Of the many inaugural balls, the one that's getting the most attention is one that Barack Obama didn't attend.
Obama made history again by being a no-show at the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball.
Obama snubs vets, skips Heroes ball
Since its inception in 1953, every new president has attended The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball – until now.
The ball was created for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration to honor recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. The event is sponsored by the American Legion and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
And while 48 of the nation's 99 living recipients of the Medal of Honor attended the event, reports the Cleveland Leader and various self-attested attendees of the ball, newly sworn-in President Barack Obama became the first president in 56 years to skip out on the ceremony.
Obama's itinerary on Inauguration Day, however, did include attendance at 10 balls in his honor, many of which were graced by a cast of the nation's biggest music and movie stars.
...News of new president's snub of the Heroes ball, however, launched a flurry of comment on the blogosphere, from angry veterans questioning if this is what Obama means by "change" to supporters who have labeled the whole story a hoax, claiming the ball never took place.
The Jackson Sun, however, reports of at least one veteran who attended the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., and the Blackfive blog reports receiving a press release from the American Legion about the controversy.
According to the blog, the Legion's media relations manager Craig Roberts wrote, "President Obama was invited but did not attend. Vice-President Joe Biden did appear, however, and was very warmly received. The new President's absence was understandable considering the unprecedented logistical challenges presented by the vastly increased number of visitors to this inauguration and the necessary attendant security measures. The American Legion, as an organization, does not feel offended or 'snubbed.'"
I really don't see how Obama can justify skipping the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball. He was invited and declined.
This was not a ball he should have missed.
The American Legion, "as an organization," is quelling the controversy rather than fueling it. I suspect that the official position of the "organization" doesn't coincide with the thoughts of all its members.
The "organization" doesn't feel offended or snubbed. Fine. But I have to believe that some of the ball's attendees, as well as other veterans, don't share that view.
In terms of the logistical challenges of Obama's attendance, he should have made it a priority. He certainly could have passed on the MTV "Be the Change Youth Inaugural Ball."
I think Obama should have honored our veterans, the heroes, first. Sucking up to celebrities should not have been high on his agenda for the night's activities.
It's about choices, and Obama chose to be the first president in 56 years to skip the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball.
Not good.
It's also slimy the way Obama's supporters took to the Internet to push the false notion that the entire story was a hoax.
Rather than admit that Obama screwed up, they would rather spread lies about the ball not being held this year. That sort of ridiculous defense dishonors the veterans.
Shame on them, too.
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Read about President Bush and the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball, 2005.
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush were greeted with resounding cheers as they made the first stop of their whirlwind tour of inaugural galas Jan. 20 at the Capital Hilton here.
This was the FIRST stop for President Bush and Mrs. Bush.
Obama didn't bother to show up at all. He could have made it happen, if he wanted to. He didn't.
At the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball, hundreds of veterans from across the country, along with their wives and families, greeted the president with a resounding show of support.
Vice President Richard Cheney and his wife, Lynne, stopped in later as they made their way through the inaugural circuit.
Kenneth Stumpf, one of many Medal of Honor recipients who squeezed through tight security inside the hotel to see the president, was particularly happy to be on hand. "I spent my entire life in the military, so whoever was the president, that was my commander-in-chief," he said. "It just so happens I really like this one."
The American Legion sponsors the ball, which recognizes recipients of Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. It started in 1953 for President Dwight D. Eisenhower's first inauguration.
Event co-sponsors include 13 other veterans service organizations, among them the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
With applause and cheers often interrupting his comments, the president used his brief appearance to thank veterans for their service.
"They have set a fantastic example for those who wear the uniform today," he said. "Our veterans who have served all across the world in the cause of freedom, they have done so in a selfless way and for that, this nation is eternally grateful."
...Before leaving, the president again expressed thanks to the audience, telling those veterans who have served and those who are now serving, "I am incredibly proud to be your commander in chief."
6 comments:
I'm sorry to disagree with you, Mary, but in my opinion, the Legion shouldn't feel snubbed by Obama's absence at their ball.
They should feel relieved that he didn't dishonor their membership by pretending he really cares about veterans, or by America's armed forces in general.
He is anti-armed forces, anti-veteran, and anti-American. I say "Obama didn't show up? GOOD!"
Based on the assumptions you are making here, how do you feel about President Bush not attending NAACP events?? I guess Obama doesn't care about veterans and Bush doesn't care about black people? I think we know both of these statements aren't true......what are your thoughts Mary?
I see your point, Mark, but the guy is commander in chief. He could at least pretend he knows how to fill the role.
"Anonymous" 9:48 AM, January 25, 2009 --
Have the Medal of Honor recipients been openly hostile toward Obama and organized politically against him the way the NAACP did with President Bush?
For the most part, the NAACP has become a disgrace, a political hit group, way over the top in its rhetoric. Inexcusable. Last year, Jeremiah Wright was chosen to be the speaker for the Detroit branch's Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner. The group has gone off the deep end.
There are tons of examples of disgraces by the NAACP. Here's some, from 2004.
NAACP Chairman Julian Bond called on members of the nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization to boost voter turnout to help oust President Bush.
During his keynote speech at the group's 95th annual convention Sunday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bond also assailed the Bush administration and the Republican Party, accusing the GOP of "playing the race card in election after election."
The party appeals "to the dark underside of American culture, to the minority of Americans who reject democracy and equality," Bond said. "They preach neutrality and practice racial division."
Many black people are "ready to turn anger into action, to work for regime change here at home," Bond said. "But they have to be asked. They have to be registered, organized and mobilized."
In the address, posted on the group's Web site, Bond took aim at virtually all the administration's top domestic and foreign policies.
...Leaders of the Baltimore, Maryland-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are upset that Bush will not speak to the convention this year.
The White House said Bush had a scheduling conflict, but Bush also has described his relationship with the NAACP leadership as "basically nonexistent."
"You've heard the rhetoric and the names they've called me," he said last week.
In spite of that and more disgusting rhetoric from the NAACP, President Bush DID address the annual convention in 2006. That was a remarkable appearance given the degree of hostility the NAACP showed President Bush.
In 2006, Julian Bond said, "The Republican Party would have the American flag and the swastika flying side by side." He called Condi Rice a token.
In short, there is no way any reasonable person can equate President Bush's rejections of some of the NAACP's invitations to what Obama did by snubbing the vets.
I agree with all other republicans here. Clearly President Obama doesnt care about soldiers because he didn't show up to a dance they hosted. What a tool, I mean if only he went, we would all love him. But this is way too far. I voted for Obama, but now my eyes are open. Wow, my bad
But you got to admit, it is nice for America to have confidence in the President once again.
I am a Republican and did not vote for Obama, but the Republicans are not conservatives anymore and it has been the policy in the past to give the new president a chance to do "his thing" at the start of a new administration. But not this time. That the American Legion has been openly hostile toward Obama and organized politically against him the way the NAACP did with President Bush is a valid argument. So it followed that Bush did not attend NAACP events and Obama did not attend this American Legion event. If you watched part 3 of Zietguist, 'The Men Behind the Curtain' (40 minute version), you would understand what is really going on and how this whole argument is nothing but a distraction from the basic truths.
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