New Stanek poll: Should Obama have upheld presidential Memorial Day tradition at Arlington?
I have a special Memorial Day poll question up (bottom right side of home page):
Rather than carry on the usual presidential tradition of commemorating our fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Commander in Chief Obama will have VP Biden take his place and instead attend a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery near Chicago, all so he can take a weekend family vacation. Thoughts?
Interesting that the previous poll indicated more pro-choicers are part of the Tea Party movement than pro-lifers. The same goes for those not involved…
Click on the map to enlarge to find your own brightly colored flag. No surprise, the majority of our International friends are not part of the Tea Party movement, although the concept is spreading around the world, and are pro-choice as well…
As always, make comments to either the previous or current poll here, not on the Vizu website.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Its not like they couldn’t take a vacation to Chicago some other time. Arlington is important.
Jill: According to Pam Geller of ‘Atlas Shrugs’ Obama had dinner with Louis Farrakhan last night.
I’m sure that our military and their families feel honored by that.
///sarc.
annoyinglittletwerp, not so, bad rumor. Obama spent the evening at the home across the street from Farrakhan: http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2334762,farrakhan-press-stand-off-053010.article. Even if he wished to, Obama would not be so stupid.
I find it hard to believe that more than half the visitors to this blog are pro-abortion spies. Maybe they’re just more inclined to answer the polls than pro-lifers are, but I don’t know why that would be.
Kelsey, the poll is also available for viewing and voting on the Vizu site. I think some are totally unaware of this site when voting.
Ah, gotcha.
I was in downtown Chicago last night with friends. We had dinner (after a 2.5 hour wait) at the famous Fontara restaurant and noticed what appeared to be a Secret Service stretch limo with a Presidential insignia and DC license plates. I don’t know where they might have been having dinner but it was on (or somewhere near) 400 North Clark Street.
As for President Obama, he is such a heartaching disappointment in so many ways. I wouldn’t have voted for him if he were the last person in the U.S. besides myself.
LL
In 2002, George Bush was in France on Memorial Day and laid a wreath in France. Were you guys upset about that? Obama will be laying a wreath at an Illinois veterans memorial. And Pam Geller, rabid right winger, is to be believed – puleeze!!!!
Victoria, find a real comparison. President Bush was overseas on official business, for a NATO summit.
why is this an issue? what is wrong with laying a wreath at the Lincoln Memorial in Chicago? are the military who are buried in Chicago not as important as the ones buried at Arlington?
I think I would be more disgusted if he actually went to Arlington and pretended like he cared. He would go if he thought there was a way to criticize America, blame private businesses, or in some way advance his agenda.
I believe the “usual tradition” may not actually be true. This is a snip of a post from another blog:
GWB was in France on MD in 2002 and participated in a ceremony there.
GHWB did not attend a single MD ceremony in Arlington during his entire presidency. He was in Rome on MD in 1989, and on vacation in Maine for MD 1990-1992.
Ronald Reagan missed arlington on MD 4 times 1) at the Reagan Ranch (in fairness he was shot earlier that year), 2) 1983 he was at a summit in Williamsburg, 3) 1987 he was vacationing at Reagan Ranch, and 4) 1988 he was at a meeting in Moscow.
Clinton attended Arlington MD ceremony all 8 years.
Perhaps our President came home this holiday weekend because so many Chicagoans leave town or the long weekend, making security issues easier to deal with?
Just a guess.
The cemetery was just dedicated in 1999 according to one internet source. Obama spoke at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery on May 30, 2005. Here’s a link to his speech from that day in 2005.
obamaspeeches.com/018-Abraham-Lincoln-National-Cemetery-Obama-Speech.htm
Correction – I should have written
“for the long weekend”, NOT “or the long weekend”.
Posted by: Monte at May 30, 2010 10:33 AM
Actually, you may be right. I can’t believe we elected a president who hates our country as much as he does. It’s freakin’ embarrassing.
I think that unless they’re out of the country or out of the DC area for reasons related to the job, US presidents shouldn’t go on vacation for Memorial Day weekend, whether they’re Obama, GHW Bush, or Reagan in 1987. (I’ll give Regan a break for the first one because he’d just been shot two months ago.) If they want to go to Arlington and then have a big barbecue at the White House afterwards, fine with me. Skipping Arlington to go back home to Illinois, however, does not make Obama look good, even if he is showing up at some other cemetary.
You’d think that just from a PR standpoint, someone would have told him this was a bad idea, and someone probably did. He probably didn’t care.
I’m torn Jill, though I’m leaning toward the thought that his presence is a desecration of hallowed ground. That’s not hyperbole either.
