Last year, Obama did his duty as Commander-in-Chief and paid his respects for the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day. This year, he’s sending Joe Biden in his place, because he’s got more important things to do… like go to Chicago.
President Barack Obama plans to spend a long holiday weekend in Chicago.
The White House says Obama and his family will travel to their hometown on Thursday and stay through the weekend. It will be their first trip back home since a visit for Valentine’s Day weekend in February 2009.
On Monday, Obama is scheduled to participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Ill.
In Obama’s absence, Vice President Joe Biden will participate in the customary wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.
As Doug Powers noted at Michelle’s blog, he won’t be missing a visit with Paul McCartney. Nice to see where his priorities lie.
Memorial Day should be a pretty big priority for the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces. The wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery is not just some arbitrary meaningless tradition. It actually means something, and Obama is just blowing it off so that he can go hang out in Chicago. I understand the desire to go home for a little while, but when you’re the president, Memorial Day ceases to be just another holiday where you get to take an extra day off for a weekend and have a barbecue. For him, he still has to work. It’s part of his responsibility as president. Blowing off paying his respects to the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery — our country’s most sacred shrine — on Memorial Day is inexcusable. It’s despicable and he does not deserve the title of Commander-in-Chief if he has this little respect for the heroes who have given their lives for their country.
If he doesn’t like it, he can always resign.
I’m curious how much golf he’ll play while he’s in Chicago.
Cassy Fiano
May 25, 2010 at 9:56 pm
[...] Hard Corps Wife Obama to miss wreath-laying at Arlington for Memorial Day; won’t miss Paul McCartney though [...]
Big Al
May 26, 2010 at 7:45 am
I have to say I’m a little mixed about this. It truely is a long time tradition, if not duty, of the President to honor our fallen at Arlington and laying the weath on Memorial Day… but to see him placing a wreath in memory of those who died defending a country and ideals he himself won’t and oft opposes is a tab bit galling.
Patrick Meek
May 26, 2010 at 11:12 am
Talk about disrespect to all the soldiers past and present. He is sending more soldiers to Afghanistan to possibly die for our freedoms, yet he can’t take time to honor the soldiers at Arlington? And he has the title of Commander in Chief? What an insult?
Glenn Mark Cassel AMH1(AW) USN Ret.
May 28, 2010 at 2:09 pm
What the Old Retired Petty Officer has to say concerning this lack of character and manhood is not repeatable in mixed company. At some point I even surrender to decorum and manners, unlike the TOTUS/Liar in Chief.
And as a Blue Star Dad, I take offense to his lack of any moral standing. When this first came out, I almost hoped it was a false alarm. Wonder if ayers is the golf partner for the weekend.
Got no use for a derelict in his duty, empty suit, communist sack of manure like him at all. And yes, I would tell him to his face.
Eric
May 31, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I believe your view and comments on President Obama’s decision about the wreath laying ceremony on Memorial Day is short-sighted. He is not the first U.S. President to miss the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington. President Reagan missed it in 1983, President George H. W. Bush missed it in 1992, and President George W. Bush missed it in 2007. According to your comments, non of these men deserved the title of Commander-in-Chief based on this one act during their time as President.
I believe it is also narrow-minded to ignore the fact that there are veterans buried all across this great nation of ours, not just at Arlington National Cemetery. I won’t deny that Arlington holds a special place in our hearts and minds, but everywhere I go on Memorial Day I see flags, hundreds of them, marking veterans’ graves at dozens of cemeteries. Ceremonies can honor these veterans the same as they do at Arlington. I understand that the Commander-in-Chief intends to attend one of these ceremonies while he is in Illinois.
Just to clear the muddy waters a little bit, the President’s meeting with Paul McCartney is not in lieu of his Memorial Day activities. In fact, they have no connection, except that someone linked the two to engender a sense of outrage in people. Memorial Day is Monday and the Paul McCartney event is on Wednesday. The President has a busy schedule that includes ceremonies, meetings, public appearances, speeches, press conferences, staff meetings, and many other things. Just because the two events are in close proximity does not mean they are related.
You have the right to complain about things, and you also have the right to criticize the President. I will defend your right to do that until the end, but I would hope that your criticism is based more on facts and less on emotions.
Thad Mosely
May 31, 2010 at 6:47 pm
I have 6 family members serving in different branches of the military as did the generation of Uncles and Aunts before us. The real conclusion that I reach is that President Obama can do nothing right in your eyes because he never had your support in the first place. He has always been in a “damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.” As for me and my family we still give him respect and our military family is tired of hearing you bash him although you supported President Bush without all the nitpicking.
john
June 1, 2010 at 1:55 am
Just wanna post some truth, because a lot of people post bullshit: Obama will not be “on Vacation” today – he will be honoring the fallen soldiers at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, while VP Joe Biden will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.
Read my comment below for more facts!
In 2002, however, G.W. Bush was in France on Memorial Day. G.H.W. Bush missed the ceremony EVERY SINGLE YEAR HE WAS PRESIDENT. Ronald Reagan missed the ceremony in 1981, 1983, 1987 and 1988. The only president in the last thirty years to make every ceremony was William J. Clinton. It’s absolutely amazing what you learn when you do research, instead of believing falsified nonsense, like a gullible baboon!
Go Troops! we love you and miss you! come home soon!
June 1, 2010 at 7:58 am
I see on some of these blogs saying he didnt have to go there and he should go other places to support our troops. I agree. You Obama supporters are right… he should have gotten on a plane to germany and lay a wreath for our fallen heros that didnt make it home, giving thier last breath for our sweet taste of freedom. I am in shock over this slap in the face by someone whos suppose to be our leader. We the people need to speak out and back our troops when they need it most….at the sign of unsatisfactory leadership. Today he missed honering them on a day he has no excuse for missing… whats next? is he gonna go play golf when our troops need approval for supplies? This man throws caution to the wind and we as americans need to let him know its not ok and he needs to do his job as a leader or step down and we will get someone who will!!!
Paul
June 5, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Here’s an interesting fact:
Any notion that this cemetery is somehow more sacred than the others is not only absurd; it is on its face ahistorical. The idea that a president is required to lay a wreath there on Memorial Day also has no valid traditional basis. As recently as 1993, a U.S. president left office without having done so once. His name is George H.W. Bush, and his patriotism and his bravery in wartime are beyond question.