President Bush's Holiday Mission

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | 11/30/03 | UNKNOWN

[SandRat]

President Bush, like many other Americans, traveled during his Thanksgiving holiday.

Only the president's mission was more dangerous than most -- fly from Crawford, Texas, to Washington, D.C., to Baghdad, Iraq. Quite a trip.

And the reason was even more important -- to spend time with about 6,000 of America's men and women serving in harm's way.

Under the black of night Air Force One landed. The president then got into a car and was driven to the troop's location. He served Thanksgiving meal with the troops. And then he met with members of the Iraqi Governing Council.

The real mission was to visit the troops, not put on a show for the Iraqis.

We applaud the president for his guts to take the journey into a war zone and for his thoughtfulness of visiting our men and women overseas.

We hope it lifted the spirits of the Americans in Iraq.

While the next presidential campaign is less than a year away and many may construe his goodwill for a political moment, we feel that Bush's intentions were good. He wanted to let the troops know he was thinking of them. He also wanted to meet those people who are on the front lines, as you would hope a commander-in-chief would do.

The cynic in us hopes that the photos of the president amongst the troops in Iraq doesn't show up in a political ad campaign next year, as his visit to an aircraft carrier earlier this year has. We don't want politics to tarnish the president's gesture.

Thank you, Mr. Bush, for saying thanks to our men and women for us. We wanted to do the same.

And we hope you enjoyed joining the chow line and serving up the turkey and stuffing in Iraq.

[SandRat]

After reading so many News Analyses from around the country and listening to the talking-heads on television bash the President I thought you might enjoy hearing what is said by the local paper next to Ft Huachuca, AZ.

[SandRat]

PATRIOTISM -PING!

[SandRat]

Hello ole buddy, enjoy reading what the locals here think of GW's Thanksgiving trip.

[Jim Ralls]

Even up here in Syracuse NY the local paper, the Post Standard, has reversed their usual far left line to say

"Regardless of the debate over whether it was wise for the United States to invade and occupy Iraq, the president's holiday meal was a proper exercise of his role as commander-in-chief."

Talk about "shock and awe" - I almost flipped out when I saw this today.

[SandRat]

Do ya think that slowly, ever so slowly a message of "ya gotta do what's RIGHT no matter what anyone else thinks in order to be a leader" is dawning on more and more people?

I noticed by the words from your local paper that it almost killed them to acknowledge that GW acted properly in exercising his role as CIC. Infact by the way that they structured the sentance they inferred that other times he has exercised his role as CIC werre improper.

[Miss Marple]

The cynic in us hopes that the photos of the president amongst the troops in Iraq doesn't show up in a political ad campaign next year, as his visit to an aircraft carrier earlier this year has.

It would be nice if they memntioned that the only political ads to use this footage are DEMOCRAT ATTACK ADS.

[gooleyman]

"It would be nice if they memntioned that the only political ads to use this footage are DEMOCRAT ATTACK ADS."

-----
I don't think the DemocRATS would use these in an attack ad. I think they know it would backfire "big time". But if I were in the Republican machine, I WOULD use these photos no matter what the Dems or the Press says. The Dems are not going to slack up in their attacks and neither would I. This is WAR and all is fair.

[Miss Marple]

Actually, John Kerry has used the flight suit gfootage twice. In both ads they show Bush in the flight suit, and then go on to talk about Kerry being a real military person. Of course, all that you remember is Bush on the carrier, but they HAVE used them.

[SandRat]

Given this town the paper will get chewed up pretty good in the On Your Mind call in section for that gaff.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

SandRat, I love your local patriotic paper. Thank you for sharing it with us.

May it inspire a few young journalism students.
~~~~~~~~

The real mission was to visit the troops, not put on a show for the Iraqis.

We applaud the president for his guts to take the journey into a war zone and for his thoughtfulness of visiting our men and women overseas.

We hope it lifted the spirits of the Americans in Iraq.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was for the troops!

Freeper patriots ~ poets, songwriters, supporters ~ 30 seconds of air time, easy 800#, to thank the troops serving around the world. Recorded messages will be played over SoldierRadio throughout the holidays.

[Trust but Verify]

Thanks for pointing that out. It was the first thing that came to my mind.

[Milligan]

I just watched Fox and Friends this morning. They had the viewer's call in about what is going on Iraq and President's visit. One caller said she has a son over there in Iraq. She blamed Bush for her son being Iraq too long. She felt the President poorly planned this whole affair with no exit strategies. I think she thought major combat operations in Iraqi Freedom ended on May 1st. I guess she didn't know the coalition was going into a new phase.
How can you plan for war? Did FDR and the military have all the war plans all figured out and a exit stratiegies during WW2? I don't think so. The enemy has different plans and strategies to undermine your efforts. FDR's exit strategy was to defeat the enemy and win the war.

[blackie]

It was for the troops ~ Bump!!!

[gooleyman]

"Actually, John Kerry has used the flight suit footage twice."

-----
Thanks for straightening me out. Kerry probably did it because he thinks of himself as a war hero. I can't see where it's helped him though, hehe. I can't see "Mean Doctor Dean" using it. Maybe he will...I hope he does. That would help seal his fate. I think the Dems are out of touch with Bush's carrier trip AND his Iraq trip. I believe MOST people were impressed by the Kahunas it took. I don't think most people would have chanced going into Iraq under current conditions. I sure wouldn't have. I'd have beamed a satellite feed in. The DemocRATS and Third-Partiers are engaing in wishfull thinking.

[spokeshave]

Kerry...is that the guy that served in Vietnam....?

[SandRat]

Sadly the bulk don't remember that the Marshall Plan was cooked up on the flight over to a conference on what to do now that the NAZIs had surrendered. Prior to that the only plan was to royally kick the Axis' Arse!

[Cultural Jihad]

According to the Dems and their liberal mouthpieces in the press, President Bush should not be allowed to highlight in his re-election campaign any of his achievements and triumphs.

[PhilDragoo]

Doing the right thing--bless our troops and commander in chief.

[gooleyman]

"Kerry...is that the guy that served in Vietnam....?"

-----
I believe so. I don't know and don't care to know his whole military history. All I need to know is that he's a liberal DemocRAT and, I believe, and again don't care, but I believe that he came up with some lame excuse to vote against removing Clintoon after decrying what he had done.

[gooleyman]

"According to the Dems and their liberal mouthpieces in the press, President Bush should not be allowed to highlight in his re-election campaign any of his achievements and triumphs. "

-----
Amazing...Clintoon and Gore took credit for things they didn't even do. I didn't hear the DemocRATS complain about that.

Well, shame on them for not wanting Dubya to highlight his achievements...and shame on the Republicans if they listen to that crap. Pour it on...use it all and let 'em yell about it. The more they wiggle, the deeper they'll sink.