Obama To Host Military-Only Ball

Washington Times ^ | 1/2/09 | AP

[careyb]

HONOLULU | President-elect Barack Obama will have a Commander in Chief's Ball during his inauguration with military personnel, their spouses and those wounded fighting in the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as guests.

In the announcement Thursday, officials said that tickets for the Jan. 20 military-only ball will be free to guests. The formal event will be at the National Building Museum in Washington.

"It is a privilege to honor our men and women in uniform during our inaugural festivities by continuing the tradition of the Commander in Chief's Ball. Our troops represent the best America has to offer, and without their dedication and sacrifice, we would not be able to enjoy the freedoms that we are coming together to celebrate on January 20," Mr. Obama said in a statement released while he vacationed in his native Hawaii.

[careyb]

Obama is still trying to avoid the appearance of extreme-leftism, I see.

Scary thing is: It might work.

The Hope For America

[Jeff Gordon]

If this event turns out like the Obama rallies held by the military when Obama was in Iraq, the majority of the attendees of this ball will be black.

[LS]

Black, and all the rest-—if they attend-—extremely dismissive of the new CinC. However, I do applaud the effort. Pres. Bush, of course, never had to so such “special” symbolic shows because the military loved him.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Considering the chilly reception he received from troops in Honolulu last week, my guess is that the only invitees will be those rare Democrat servicemen who will be flown in from throughout the world just to boost the numbers.

[cripplecreek]

So will William Ayers be attending?

[lodi90]

I will believe this is really for the troops if there are no cameras. This is all just PR camouflage for zero’s troop of America hating pinkos. They still need some votes in flyover country until the revolution is complete.

[rlmorel]

Military personnel know that Barack Obama is best friends with people like this:

A lot of military people (and other Americans) feel the same way I do. They fight under this flag. Many of them have friends who were buried under this flag. My father served the majority of his life under this flag, and was buried under it.

This douchebag Obama is best of friends with this anti-American SCUMBAG Ayers, who should have been put to DEATH by hanging for what he and his associates did, of which he gleefully says "Guilty as hell, Free as a bird...". He STANDS on the American flag and grinds it into the dirt. The same flag I saw a color guard fold reverently and hand to my mother, he stands on it with his filthy shoes.

I hope he and all his kind rot in Hell.

[nominal]

I hope nobody shows up. BOGUSPOTUS

[livius]

He’s trying to buy love. He’s a little afraid of the military because, while our military has no history of involvement in domestic politics, he knows he’s extremely unpopular with military folkls and he wants to win them over so that he doesn’t have to worry about them when he starts doing things that might provoke resistance.

Buying allegiance - the Chicago way. Sadly, it will probably work, too.

[pray4liberty]

If they show up at all, it will be for what husband and I call the “Salute and Go” — for the free food!

[Quiller]

Buying allegiance - the Chicago way. Sadly, it will probably work, too.

Not with the majority of the U.S. military people, whether active duty, or retired. It'll be more of a high-price, taxpayer-funded sound bite that the meida will glom onto as showing how wonderful the new CINC is.

Sure -- there are liberals in the military (comes with an army in a democracy). Proportionately fewer than in general population, but still present.

Thing is, attendance will probably be pretty strong, because at the rank of most of the people likely to be attending (general/flag level officers, super-senior Beltway-oriented enlisted), their focus shifts over from the operational to the political, and being seen at a function with the uber-boss is just good politics, regardless if you like him or not.

[bethelgrad]

This military guy loves Mr. Bush.

[whatshotandwhatsnot]

Won’t buy the military. Senior officers will, for the most part, be required to be there. It will ‘behoove’ others to attend (one must have been in the military to understand what ‘behoove’ actually means). It’s a dog & pony show staged for grip & grins, nothing more.

[Ezekiel]

Wonder if all the Muslim chaplains got an invite.

[yankeedame]

Considering the chilly reception he received from troops in Honolulu last week, my guess is that the only invitees will be those rare Democrat servicemen who will be flown in from throughout the world just to boost the numbers.

As well as the usually kiss-ups.

[LibLieSlayer]

I pray he holds a ball that only colostomy bowell and weasley clark show up for.

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

You cannot buy off the US Military... it cannot be done period.

LLS

[Dr. Scarpetta]

President Bush first held the ball honoring the uniformed services in 2005.

[GatorGirl]

It was President Bush's idea to first hold this ball for his second inauguration. The media acts like it is the Obamessaiah's idea.

[ElayneJ]

Excellent juxtaposition of these two photos!
As a former military kid, I know active-duty personnel aren’t supposed to speak against the Commander in Chief. I’m sure obama will spin this to his benefit and make it look like he has support and not opposition. This inaugural event is nothing more than pandering and PR. I’m skeptical about any polls showing military support for him, and I’m expecting widespread non-re-iinlistment.