I can’t stand Obama, mostly because of the wars and abortion and his being in the pocket of big corporations. However, I don’t get the Arlington thing. He is going to a military cemetery and going through all the usual scripted stuff and playing the part. Actually it seems quite likely that there are more living relatives of servicemen buried in the regional national cemeteries than in Arlington. The military probably arranged all this anyway.
It doesn’t matter where the manchurian president is on what day. He hates us and everything about America. I am also embarrassed by him.
Political theater is SOOOOO important to some. Thank goodness we have a free press to fill in for the Greek chorus p.s. did anyone else hear the rumor that Barry has a secret mosque in the basement of his home in Chicago ?
No, John, you’re wrong, Barry’s mosque is not in the basement in Chicago; it’s in the white house, where the bowling alley and screening room used to be. Lol!! Just kidding of course!
Personally I really don’t care if the President goes to Arlington National Cemetery because if his heart is not in it and he doesn’t want to go then he shouldn’t bother. I just want our troops to get all the respect, support, equipment, healthcare and appreciation shown to them and to their families that they deserve, instead of the commander-in-cheap apologizing for America to every one of our enemies foreign and domestic (even the ones who our troops have saved from the hands of dictators and butchers) and his Asst. Sec. of State telling China how racist and descriminatory we Americans are. That is what is pathetically embarrassing and shameful to me. May God help the United States of America on this Memorial Day. My heart breaks for my country and for our soldiers laying their lives down for us all over the world. I am praying for the President and his administration because of his radical ideology and ungodly alliances with the culture of death.
If you have never been to The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Please go. The changing of the guard is amazing!! I know it is considered an honor to guard this tomb and they take great pride in its protection.
My best girl friend’s son won a writing contest and got to place a wreath on the tomb. As a 15 year old boy he has more love for our country and honor for our troops than the prez.
GOD BLESS THOSE WHO SERVE!
Currently the Prez and others have been occupied by the WORST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER in American HISTORY but maybe the group of you needs more blind allegiance to cliche conservative BS than to reality!
Many voices here reflect the moronic idiocy that sustained the past decade of delusional governance leading to the financial and moral meltdown of our country but you don’t see the trillion dollar deficits left by Bush, the “deficits don’t matter” Cheney speak, the hundreds of thousands innocent dead in the various wars, the wink and a nod regulation that lead to everything that has happened since 2008.
Your partisan naivete is beyond disgusting.
Hi Jeff!!
Blame Bush.
I can’t believe it is even an issue to you which memorial he visits. In your book, he can’t do anything right. If he goes to Arlington, he desecrates hollowed ground. If he doesn’t go, he insults the troops. Maybe he should have spent the day at a strip club in Vegas.
Do you lie awake at night and try to find ways to be outraged? The man is doing a fine job. Let’s be grateful.
Who is outraged besides you Hal and Jeff?
So apparently Clinton was our only president in recent administrations to uphold this “tradition.” What’s the point here again? To share our Obama conspiracies? He’s in his basement mosque with Farrakhan and Bin Ladin bowling.
Jeez. Take off your foil hats, people.
“Currently the Prez and others have been occupied by the WORST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER in American HISTORY but maybe the group of you needs more blind allegiance to cliche conservative BS than to reality!
Your partisan naivete is beyond disgusting.”
Posted by: Jeff at May 31, 2010 9:16 AM
Actually, you can’t measure how bad an environmental disaster really is until you determine the which party those affected vote for. So if it is one group, it is the worst disaster ever, and if another, it is ignored.
Look at the Tennessee floods, a red state, therefore a non-issue.
The collapse of the coal sludge retention lake and flooding of 1 billion gallons of sludge all over Tennessee by the gov’t owned utility overseen by Barbara Boxer, in a red state, forgotten.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/26/tennessee.sludge/
So if Mississippi and Alabama and Texas get the worst of it, then it is not so bad, but if Lousiana and Florida get the worst of it, there is political potential.
So, we need a wait and see approach to this.
So, really, it is your partisan naivete that is beyond disgusting.
Maybe going to the Lincoln Memorial Cemetary will cause him to remember the courage that Lincoln had.
I think it is quite fine that he is visiting a different cemetery on this important day. As pointed out by others, recent Presidents have been elsewhere on this day as well – I think it’s simply ignorant to blast this President for going to a different cemetery when guys like Bush Sr. missed Arlington to campaign one year (I’m guessing he went to another cemetery – not sure).
Sheesh, some of the “pro-choicers” need to grow a sense of humor!
Ex-Gop Voter
I can’t speak for anyone else but my comment is very sincere. I really believe if he is going to reach his full potential as a human being he will need courage. Some of his policies I think are good but I don’t agree with his stand on abortion. Sometimes I am sarcastic when I post but I’m very sincere with my post @ 3:13. I think as a president Lincoln showed a tremendous amount of courage and really think our President can learn from Lincoln’s example. A lot of the President’s policies I agree with but not on the abortion issue.
