Why West Point

[Salty]

Why did the POTUS choose to give his speech at the USMA?

Of course, many of the men there will be directly affected by his decision.

Could the icing on the cake be that the Presidents advisors know that the Cadets would be prohibited from booing or pulling a " Joe Wilson" ?
Or was that the real reason?

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Why not?

 

[targus]

Why did the POTUS choose to give his speech at the USMA?

Of course, many of the men there will be directly affected by his decision.

Could the icing on the cake be that the Presidents advisors know that the Cadets would be prohibited from booing or pulling a " Joe Wilson" ?
Or was that the real reason?

Two words... photo opportunity.

 

[FR7 Baptist]

Two words... photo opportunity.

Where could he have given the speech that would not result in you saying that?

 

[targus]

Where could he have given the speech that would not result in you saying that?

The White House for one - provided that there were not a bunch of people standing behind him - nodding their heads in approval at all the correct talking point moments.

This is not an Obama thing... it's an "I'm so tired of the phony props" thing.

I dislike it when a Republican does it and I dislike it when a Democrat does it.

The Clintons did it to death.

Bush did it on the aircraft carrier and look at how that worked out for him.

It's insipid and trite.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Heads of state have always done this from time immemorial.

If he only gave speeches from the White House he would be accused of being the isolationist president who was too good to go to the people.

 

[saturneptune]

Heads of state have always done this from time immemorial.

If he only gave speeches from the White House he would be accused of being the isolationist president who was too good to go to the people.

There is no one on this board that dislikes Obams's policies more than me. There are lots on this board that are liberal Republican apologists that basically are used to a low bar of expectation and never have any real vision of a return to government by we the people.

Having said that, I agree with you. He is the President, and has the right to speak from wherever he pleases.

 

[Revmitchell]

I don't really care where he gives a speech from. He is a photo op President and we all know that. But for a man who believes in man made climate change he sure is racking up a carbon footprint with his jet set mentality. It seems to me he would go to great lengths to travel less since he wants to destroy entire energy industries in this country in the name of climate change.

 

[targus]

Having said that, I agree with you. He is the President, and has the right to speak from wherever he pleases.

Yup, he and every other politican has the right to speak from wherever they please.

They can use whoever or whatever for props - our troops, kids, sick people, other politicians, etc.

Clinton's "spontaneous" building his little memorial of stones on the beaches of Normandy with the naval ship in the background (all staged) is a classic.

But I have the right to be cynical about it too.

 

[saturneptune]

Yup, he and every other politican has the right to speak from wherever they please.

They can use whoever or whatever for props - our troops, kids, sick people, other politicians, etc.

Clinton's "spontaneous" building his little memorial of stones on the beaches of Normandy with the naval ship in the background (all staged) is a classic.

But I have the right to be cynical about it too.

I am well aware of military props. I spent most of my life around them. Yes, with the freedom granted in this country, you have the right to be cynical. The state you live in also has the right to cast its electoral votes for the present occupant of the office, which is what sent him there in the first place.

 

[targus]

The state you live in also has the right to cast its electoral votes for the present occupant of the office, which is what sent him there in the first place.

I am no more accountable for how others vote than you are.

I do not see the relevance of you statement.

 

[just-want-peace]

Could the icing on the cake be that the Presidents advisors know that the Cadets would be prohibited from booing or pulling a " Joe Wilson" ?

IMNSHO, this hits the nail squarely on the head!

 

[saturneptune]

I am no more accountable for how others vote than you are.

I do not see the relevance of you statement.

No one said you were accountable for how others vote. The point is he was elected by the people (electoral college) and is the President, as was Bush when he did his props, or Clinton when he pulled the same thing. This is nothing new. The worst prop I ever saw was Dukakis riding in the tank.

 

[targus]

No one said you were accountable for how others vote. The point is he was elected by the people (electoral college) and is the President, as was Bush when he did his props, or Clinton when he pulled the same thing. This is nothing new. The worst prop I ever saw was Dukakis riding in the tank.

Yup - they can all do whatever they want.

The OP asks why West Point.

I seem to be the only one to venture an opinion as to why West Point - namely a photo-op.

I don't understand all the defensiveness over the issue.

 

[Tom Bryant]

The Presidency is all about symbolism. The first President Bush didn't understand it when he did not come down to south FL after Andrew. It cost him big time down here.

Whether President Obama's symbolism will help him get his plan passed remains to be seen.

 

[carpro]

Why did the POTUS choose to give his speech at the USMA?

Of course, many of the men there will be directly affected by his decision.

Could the icing on the cake be that the Presidents advisors know that the Cadets would be prohibited from booing or pulling a " Joe Wilson" ?
Or was that the real reason?

I'm glad he chose that venue. His audience needed to know what a wimp they have for C-i-C.

The cadets didn't seem overly impressed. Mostly just polite.

They start their training to recognize a loser as soon as they hit the door.

 

[windcatcher]

That photo opt was not so successful:
Except for the annoucement of drawing the forces down in Iraq, which got applause.... there was not one nod of approval when the President stated what did not need to be said "As your commander in chief" to a stoic audience with glazed over eyes. Did others notice when the audience was panned, the cadets sleeping...... sitting at attention but sleeping?

And there is nothing applaudible about the President 'giving' 3/4ths of the manpower requested at the minimum. Kind of contradictory with his statements of supporting the troups and either choosing to deliver or get out... no inbetween options which would extend the war or cost more lives.