President Obama just paid an unannounced visit to Arlington National Cemetery

[bigtree]

March 25 2009 2:34 PM



President Barack Obama greets Medal of Honor winners at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia March 25, 2009 while celebrating National Medal of Honor Day.


PRESIDENT Obama just paid an unannounced visit to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath with U.S. military veterans in honor of Medal of Honor day.

The president's side trip, following a meeting with Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill, came as a complete surprise to reporters here at the White House. We found out about the president's appearance at Arlington as we saw his face appear on TV screens.

Not sure why the White House did not notify us about the trip beforehand, but we'll have a chance to ask in 15 minutes at the daily briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

-- Jon Ward, White House reporter, The Washington Times

http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/potus-notes/2009/Mar/25/obama-pays-surprise-visit-to-arlington-cemetery/

[bdamomma]

1. I love when Obama is so unpredictable to the media.

[TornadoTN]

2. And the press says, "WAAHHHHHH WAAHHHHHHH"

Maybe he didn't want you guys there to mess up the occasion with your bullshit spin and talking heads?

Good on Obama for making this a day about the veterans and heroes, rather than himself.

[blondeatlast]

5. Grab some popcorn, this should make for GREAT entertainment, watching the press lick their wounds

in public.

Biggest public pout? I'm betting Leslie Blitzer.

[NightWatcher]

3. Time to END THESE WARS and stop posing with war heros

Please dont start posing with Medal of Honor recipients and/or troops if you want to keep fans in the Progressive Left until all the troops are home and just not in different wars. Death in Iraq is just as permanent as death in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

Flame me, I dont care, but he needs to end all of these wars NOW

[stillcool]

12. I kind of doubt the President is looking..

for 'fans' in the 'Progressive Left'. Are you offended by the picture of the President with the Medal of Honor recipients from..what does it look like to you? WWII? Vietnam? The Korean War? I expect the 'wars' will end, but of course, we need to support Iraq with an air-force and military bases, and then there's the embassy..the largest in the world which needs to be staffed and protected. Those more than 1,000 military bases on foreign soil won't be going anywhere either. Hopefully the Taliban will be back in power and they can kill their own people..as long as they play nice with the pipelines.

[CTyankee]

15. Well, he is the President of all the people. I personally think it is entirely appropriate

for him to be with these Medal of Honor recipients. The thing is, he can't pick and choose the Medal winners from "good" wars and leave out the ones from "bad" wars. Plenty of progressives have served in the armed services.

[Coffee and Cake]

18. Exactly

With Obama's escalation of the Afghanistan with NO timeline, I am sure that we will be creating more room in Arlington National Cemetery.

[arcadian]

4. Because he didn't want a bunch of reporters lollygagging around.

n/t

[dysfunctional press]

6. the guy in the beige jacket looks like a mccain voter...

everyone else is smiling.

[bigtree]

he's likely reflecting on his comrades in arms

. . . caught up in the gravity and solemnity of the moment; punctuated by the unannounced honor of a visit by the president.

[onehandle]

7. But he didn't serve!

And he wasn't even born here! And he's a socialist! And a secret Muslim! And he's hiding the truth about 9/11! UFOs! Bigfoot!

Cats and dogs living together... mass hysteria!

[TahitiNut]

8. 112 Medal of Honor recipients are alive. FOUR were awarded one day in February, 1969.

One of them for an act of incredible courage that took place right above my head ... covering my sorry ass that night.

:patriot:

[Turbineguy]

9. Huh?

"Not sure why the White House did not notify us"

Maybe it's because he feels the courage of others should not be used for cheap grandstanding.

[HopeOverFear]

13. THANK YOU!

[malaise]

10. Love it

Gobama.

[Starry Messenger]

11. "Not sure why the White House did not notify us about the trip beforehand"

Wow the Washington Times are total whiner babies on top of being a sucky moonie publication. Note to WT: maybe the White House is not that into you.

Happy to rec.

[babylonsister]

14. Very, very nice of President Obama to honor these men.

And they looked pretty thrilled, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8291451

[bigtree]

16. MORE PICS

[Politicalboi]

17. And the last thing

President Obama said was "Don't go selling that on ebay" :sarcasm:

[Bluebear]

19. kick

[Elwood P Dowd]

20. He invited 99-year-old John Finn to The White House.

The man was wounded numerous times at Pearl Harbor and kept firing at Japanese fighter planes. He had never met a President or been to The White House in the 67 years following his Medal Of Honor award.