President's Photo Op

[Soledad]

Joe Conason's Journal
Bush's "Top Gun" get-up wasn't just tacky, it was a reminder of one of the most stunning lies ever committed to print by a presidential candidate.

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May 2, 2003 | Top gun's photo op

Watching the president emerge onto the flight deck of the USS Lincoln yesterday afternoon, it occurred to me that memory is the strongest antidote to propaganda. With the cooperation of the Pentagon (and at the expense of the taxpayers), Karl Rove had arranged one of the tackiest, most expensive campaign photo ops in history, but my recollections kept me from becoming absorbed in the macho atmospherics, let alone the president's anticlimactic speech about Iraq.

Rather than determination and grit, what the occasion evoked was Bush's strange Vietnam-era stint as a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. And although Rove no doubt intended that we should all recall Bush's military service, he must have assumed that almost nobody would remember the actual details -- only the "Top Gun" style.


But the details are difficult to forget, even at such inspirational moments. The vague official account presented in Bush's campaign autobiography -- wherein he suggests that he "kept flying" with his Texas Guard unit until he completed his service -- is one of the more egregious prevarications ever committed to print by a presidential candidate. Closer to the true story, in which Bush mysteriously disappears from duty after failing to take his annual physical in 1972, is this account that appeared in the Boston Globe.

In today's Globe, Anne Kornblut reports a peculiar aspect of the May Day photo op: "White House officials originally said that Bush was making the dramatic jet trip because the ship was too far out to sea to be reached by helicopter. Bush was trained in ejection procedures and water survival in case of a crash. But the carrier was just 30 miles from shore by the time he arrived, and officials said it had slowed down so that Bush could spend the night on board before the USS Abraham Lincoln docks today, extending by one day the sailors' almost 10-month deployment at sea, the longest by a carrier in 30 years."

The men and women aboard the Lincoln looked content to be used as presidential props, despite the delay in their homecoming. But something else was troubling me about the president's determination to bask in reflected martial glory. And then I remembered exactly how he has demonstrated his respect and admiration for those who actually serve. His budget slashes their benefits over the next decade by almost $29 billion and restricts their medical care, in order to reduce taxes on his friends and patrons.

The only Democrat willing to say much about any of this seems to be David Sirota, communications director for the House Appropriations Committee's ranking minority member, David Obey. Sirota's response -- a "circus" -- was sharp and swift, as always, in marked contrast to many of the leaders of his party.

[Logan]

Well, everyone is allowed his/her opinion and that's a good thing, but I totally disagree with the author of this article.

[mugsy]

It sounds like the guys and girls on board the Lincoln didn't seem to mind being props, so why should the author have such a problem with it.

There has not been a president that has NOT done something like this for one reason or another. I'm not sure why the author keeps whining about that when it happens all the time. Did she just now figure it out that presidents use our tax money for all kinds of things, and that Bush is not unique?

[joycenalex]

...Rather than determination and grit, what the occasion evoked was Bush's strange Vietnam-era stint as a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard...But the details are difficult to forget... The vague official account presented in Bush's campaign autobiography -- wherein he suggests that he "kept flying" with his Texas Guard unit until he completed his service -- is one of the more egregious prevarications ever committed to print by a presidential candidate. Closer to the true story, in which Bush mysteriously disappears from duty after failing to take his annual physical in 1972, is this account that appeared in the Boston Globe.... editing mine. before the last presidential election, in 1999 and 2000, i had read 2 biographies of each candidate ( i was trying to learn as much as i could to make an informed choice), and i learned that mr bush was in the texas air guard at the same time that mr gore was in vietnam as a war correspondant. i found it very surprising that the son of a military pilot, that pilot who was shot down into the pacific, would serve in the air guard instead of the regular air force. i also noticed that mr cheney didn't serve in the military during that era, he had "other priorities" at that time. i do not recall any comments from either party about oppositions' military service in the last election. interesting.
.... But something else was troubling me... And then I remembered exactly how he has demonstrated his respect and admiration for those who actually serve. His budget slashes their benefits over the next decade by almost $29 billion and restricts their medical care, in order to reduce taxes on his friends and patrons. editing mine

cutting health benefits, for the military vets and their families, past, current and future is slimy, wrong and immoral and needs to stopped. that is no way to thank the women and men who stepped up to serve this country. my representative and senators all have heard from me in writing, on this point. yes, healthcare is expensive(i work in it and i know) but we the people, owe a debt and that debt needs to be paid.