Who is outraged besides you Hal and Jeff?
Posted by: carla at May 31, 2010 11:54 AM
Let’s Review:
Posted by: LizFromNebraska at May 30, 2010 8:59 AM
Posted by: laura_loo at May 30, 2010 9:27 AM
Posted by: Monte at May 30, 2010 10:33 AM
Posted by: Keli Hu at May 30, 2010 11:46 AM
Posted by: ninek at May 30, 2010 2:10 PM
Posted by: carla at May 31, 2010 7:45 AM
What an honor for your friend’s son!! Congrats to him!
* * * *
Memorial Day, Weather/ Obama Report:
Thunder and lightning storms in Illinois/Obama event rained out.
Dry and partly sunny in Washington, DC/Biden event goes on as scheduled.
Maybe our President would have been better off returning a day early from DC to go to Arlington.
Liberal ‘smart policy’: screw the pooch, and look to taxpayers to go further in hock, so libs can deliberately choose stupid and failure at the expense of others.
As for the ‘fine job’ he’s doing re the oil spill, think the many folks I know and love who have been ruined by BP would disagree. A ‘fine job’ would be to fine BP 100 mil a day until they plug their hole, sieze all their assets and put them in trust for those who have been (and will be) decimated by the spill, and jail the perps who caused the mess. Obama spent more in a year than Bush did in 8. We can’t afford any more of his ‘smarts.’
I have been to Arlington. I didn’t see the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown solider (at least I don’t think so) but I do remember seeing the Eternal Flame that is at the graves of President Kennedy and his brother Bobby. I was only 12 at the time so I don’t recall everything. I do know that Arlington is the most well known National cemetery. Even though I don’t like VP Biden either, I am glad HE went. I just hope Pres. Obama pays respects on VETERANS day…And if he had planned a trip to Hawaii instead of Chicago, I would hope he would have been at the USS Arizona Memorial.
I visited the grave of my WW2 veteran maternal grandfather yesterday with my brother, 3 of his kids and my dad. Neither I or my brother knew this grandfather since I wasn’t born and he was a little baby when he passed away. My sister barely knew him since she was 3 1/2 years old when he died.
The man is doing a fine job. Let’s be grateful.
Posted by: Hal at May 31, 2010 10:42 AM
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The Kool-Aid effect hasn’t worn off Hal yet…
I will just quote Wendy Wright(President of Concerned Women for America) :
“He takes the side that is short-sighted, harmful to individuals and society, and focused on self. He sides with those demanding that the innocent be discriminated against and the immoral celebrated. He is consistently wrong on moral issues.”
RSD, I doubt there is an organization in existence (except perhaps the Taliban and the government of North Korea) that I have as much contempt for as Concerned Women for America. Being called “wrong” by anyone associated with that group is a badge of honor.
Fine by me, Hal…that’s your “Choice”, in the real meaning of the word.
I love Concerned Women for America. They deal with other issues, not just abortion. A few years back before our Life Chain event, we had a rally at a local park and Wendy was a speaker.
Hal, contempt for a women’s organization? Really? Hal doesn’t respect women’s ability to think anything he doesn’t agree with.
Now that women are doing all kids of things, they aren’t obeying their masters. Uh oh. Like Palin, Bachmann and Brewer. They are supposed to toe some invisible line.
Yeah,Hippie…that’s “empowerment” of women, Pro-Abort style.
Hal @ 1:29,
What’s wrong with CWA? Did the ACLU lose a case against them?
Hal, contempt for a women’s organization? Really? Hal doesn’t respect women’s ability to think anything he doesn’t agree with.
Now that women are doing all kids of things, they aren’t obeying their masters. Uh oh. Like Palin, Bachmann and Brewer. They are supposed to toe some invisible line.
Posted by: hippie at June 1, 2010 4:23 PM
I don’t care that they are a “women’s organization.” (In fact, I’m not sure if they are or not.) They are free to do and say what they please, it’s a free country. But I am free to point out that I have contempt for every position they take. They represent the worst of American politics and society. I wish them no success.
“But I am free to point out that I have contempt for every position they take. They represent the worst of American politics and society. I wish them no success. ”
Posted by: Hal at June 1, 2010 9:30 PM
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In the spirit of the 1st Amendment..I can also same the same to Obama and his ilk.
That should have been: USE the same to Obama.. :-)
Hal
Have you googled the CWA web site? Even if you don’t like them some of the things they report about the president are very informative. The more I read about him the more I hope the democratic party has a choice on the ticket who really believes in life. I was going to vote for him in the last election but after finding out that he would not support a baby that was in need of help I knew I could not in good conscience vote for him. I really want to vote Democrat but unless they get a pro-life candidate it’s not going to happen.