The Blog

Why Obama Snubbed the Troops

10:35 AM, Jul 25, 2008 • By JOHN MCCORMACK
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First Read reports:

One military official who was working on the Obama visit said because political candidates are prohibited from using military installations as campaign backdrops, Obama's representatives were told, "he could only bring two or three of his Senate staff member, no campaign officials or workers." In addition, "Obama could not bring any media. Only military photographers would be permitted to record Obama's visit."

The official said "We didn't know why" the request to visit the wounded troops was withdrawn. "He (Obama) was more than welcome. We were all ready for him."

Ed Morrissey writes that "those same rules applied for the CODEL trip to Iraq and Afghanistan."

The Obama campaign's line that he couldn't visit troops on a leg of the trip "funded by the campaign" is ludicrous.

Obama could have left the press and his campaign staff behind for a few hours while he visited wounded troops. But instead the senator and Democratic presidential nominee chose to leave the troops behind while he enjoyed a "celebratory vodka martini" with the press corps.

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