Posted on 05/27/2012 8:03:21 PM PDT by kristinn
Rolling Thunder made it to the White House this year, but the experience for the motorcycle-riding patriots was more pro forma photo oppportunity than heartfelt meeting with President Obama, the group says.
“Well, we had a good meeting with his staff and a defense official. But we were supposed to have time with the president,” founder and executive national director Artie Muller told The Washington Times in an interview after the meeting Friday.
“When we were there in the past, the president himself talked to us about the issues that concern us - veterans health care, the fate of prisoners of war, and those missing in action. This was more or less a handshake and a photo op for the White House. And that’s all it was,” Mr. Muller said.
During his time in office, former President George W. Bush met with Mr. Muller, Rolling Thunder officers and Nancy Sinatra, the singer who has long supported the group’s causes. In 2004, for example, Mr. Bush brought the group to the Oval Office for a cordial visit, and he accepted and wore a leather vest emblazoned with the Rolling Thunder logo.
“We went to the White House with all good intentions. We tried. But you know what? This is our country, and we’re tired of veterans getting overlooked and treated badly,” Mr. Muller said.
The 25th annual “Ride for Freedom” on Sunday drew some 500,000 bikers to the nation’s capital this year.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
No seat-belt?
Yes, I remember. This picture and the smiling, almost fawning faces kinda makes me lose interest in “Thunder”.
HA! Wait till I tell the wife. We saw Rolling Thunder yesterday and I told my wife I bet Obama will meet with them this year because of the election. This guy is so predictable.
OMG. LOL...”ring ring.”
I love to see people riding bicycles with flat tires. They get so much more exercise.
I would love to see another bike coming in from his left.
These vets were fools to think they meant anything to the marxist punk other than a photo opp./
GOD I hate this smug ass clown
LOL!!!! Mr. COOL in his mom jeans.
Fawning over the Usurper. Disgraceful.
Don’t let this photo affect your opinion of or interest in Rolling Thunder. Instead look at all the riders and to the three Marines who stood saluting the riders during their 3+ hour ride. It was a humbling site to see.
http://photos.nj.com/star-ledger/2012/05/a_marine_salutes_as_motorcycli.html
I agree. The Marine photos are touching. In afterthought, they make me more confused when compared against the fawning photos of Thunder representatives with Obama. There is no excuse in my book.
My respect for Rolling Thunder has done a 180.
Rolling Thunder made it to the White House this year, but the experience for the motorcycle-riding patriots was more pro forma photo oppportunity than heartfelt meeting with President Obama, the group says.“Well, we had a good meeting with his staff and a defense official. But we were supposed to have time with the president,” founder and executive national director Artie Muller told The Washington Times in an interview after the meeting Friday.
“When we were there in the past, the president himself talked to us about the issues that concern us - veterans health care, the fate of prisoners of war, and those missing in action. This was more or less a handshake and a photo op for the White House. And that’s all it was,” Mr. Muller said.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/27/thunder-had-to-roll-fast-with-president/
“This administration is committed to the POW/MIA mission as well as to our veterans and their families.”
So much so that he wants them declared a threat to national security upon returning.
I do not understand why they even gave the won the time of day.
Must be “politics”.
Mine either.
Well, they could be unionRATs.
I didn’t see him there. Did see a lot of video equipment mounted high up on poles in the Pentagon parking lot while we were staging and hurry-up-and-waiting. Did you ride this year?
Indeed there is. I'm 51, and there was a couple who were new riders on a Harley Davidson behind me when were were in staging at the Pentagon parking lot today. They were maybe a decade my senior. Delightful folks.
No.
I haven’t gone since it got into the ‘hundreds of thousands’ of riders.
The last time we went, we sat in the Pentagon parking lot until almost 4pm and still hadn’t moved so we went home.
We do the local VA hospital run instead.
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