[Soledad]

The main reason I posted this was to show how hypocritical it is to blow all that money on Bush's supposed love of the troops while he disrespects them with budget cuts.

I don't think there's anyway to defend that sort of behaviour.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I personally enjoyed watching the President land on the air craft carrier and greet the troops. This carrier was on it's way home after spending 9 months deployment. It's the longest any air craft carrier has been on active duty without a break. I think they deserved getting to meet the President. As for the photo op, every person in politics uses every chance they can to get in front of a camera. At least this was a positive way to do it instead of getting on camera trying to ruin someone else's personality.

[Soledad]

What about the budget cuts. That's the MAIN point of this.

Don't you guys see how morally corrupt it is to spend millions of dollars on a photo op commemorating the troops while you slash BILLIONS of dollars from their budget?

Why would you defend that???!!

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Soledad
egregious prevarications ever committed .

[/B]

a gal i dated had egregious prevarications--
i dumped her soon after.

[moosmom]

Don't you guys see how morally corrupt it is to spend millions of dollars on a photo op commemorating the troops while you slash BILLIONS of dollars from their budget?

I agree. How he can stand there acting all pompous when all along he knows he's cutting their benefits, to me is hypocritical. But like Mugsy said, if the men and women on the USS Abraham Lincoln didn't mind, why should we??

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I still liked it! I'd rather have money spent celebrating with some of the troops than ignoring them like they did after Viet Nam. At least he's not raising our taxes and supporting a mistress.

[mugsy]

I don't even mind raising taxes if the money is used properly.

[Soledad]

I still liked it! I'd rather have money spent celebrating with some of the troops than ignoring them like they did after Viet Nam. At least he's not raising our taxes and supporting a mistress.

Well, it's good to have standards. LOL.

What's more morally bankrupt: having a mistress or spending millions of dollars on a photo op for your future campaign with people who you are taking BILLIONS away from? Which one hurts more people in the end? Which one creates more misery?

I think I know the answer.

I can't believe the lengths that people will go to protect this corrupt president.

[Logan]

I think you need to remember, Soledad, that we are all entitled to our opinions. I have not heard or read one negative thing about this whole situation, except what you have posted here. Did it cost millions to have the President on that ship? I seriously doubt it, but I have no proof to back that statement. It was a happy, upbeat time for those sailors and for the American people. Don't throw water all over those good feelings!

I don't think we have had a president who is as supportive of our military in a long time. I will have to research more to understand the cuts you are talking about. I hope that doesn't happen. I thought, just last week, when I was at the concert to raise money for the military families, just how sad it was that our military families needed that support. But at the same time, I was proud to be a part of the group trying to help them.

[mugsy]

I agree Logan that it's been a long time since we've had a president that supported our military (which is pretty sad being that he is the Commander in Chief). I know that Clinton refused to even return the Marine's salute as he got off Air Force One or the Presidential helicopter, which I found disgusting.

Actually, from what I have read and studied, Bush actually approved a pay raise for the military so that at least the enlisted personnel don't qualify for food stamps because they make so little.

I think that the morale of the military is much improved since Bush took office.

Now, understand that I don't think that Bush is not corrupt, but then I don't think that ANY politician is NOT corrupt somehow, especially once you reach that level. I would hardly say that Clinton ran a totally clean administration. I could care less what the man does on his own time and who he sleeps with or doesn't as long as he does the job, but, I think that he ran a corrupt administration too.

Both Bush and Clinton had/have strengths and weaknesses, and they seem to be totally different. Too bad we can't take the strengths of both and make one president because we'd probably get a good one. Personally, I wish McCain had won the Republican nomination and not Bush, because I think he would have done a better job.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I don't believe President Bush is any more 'corrupt' than any other president we've had. Seems like we recently had a president that was impeached. I call that corrupt if he's doing such a bad job the congress does that.

If you don't like the budget, write to your congress people. They have to approve of it.

I still liked the air craft carrier visit!!!!!