American Elephants


Sometimes a Picture IS Worth a Thousand Words. by The Elephant's Child

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(h/t: http://pjmedia.com/rogerkimball/)


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I have to admit that I’m looking forward to the first photos of Obama getting off a plane and NOT having an honor guard. The photos when the Secret Service isn’t free to “rough up” people who express their continued extreme disgust for this person.

Even more, I’m looking forward to seeing pics of Obama’s face when he realizes that people actually hate him, and the faces of the “haters” are all black.

Forgive me, but there hasn’t been a whole lot to laugh about since this man took the oath of office.

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Comment by Jim Yardley

Bill Clinton went through an “attention withdrawal” after he left the White House (I understand most Presidents do to some degree, but his case was bad). No one to hold the door, no salutes, no one to make him his midnight PB&J. He was still able to ride official coattails because of Hillary being in the Senate and then SecState, but Clinton said that was one of the first things he noticed… no military salutes anymore (he is no longer in the chain-of-command). Obama, being the attention-monger that he is, is going to have it worse. Except for state occasions, there will be no more free jets to fly around in anymore. He’ll still have Secret Service coverage, but a smaller detail, and if he retires to Oahu as rumored, there just isn’t the room out there for him to take up too much space.

And in his current situation, I’ll just say this… The President’s Guard detail has a very specific set of rules, by tradition and protocol. A direct salute, speak only when spoken to, move from your post only with authorization from your direct superior (and contrary to what some people think, the President is NOT in that command tree – he can ask for a Marine or sailor (the navy provides the steward in the White House) to be replaced, but he can’t (for example) ask one of them to run over to a pizza place in Capitol Hill (really happened once!)). That is not to say that the Marines aren’t more comfortable with some than with others. Reagan loved to talk football, with his Service detail and Marine Guard, Poppa Bush was much the same, and Nancy and Barbara got all the deference there was to give. Clinton would talk cars, but Hillary frowned at that… especially after a young Marine Captain you have some acquaintance with explained that the Marine detail were not intended to be doormen, or package holders, or otherwise treated as personal servants. Quite a few Secret Service took early retirement rather than stay in the WH with Hillary. GWB had a great relationship with his detail. The Obama’s, on the other hand… Let’s just say, Marines will go where they are told, but there are very, VERY few volunteers.

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Comment by Lon Mead




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