Obama Heads To Dover Air Force Base To Honor Fallen Soldiers

[discopants]

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is making an overnight dash Wednesday to Dover Air Force Base to honor the return of fallen soldiers, absorbing the ultimate cost of war as the United States endures its deadliest month of the Afghanistan campaign.
On a clear fall night, Obama flew by Marine One helicopter directly to Delaware to greet the flag-draped caskets of those killed in action.
The unannounced trip began around midnight and was expected to have the president back at the White House before dawn on Thursday.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/29/obama-heads-to-dover-air-_n_337930.html

[Cha]

1. Thank you, President Obama.

Thanks for this link, disco.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Good for him!

Now, there's something old Bush wouldn't have done, EVER.

I am so proud of our President.

:patriot:

[Parker CA]

4. Especially considering Shrub went to bed at 9pm or something early. No work past sundown.

Definitely good to have a president who cares.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. EXACTLY.

If you can even call what Shrub did work.

[MadMaddie]

19. My co-workers (Repugs) are slinging the bullshit that President

Obama is a leisure president. I told them that was bullshit and that he easily puts in 12 hr days or more. It's the lazy "black" man racist bullshit....and they all fall for it.

Now the Repugs are saying oh it wasn't for the soldiers it's because other government workers were killed.

I am proud of him for doing this, he understands the real costs of these conflicts.

[beachmom]

9. Do you know that for sure? Bush met with families of the fallen.

He signed the letters himself, unlike Rumsfeld.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. Yes, he met the families at the White House...

But he wouldn't allow any pictures taken of the arriving caskets, and he never met them there.

I think Obama has a much better way of handling it.

:shrug:

[Parker CA]

3. This man never rests. Very, very nice move. K&R.

[Clio the Leo]

6. Oh ....... I had been hoping he would do this......

.... but for many reasons thought he wouldn't.

The man never fails to pleasantly surprise me.

[beachmom]

7. CBS Radio news correspondent twitters:

http://twitter.com/markknoller

This is the first time Pres. Obama has been present for the return of American remains from either Afghanistan or Iraq.
32 minutes ago from web

Pres Obama will also meet at Dover with famililes of the fallen US personnel.
34 minutes ago from web

Obama departed WH via Marine One for flight to Dover AFB, home of the US millitary mortuary through which American KIAs are processed.
39 minutes ago from web

Pres. Obama will be joined at Dover AFB by Atty General Eric Holder, AF Chief of Staff Gen Norton Schwartz & acting DEA Administrator.
41 minutes ago from web

The fallen Americans include 15 Army personnel and 3 agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration killed Monday in Afghanistan.
42 minutes ago from web

Pres. Obama left the WH late tonight to fly to Dover AFB, Del., to attend return of remains of 18 Americans killed Mon in Afghanistan.
about 1 hour ago from web

[Clio the Leo]

8. Here is the pool report....

President Obama made a late-night trip not on his official schedule Wednesday to Dover Air Force Base, where the bodies of 18 U.S. service members who died Monday in Afghanistan were flown home. From the pool report:

“POTUS, wearing a dark suit and long dark overcoat, boarded Marine One on the South Lawn and was in the air at 11:44 p.m. Wednesday. He was joined by Denis McDonough, Robert Gibbs and Marvin Nicholson.

“An Air Force C-17 was scheduled to arrive at Dover AFB in Delaware at 12:19 a.m. EST.

“The fallen consist of 7 U.S. Army soldiers and 3 Drug Enforcement Agency agents killed when their MH-47 Chinook crashed at Darreh-ye-bum, and 8 U.S. soldiers killed when their STRYKER personnel vehicle was struck by an IED blast in the Arghandab River Valley. Both incidents occurred on October 26, the military said. The deaths contributed to the deadliest month for the U.S. in Afghanistan.

“Remains were to carried by a team of military personnel from the fallen member's respective service to the Air Force Mortuary Operations Center facility.

“The official party was to include POTUS, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart, U.S. Army Assistant Judge Advocate Maj Gen Daniel Wright, U.S. Army Special Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Michael Repass, and Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center Col. Robert Edmondson, who will serve as the Dignified Transfer Host Officer.

“POTUS’ final scheduled event was a 6:05 p.m. reception commemorating the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. When it was over, the in-town pool was asked to stick around. Only late in the night did the reason become clear.”

[firedupdem]

11. Glad he's there...so sad. I hate war nt

[Thrill]

12. Maybe talking to the families will wake him up about this dumb war.

[babylonsister]

13. You don't think he is aware of this 'dumb' war every time he

signs a letter to those families?

[TwilightGardener]

16. I would bet he's very aware of the issues and challenges involved in this war--

much more so than you and I. The full weight of it is upon him.

[Cha]

17. President Obama fully gets what's

going on.

[jenmito]

14. K&R. Why does it seem like all threads that show how Obama is DIFFERENT from Bush

don't get much attention?

[avaistheone1]

15. It 's about time!

:dem:

[SKKY]

18. Here in Spain, this was big news. They also took the opportunity to mention..

...that this was something Bush never did. Is that true?