Germany are supporting Obama for president. This directive applied to this embassy for this event. It is not a general directive.

Remember these are Ambassadors of the United States and Represent all of the people. Their activities are sometimes limited due to their being a Foreign service officer.

V_rod218813

at 16:03 on July 27th, 2008

You boggle me with your responses. How can it be seen as partisan if YOU are the one claiming it was funded by the tax payers (which it wasn't) and part of him being a senator (which it wasn't). You are really confusing me with your distortions and lies. Which was it. If it was in an official capacity it shouldn't have been seen as partisan. But that is where it all comes to fruition, it was part of his campaign coffers, which is why his senate staff was not there, and the pentagon was apprehensive about him visiting. Which the McCain camp would have attacked anyways, saying it was a political stunt, because the trip was being funded by his campaign.

mpress

at 10:11 on July 25th, 2008

V-Rod are you in a war Zone? It seems you spend more time with your political commentary than fighting the enemy. I guess you Marines must have a lot of down time. I know some Marines in Afghanistan and they can not sit at a computer all day defending Obama.. you must have a desk job..