Pondering the Implications Of One's Acts

From David Frum at New Majority:
"...This was the right thing to do, but it cannot have been easy - especially as he is making the decision that may lead to more such sad homecomings"


TW: From the comment thread to Frum's post:
balconesfault // Oct 29, 2009 at 10:35 am
Respectfully, no political talk on this thread.

2 sek // Oct 29, 2009 at 10:36 am
I certainly have no problem at all with President Obama visiting Dover or with families of fallen soldiers. I think that is a solemn duty of any Commander in Chief. But I don’t like it when the President (of either party) turns it into a photo op. I think that’s disrespectful.

3 ottovbvs // Oct 29, 2009 at 10:38 am
……..It was the right thing to do………who knows maybe he saw it part of the decision making process……..there’s a world of difference between sitting in Washington conference rooms with smart lawyers and military brass discussing theoreticals and dealing with the reality of coffins which are bringing grief to so many ordinary American homes.

4 LauraNo // Oct 29, 2009 at 10:39 am
I bet this meant a lot to the families. I hope he does it every once in a while. Presidents should have to face the awful results, not just the families, showing respect at the same time.

6 demosthenes // Oct 29, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Like most Americans, regardless of political party, I applaud the president for doing this. I understand the angst among some that photographs were taken, but honoring our heroes is what matters! Bravo, Mr. President!

7 andydp // Oct 29, 2009 at 1:26 pm
This was more meaningful to me as a Soldier.
Gerneral George Patton insisted his staff officers visited the front daily to insure they realized what their decisions really meant.

8 seeker656 // Oct 29, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Thank you for this video David. As the grandfather of two young men who will very likely be in Afghanistan next year, I respect and honor the families of these fallen heroes. I am grateful for the decision of the family that allowed this video of this emotionally painful moment to be shared.

It is important that the President experienced this event and listened to the families who were present last night as he considers the options for the future of this conflict.

11 mi-goper // Oct 29, 2009 at 5:47 pm
David, as a Marine and father of 3, I can tell you that I don’t agree with your sentiments nor your willingness to cut Obama any slack –especially with this ploy.

His presence at Dover was a calculated political manipulation to gain some momentum and credibility back with Americans because, rightly so, he’s been portrayed of late as dithering on this important decision. Dithering, many think, because he’s in hot water with his Far Left Cut & Run Democrat Kamp on escalating the war, agreeing and implementing the Cheney Plan for Afghanistan… a heresy that, when disclosed, caused his far Left flank to start nipping at his loins.

The man is a consumate actor and fake. He can look you in the eye, over the teleprompter, and tell you –with a straight face– that a public option will bring competition to the health insurance markets when its will drive free markets out. He can tell you his reform won’t require new taxes –even though they do–it won’t require cuts in services –even as he gets the OMB scissors out to whack MediCare by $500b– it won’t force you to change medical care plans –even though he’s counting on employers dropping millions of covered employees and dumping them into the public plan.

Afterall, this is the man who ran on not much more than “Hope & Change” and he’s been personally responsible for making Washington more intractable, more partisan, more divisive with his attack-dog, Chicago Thuggery attacks on anyone who dares to disagree with the Messiah Obama.

You may be willing to act naive in the face of Obama’s latest political maneuver to curry favor with a public that’s losing confidence in his role as Commander in Chief, but his moves in Dover were intended to use those flag-draped coffins as chits in his public relations effort to downscale America’s commitment to the people of Afghanistan. He doesn’t care about the dead soldiers. He cares about getting out of Afghanistan as quickly and efficiently as possible and he’s worried that if his far Left flank gets unsettled, he’s toast. Of course, his publicity stunt caters to the pro-war crowd too because, for a man who wouldn’t wear a flag pin or put his hand over his heart to say the Pledge, this stunt makes them question whether he’s truly the anti-military Democrat he was on the campaign trail.

And he’s willing to use these brave, dead soldiers as props in his Theatre of the Absurd.

Shame on you for giving him cover, David.

12 arch // Oct 29, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I don’t believe the man is a fake. I think he’s a liberal, wanna-be transformational politician with whom I don’t agree on everything. But acknowledging our fallen is important to the families and important to the country. It may seem like a no brainer, but I still applaud the President for this.

13 ottovbvs // Oct 29, 2009 at 6:38 pm
mi-goper // Oct 29, 2009 at 5:47 pm
…….Have you no self control?"