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Mon 20 Jan, 2003 07:04 pm
Thoughts on our President
Whether you actually like George W. or not.... This has some interesting thoughts...
First, an observation. Have you noticed a difference in the salute given by our military men and women as President Bush walks by? Most folks would not notice anything, but those of us who have served in the military see it right away.
Next time, Watch: When President Bush leaves his helicopter or Air Force One, the honor guards salute and face him as he disembarks, then turn their faces towards him as he passes by. They continue to salute his back as he walks away. This kind of salute has not been seen in the previous eight years, though it is customary courtesy to the Commander-in-Chief. You see, soldiers aren't required to turn and face the President as they salute. They are not required to salute his back. They are only required to salute. They can remain face-forward the entire time. And that is what they did during the previous administration. Our soldiers were forced to obey his orders, but they were not forced to respect him. From their salutes, we can surmise that they did not.
Why is such respect afforded to President Bush? He doesn't even know how to bite his lower lip and not get teary-eyed whenever he speaks!
The following incident from Major General Van Antwerp may give us an insight. Gen. Antwerp is president of the Officers' Christian Fellowship. He lost nearly all his staff when the Pentagon was attacked Sept. 11. His executive officer LTC Brian Birdwell was badly burned and in the hospital when President Bush visited him. Our President spent time and prayed with Brian. As he was getting ready to leave, he went to the foot of Brian's bed and saluted. He held his salute until Brian was able to raise his burned and bandaged arm, ever so slowly, in return. The Commander-in-Chief almost never initiates a salute, except in the case of a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. The injured soldier did not have to return the salute. But he did, out of respect to his President ...-a Soldiers' President.
Congressman JC Watts (R. Oklahoma) said, "Character is doing the right thing
when nobody is looking," (My favorite quote of all time.) The nation and world learned some of what our last President did when nobody was looking. That President has been disbarred. The worst disgrace (other than imprisonment) to a lawyer. CNN will have a difficult time shining his or his wife's tarnished images.
In this time of war and danger, I am so grateful to have a President whom the soldiers salute -- fully.
On Special Report with Brit Hume, at the close of the show when they normally have some funny video clip, they showed President Bush and the First Lady on their way to Maine to leave for Camp David for the weekend. As the video starts, the First Lady is leading the way into the helicopter with the spaniel dog on the leash, and the president is right behind her with the Scotty on the leash. As the First Lady entered the chopper, the Marine at the gangway saluted and held his salute. The Scottie the president was walking decided it wanted to sit right when he got to the steps. The president pulled on its leash, but the stubborn Scottie persisted in sitting. The president bent down and scooped up the pooch and entered Marine
One. After he entered, the Marine cut his salute and returned to the position of attention. Moments later the President reemerged from the helicopter and out onto the steps. The Marine was standing at attention, head and eyes straight ahead. The President leaned over and tapped him on the left arm. The startled Marine turned his body toward the President and received his returned salute!
I was so impressed by this true act of respect for our military people by our President! He really does get it. Most any other person of his stature would have just continued his journey, disregarding the neglected return salute. Not George W. Bush. He is earning the respect of the military community, not expecting it -- as most have and would.
President George W. Bush. The man who admitted to having a drinking problem in younger years, and whose happy-go-lucky lifestyle led him to mediocre grades in college and an ill-fated oil venture. Who mangled syntax, and whose speaking miss-steps became known as "Bushisms." He came within a hair's breadth of losing the election in November.
Bush named Jesus Christ as Lord of his life on public TV. Not an Oblique reference to being "born-again" or having a "life change." He actually said the un-PC-like phrase, "Jesus Christ!"
On September 11, he was thrust into a position only known by the likes of
Roosevelt, Churchill, Lincoln, and Washington. The weight of the world was on his shoulders, and the responsibility of a generation was on his soul. So President George W. Bush walked to his seat at the front of the National Cathedral just three days after two of the most impressive symbols of American capitalism and prosperity virtually evaporated.
When the history of this time is written, it will be acknowledged by friend and foe alike that President George W. Bush came of age in that cathedral and lifted a nation off its knees. In what was one of the most impressive exhibitions of self-control in presidential history, President George W. Bush was able to deliver his remarks without losing his resolve, focus, or confidence. God's hand, which guided him through that sliver-thin election, now rested fully on him. As he walked back to his seat, the camera angle was appropriate. He was virtually alone in the scene, alone in that massive place with God, just him and the Lord.
Back at his seat, George H. Bush reached over and took his son's hand. In that gesture his father seemed to say, "I wish I could do this for you, son, but I can't. You have to do this on your own."
President George W. Bush squeezed back and gave him a look of peace that said, "I don't have to do it alone, Dad. I've got Help."
What a blessing to have a professing Christian as President.
Please take a moment after you read this to "pray for him." He truly does have the weight of the world on his shoulders. Pray that God will sustain him and give him wisdom and discernment in his decisions.
Pray for his protection and that of his family.
Something to think about ................
It's not hard for a president to get that salute. Raise the military's budget and employ their services readily.
misti26--
I don't idolize Bush, and I don't think you do, either, but I was with you 100% through you thoughtful, moving post above.
I have noticed the same things you have, and sorely noticed their absence during the previous administration.
I'm with you that he is very mindful of the actions he takes, and that he bears the weight of the lives of the men and women he directs. Also heartened that he seeks guidance from God.
I think he is basically a good, well-intentioned guy.
My appreciation to you for sharing your sentiments so openly here.
Lash
Some thoughts:
1) Yeah, great. Will the body bags salute him post-invasion?
2) Re the change in salutes from Clinton to Shrub-- Wonderful story. Too bad it's made up. See
http://www.snopes.com/ for the truth about this nonsense.
