Barack Obama rejects Normandy trip to avoid offending Germany

Telegraph.co.uk ^ | April 2, 2009 | Toby Harnden, US Editor, and Henry Samuel in Paris

[CitizenM]

Barack Obama, concerned about offending Britain and Germany, rebuffed strenuous attempts by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France to persuade the new American president to make a trip to Normandy this week.

White House officials travelled to France at the start of March to discuss a visit by Mr Obama to Omaha Beach, the site of the American Cemetery, established in 1944 just after D-Day and where 9,387 American personnel are buried. Among them is Theodore Roosevelt Jr the eldest son of the 26th US President.

French officials and senior American military officers walked with White House staff through the cemetery discussing how the two presidents might follow the same route. But even before their trip, the White House had decided that Mr Obama would not travel there this week.

"It wasn't going to happen," said an American official in Washington. "We went through the motions to placate President Sarkozy but giving special treatment to France was not on our agenda.

"During this trip, we wanted to maintain a balance between the British, German and France". A White House spokesman in London declined to comment. Last month, White House officials briefed that a Normandy visit had been considered but it had not been logistically possible.

Mr Sarkozy is said by French officials to be piqued that Gordon Brown became the first European leader to meet Mr Obama and was then lavished with praise by him at a 50-minute joint press conference in London on Wednesday.

----snip----

According to French reports, Mr Obama was to visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-mer, just north of Omaha Beach. The pair were apparently to have dined at the nearby chateau de Bénouville in Caen.

The White House rejected the offer....(see rest of story)

[CitizenM]

The major media will have Americans believe that all went well in France. Of course, it did not. But then, the French are always difficult, so Obama wants us to think he can make it better. LOL.

But the worst offense was to our Military...with Obama not even making a stop to pay honor to the Americans who gave their lives in WWII, buried there. Do you suppose Obama could have visited at least one American war dead cemetery while in France, especially since this is his first trip there as President? I guess it doesn't fit in well with his agenda of apologizing for American "arrogance." "

[KSCITYBOY]

Mostly white males died there.

[autumnraine]

It wasn’t giving special attention to FRANCE YOU MORON!!!

It was giving special attention to OUR SOLDIERS GRAVES!!!

I despise this man.

[tbpiper]

mr. Obama doesn’t care for our military, dead or alive.

[Tax-chick]

Good. Obama doesn’t deserve to be in the same graveyard as the WW2 dead, or on Omaha Beach. Saves us having to listen to him read mealymouthed, hypocritical platitudes while Michelle stands around, splaylegged, dressed in the hotel bedspread.

[jersey117]

This guy is no Commander-in-Chief, that’s for sure.

[elcid1970]

Does it get any worse?

(Stupid question. My bad.)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Bambi was too busy nuzzling up the the Muszzies.

[Anti-Kenyan]

“Good. Obama doesn’t deserve to be in the same graveyard as the WW2 dead, or on Omaha Beach. Saves us having to listen to him read mealymouthed, hypocritical platitudes while Michelle stands around, splaylegged, dressed in the hotel bedspread.”

This/thread

[CitizenM]

Your comment is so true, but I have to admit I had to ROFL at this part of your post: "while Michelle stands around, splaylegged, dressed in the hotel bedspread." Wait, that part is true too. OMGoodness. You hit the nail on the head.

[Uncle Hal]

Why would this offend Britain? This guy is gutless. Can you imagine Reagan giving this excuse that he did not want to offend Germany?

[justlurking]

This is just wrong.

I've never been to France. But, I've vowed that if I ever make a trip there, I'm taking a day to visit the memorial at Omaha Beach.

This is just plain disrespectful to the GI's that fought and died in WWII. The Germans wouldn't be offended by it: they are very much aware of that dark part of their history. For that matter, the Vichy were defending Omaha Beach, too.... but the French weren't offended.

[1035rep]

What you said!

[Dallas59]

+



=

[Right_in_Virginia]

Has any other CIC turned down this invitation?

[al baby]

What both of you said and that was my first thought he don’t belong there

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I despise this man.

He's hardly a man at all.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“Barack Obama rejects Normandy trip to avoid offending Germany”

I see these headlines and assume they are satire.

And then I read the source and see it's true; and have to treated for neck whiplash after shaking my head repeatedly.

[ryan71]

I’d rather he stay away from everything military.
Fine with me.

[Campion]

That’s an official Tax-chick Classic [tm].

[Syncro]

Isn't that where Clinton's staff put some rocks on the beach where walked on the beach alone looking pensive, so that Clinton could put them in the shape of a cross?

[exit82]

Even if it wasn’t on the official schedule, you would think ANY American President would visit there just out of respect or history.

But this President does not like or appreciate anything American.

