Military Town Prepares for President's Visit

[sabra]

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http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/062705_NW_fortbraggpreparations.html

Military Town Prepares for President's Visit
By Gilbert Baez
(06/27/05 - FAYETTEVILLE) — Final preparations are underway for President Bush's visit to Fort Bragg Tuesday. While the focus will be on the President's national address on Iraq, there is another event he will take part of, to honor one man known well in the community.

Jim Stitt is known to his friends at the Senior Center in Fayetteville as the pool champ. But when he's not hustling his friends he's usually hustling around town – volunteering.

Jim has spent countless hours delivering food for the Meals on Wheels program. He also volunteers for the Red Cross.

Jim says he spends so much time giving back to the community because he remembers folks who helped him at a critical time in his life. "In 1999 I went into a diabetic coma when I was here in the house alone. And my neighbors and friends took care of all of my affairs. Plus got me out of the house and took me to Womack Hospital during that time."

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[leftchick]

1. ...

:puke:

[bahrbearian]

2. Do you think Chimpy will present him a Plastic turkey?

[MADem]

3. Pelt the monkey with freedom fries

...seeing as there's no flowers and sweets handy....

Why does he need an audience, ALWAYS? Give me the old days, when Presidential speeches lasted five minutes and were beamed out of the Oval Office. Guess standing alone and speaking your piece is too hard for this clown--he needs a cheering squad, even if they are there at gunpoint...

[izzie]

4. I am sure they will make sure Bush only sees the 'right' people

Sort of like Catherine.s tour of Russia. Who puts up the play town for Bush to see?

[MindPilot]

5. Does he ever go off-base when he travels domestically?

I know the few times he has visited my town he never set foot off of military property.

[rainbow4321]

6. Mood split in town where Bush to speak

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FORT_BRAGG_MOOD?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-06-28-10-47-11

As President Bush plans to come here to make a major, nationally televised policy speech Tuesday night, the mounting casualties and insurgent violence have started to test the public patience for the war, even in a place where signs along the streets boast steadfast support of the troops.

"We told them if they established a government we would back off," she said. "They established a government, but we're still there. I feel like the war is doing more harm than good."

"Now, it seems like we've been there too long," said Jones, who was a Marine 20 years ago. "There have been too many casualties." A new statewide poll released Tuesday shows increasing doubt in military-friendly North Carolina over whether the war is worthwhile.

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Pfc. Richard Gunther, 35, of the 82nd Airborne Division, said it's understandable that some civilians feel that way because he believes they get skewed information from a media that focuses too heavily on insurgent attacks.