3) The Birdwell part's true, but the rest of your post is just so much pro-Shrub, anti-Clinton crap. You might want to try screening your tales a bit before posting, lest someone accuse you of propagandizing. Oops! Too late!
Lash, I agree with you 100%, and you are correct on all counts.
It's funny how we have such a short memory, and I don't intend to go into detail here because I would rather not get caught up in a political discussion when there's nothing else for it except to stand behind the man.
However, your memory and mine are not that short, I can tell!
Thanks for the vote:)
as craven points out myths maybe nice but that don't make them true.
Snappy little story. It has only two problems:
"It's absolutely false," says Staff Sgt. Keith Milks of the public affairs office at Marine Corps headquarters.
If it was true, the Marines would see it as an insult to their own honor, not to Bill Clinton. Milks said crew members of the presidential helicopter "are chosen for their professionalism."
In a phone interview, Milks said crew members of HM-1 - Marine One, the presidential helicopter - had followed the same protocol with Clinton that they used for all presidents, to wit:
The Marine at the bottom of the steps salutes the debarking president. As soon as the salute is returned, the Marine does a right face to face the president's back. The Marine holds that position until the president "has moved a comfortable distance away," Milks said.
Furthermore, it's not simply a "get behind our president" appeal. It's a partisan piece that uses lies and the emotions that solidarity conjures to demean a former president.
I only stand behind Bush when I agree with him, it happens frequently but almost as frequently I don't want to been seen with him.
Thanks for the clarification, fellas.
Misti, I hope this doesn't let you down too much. This kind of thing--manipulating opinion by creative fabrication--has gone on for eons.
Karl Rove is just a lot better at it than anyone I've ever seen. Which is why so many people deconstruct everything that comes out about Bush.
Is that Coffee Pot Rock in the background of your new avatar, Dys?
PDiddie, its the Morrison Fault line that runs from Wyoming down to New Mexico along the front range of Colorado.
Well now, let me say this, about that!
I didn't vote for Bush, and I didn't vote for Clinton, because? What sort of choice was there? You know the answer to that.
However, that being said, Mr. Bush is still our President, and I respect the office he holds.
Honestly, I don't know how anybody can complain about our politicians in this country, because they, "the people" elect these fools. With that in mind, here's a piece of comedy that should cool your jets:)
Tarah
Opinion Writer
Has there ever been more controversy over two presidents that served one right after another? Maybe, but not in our time.
Clinton and Bush, these two presidents have been argued about plenty of times, not only because one is Democrat and one is a Republican. Instead the debate is mostly about how they carries themselves.
With Clinton the thing was that he lied to our country about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. That wasn't so bad but than he lied again under oath. That was when it got out of control.
The other thing about him is that he doesn't have very good speaking ability. He doesn't keep you interested. Clinton was a very diplomatic president which pleased many people, but also didn't seam to accomplish a whole lot.
Carrie Mingo (9) said, "Clinton was okay, the only thing that is bad about him is the thing with Monica Lewinsky. "
Bush, on the other hand, has had to deal with a lot early on in his term and has handled it all beautifully. With September 11th he reached out to the people of the United States. He comforted us and touched us all with all he did.
His speaking ability is phenomenal. He doesn't bore you. He brings you into his speech. Some may argue, though, that he wants war too quickly, and that is the only way that he likes to solve things.
Nick Peterson (12) said, "I think he has been a good president, and I think he has done well for this country. I think he has been a positive influence for our young people."
These two presidents differ in many ways. Although there is no way to decide for everyone which is the better president because they have faced very different situations, in my opinion Bush is a much better president, mostly because he doesn't lie to us and likes to get things done without delay.
Comedy? It's just another partisan piece.
wow.
I'm glad I decided to look over here, and see if anyone was piling on misti.
You may say whatever you wish. I didn't hang my statements on any article. I remember what I saw on several occasions throughout the terms of both of these men.
I know salutes are required on certain occasions. And I saw salutes on certain occasions. I do not need to be told what I saw.
And, considering the tone and location of misti's reflections, I feel the rudeness toward her was unnecessary and in poor taste.
Had she posted this on the Politics page, that would be another story.
I don't think it's rudeness to misti. I think it's more being fed up with all those propaganda stories put about. That one about the salutes was debunked in my local paper, and common sense would tell you why. It just doesn't happen that way. Just like the stories about Dad and son. And the praying bit doesn't sit that well with all folks, either. Many times there seems to be a false note to it.
That said...misti, I don't really think I could have read that from anybody else. But your faith in it all is quite moving.
Would that it were true.
I do, mamaj. I think it was rude. We've all fallen for one or another of these hoaxes, at one time or another. It is only necessary to point to the link to make the correction. As Lash points out, this isn't a Politics posting.
i thought it was a bit rude also. i fell for it, a tad.
I don't think it's at all rude (if it came across that way I'm sorry Misti) to not swallow propaganda.
I think both pieces were anecdotal propaganda and were sickening. Any time I see such drek it's revolting.
I'd not care if they weren't hoaxes it's still simple propaganda. I don't even like subtle propaganda (like the liberal propaganda which is the famous "world's smallest political quiz") and this is in your face propaganda.
It's patently partisan and you only have to look at who thinks it's rude to object to the assertions to see that. You can't expect propaganda to go down easily.
I'll start a topic about Bush's good aspects. There are many. But I won't buy simplistic propaganda such as this. Its veracity wasn't so much the point.
mikey52--
Don't know why I feel like misti's cigarette smoking, shotgun weilding fairy godmother, but I'd like to thank you for kindness to misti.
She's such a sweety pie, and this may be the first, and likely last little step into anything remotely controversial. I assume she was terribly surprised and probably hurt by the reaction.
Statements like the one you just made will go far in helping her feel better.
I thank you.
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