It was much more important to have town hall meetings with people who are not even American citizens rather then pay a sign of respect to those who made the freedom of Europe for the past sixty four years even possible.

Barack Obama thinks America IS the problem.

He wasn’t even smart enough to go there with Sarkozy and show him in real terms that America always pay the major cost of other people’s freedom, and that it is time for France and others to do their part.

IMHO, I am glad he did not go, That would have been a sacrilege.

He is not worthy to walk on that hallowed ground.

[mamelukesabre]

That’s what i was wondering. This couldn’t possibly offend the UK. I’m not even believing the germans would be offended by it.

[KeyLargo]

[NavVet]

Well if he wouldn't visit wounded living service members, did you really expect him to visit the dead.

Somehow, I doubt those fallen heroes (with crosses for headstones) would be too disappointed that the messiah is too busy explaining to Muslims that America is not a Christian nation to bother visiting their graves.

[Senator John Blutarski]

All the moron had to do was to take a moment to pay his respects at a German war dead cemetery. Problem solved.

My good God, is this man totally witless?

[mylife]

THIS GUY IS SUCH A POS

[Man50D]

This guy is no Commander-in-Chief, that’s for sure.

His goal is to be Czar of the U.S.

[mamelukesabre]

If you scroll down real real fast, past your post, you see obama’s face with those donkey ears.

[JewishRighter]

I really am starting to hate this guy on a personal level. At first I thought it was just he was a radical who’s views I don’t like. Now I think he’s really a bad person.

Especially in light of how far he went out of his way to say how awful America is, he could have at least made a point to visit a site that represents how great America is.

[JewishRighter]

Excellent!!!

[Madame Dufarge]

The cat in me salutes you, ma’am!!

[LiteKeeper]

Amazing slap in the face of my comrades in arms!

[mass55th]

LOL! You hit that one right on the money friend.

[RichInOC]

“No, Mr. President. ‘Don’t mention the war’ was my line.”

[Right_in_Virginia]

Isn't that where Clinton's staff put some rocks on the beach where walked on the beach alone looking pensive, so that Clinton could put them in the shape of a cross?

Yes. And count on Obama doing the same thing when his thugs do a poll and find out Americans are not happy with his dissing of American heroes.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Even Clinton wouldn't have dared pull this kind of stunt. Does Obama really think that he is that immune to public opinion?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Does Obama really think that he is that immune to public opinion?

He's confident the public will never learn about this.

[Ukiapah Heep]

My father is dead. He was a WW2 vet. At least he never lived to see this.

[Carley]

It was a terrible disrespect to our military and it was intentional.

[LibLieSlayer]

They would spit on the muzzie in Normandy.

LLS

[Northern Yankee]

Obama... words can't describe what I feel at the moment.

My daughter went to Normandy when she was in France. She felt honored and humbled; thankful for what her grandfather and great uncles had done for her.

[raybbr]

But the worst offense was to our Military...with Obama not even making a stop to pay honor to the Americans who gave their lives in WWII, buried there. Do you suppose Obama could have visited at least one American war dead cemetery while in France, especially since this is his first trip there as President? I guess it doesn't fit in well with his agenda of apologizing for American "arrogance." "

Exactly. The idea of honoring Americans who sacrificed their lives for freedom and liberty is so repugnant to this cretin the White House he has to lie about his reason.

[browardchad]

Obama doesn’t deserve to be in the same graveyard as the WW2 dead, or on Omaha Beach.

Definitely. It would be a sacrilege.

Honor, duty and country aren't in his teleprompted lexicon.

[raybbr]

Good. Obama doesn’t deserve to be in the same graveyard as the WW2 dead, or on Omaha Beach. Saves us having to listen to him read mealymouthed, hypocritical platitudes while Michelle stands around, splaylegged, dressed in the hotel bedspread.

LOL I wish I'd said that!

[SERKIT]

If there were stray stones on Utah Beach, I swear he’d arrange them in either a Hammer and Sickle or a Crescent Moon.

[Michael Barnes]

Good. Obama doesn’t deserve to be in the same graveyard as the WW2 dead, or on Omaha Beach. Saves us having to listen to him read mealymouthed, hypocritical platitudes while Michelle stands around, splaylegged, dressed in the hotel bedspread.

Thread over; thanks Tax-chick!

[Blackhawk]

You can take the HoodRat out of the Hood, but you can't take the Hood out of the HoodRat.

And the Corollary:

Either you have class or you don't. If you don't, you can't pretend that you do, because either you have class or you don't.

[Always Right]

But the worst offense was to our Military...with Obama not even making a stop to pay honor to the Americans who gave their lives in WWII, buried there.

Oh, just a bunch of arrogant Americans buried there...

[bricklayer]

“Especially in light of how far he went out of his way to say how awful America is, he could have at least made a point to visit a site that represents how great America is.”

You nailed it!