Among the old-time horsemen of the race track and the dyed in the wool horsemen of the Eastern Seaboard as far West as as the Mississippi, there is a term used to describe the best and most admirable traits in a horse, it is a five letter, simple word that few people can comprehend; yet, when the word is used to describe the nobility of certain horses of history, it can bring a moistening to the eyes of some of the most hardened horsemen in the world. The word is “class”, now everyone has an appreciation for the word when it is used to describe a product or behavior, it is accepted as a description of something being of a superior grade. Use the word in this manner with an old time horseman and he will look upon you as a naive child in his world.
The horse culture of North America flies beneath the radar of everyday awareness for most of North America. In the Eastern half of the country, there is a culture that has flourished for over three hundred years. The collective historical knowledge of the horse is awe inspiring for someone that can appreciate the abilities of the horseman. I often found myself working in 200 year old barns that house race horses, steeple chasers, three day horses, fox hunters, show jumpers, fine carriage and dressage horses all ridden by the same family. They thought nothing of their abilities and knowledge because they had been doing the same things on their property since the barn was built. These families are usually wealthy, but they are very open to the more humble horsemen who share the culture and have the knowledge. The West Coast Horse Culture is strictly a matter of money, making extremely wealthy children and women appear as if they know how to ride on very expensive push button horses purchased in Europe. It is a thriving business, but should never be confused with the culture of horsemen. In the Western States and Provinces, there are ranch horses, working horses that perform their jobs quite well, whether they are rope horses, mountain horses, or horses that are used in harness. The men who work these horses in solitude have no awareness of the many disciplines of the horse world, they just concentrate on the job at hand and put in a good day’s work and care for their equine partners. They know how to build a relationship with a horse and appreciate a horse with superior strength, stamina, speed, and intelligence.
These men and women, who have dedicated their lives for generations to working with the horse can intuitively recognize a superior horse; yes, they sometimes misjudge character and ability, but they have an “eye” for a horse. Some are better than others, but they all respect a superior individual and those horses are talked about for decades after their demise. These are said to be horses with class, one of the highest compliments that can be paid to a horse.
An example is an older race horse, 6 to 10 years old, often referred to as a plater or hark knocker, that has accumulated a multitude of injuries and has a maximum amount of speed that he can endure. He will often race against youngsters that have won races and are running against the old timer in races that aren’t specifically juvenile races. The older guy can often break in the lead and take command because of experience and the traces of speed from his younger days; however, it is a fact of nature that he will not be able to maintain the early speed and the youngsters will pull up to challenge him with the speed and vitality of youth.
The horse’s eye is one of the most expressive eyes on the face of the earth and it is that eye that often causes the young horse, that has the speed and air to pass that old horse, to spit the bit and stick his toes in the dirt. In other words, he didn’t have the courage to pass the old “Class” horse even though he could, not when he looked him in the eye from two feet away at 45 miles per hour.
It is this intangible, but real demarcation that is used by horsemen to describe humans as well, a human or horse without class is considered “common” or “classless”. A common or classless horse will be one that fails to do its job well and is a failure at everything, they often try to hurt people and destroy property. Jared Loughner is a classic example of a classless human; there is no logical explanation of why he should inhabit the earth and the sooner he departs this life, the sooner the earth will be a better place.
President Obama recently spoke at a memorial service for the victims of Laughner, in a tasteless and classless act, the memorial service was used to launch his reelection campaign for 2012. With the handing out of classless T-shirts he and his workers exposed the truly ugly, dirty side of his campaign and administration.
I doubt if Gabby, whom he intimately referred to, would have appreciated the campaign being launched at an event celebrating the occasion of a bullet having traveled through her skull and brain, disfiguring her face and possibly handicapping her for life. Do the campaign workers plan to drape the T-shirts over the tombstones of those killed in appreciation of their sacrifice for the reelection campaign.
In a truly classless act, Obama has set a precedent and lowered the dignity of America to new levels. This indefensible exploitation of mass murder and of the grief felt by this tragedy by launching a campaign in the aftermath of a homicidal maniac is beyond the crass behavior of those normally considered to be without class.
A professional horseman for over 50 years, Skook continues to work with horses. Skook has finished an historical novel, Fifty Thousand Years, that traces a mitochondrial line of DNA from 50,000 years ago to the present. The story follows a line of courageous women, from the Ice Ages to the present, as they meet the challenges of survival with grit and creativity. These are not women who whimper of being victims, they meet the challenges of survival as women who use their abilities without excuses or remorse, these women are winners, they are our ancestors.
Fifty Thousand Years is available in paperback and e-book, it is getting great reviews. You can purchase a copy here; Visit me on Facebook.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dylantheauthor
When I first saw this T-shirt going onto the backs of the chairs it was over an hour before the show was to start.
Then, when the camera panned the audience and I couldn’t see anyone wearing the fool thing, I hoped someone associated with the White House and gotten some sense (dare I say horse sense) and had them all pulled off before it was too late.
But it turns out the T-shirts were left for all to see.
So far, this morning I have yet to run across anyone saying they were a good idea.
Anyone weighing in at all says the opposite.
If anyone can find a real news article that explains why these shirts were smart or good in any way, please link to it.
Sookum; your posts are always appreciated by me and you hit the nail square with your comments. I love the horse tie-in. You are right on the mark. President Obama has no class and those that surround him are found lacking too. Their actions speak volumes.
Obama has taken himself to an all time low even for him. To benefit off of a tragedy is truly in bad taste however you look at it. He has just proven again that he has no business being President even though he will go down as the worst by far. You would have to be more of an idiot them him to think this is a good idea.
This post reminds me of a Commander Cody song: Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash.
I recently attended a memorial service for my wife’s mother, who passed in December.
There were no cheers. There were no t-shirts. There was thanksgiving for 90 years of life, remembrance of profound influence, prayers to God, an expression of our faith in the resurrection.
The Tucson Campaign Rally was a travesty, an abomination, a sick twisting of what once made us a great Nation.
The six dead, and the 13 wounded, deserved far better. I wish the victims could have been honored and remembered, as they deserved.
My wife and I were unable to watch or listen to the hyperbolic babble.
How do you determine class? It is simple. What happens when the jockey is up and the gate opens?
Just think: Man O’ War got a virtual national holiday when he died.
Bill Whittle (on a you-tube video) has expressed it best: failure on all counts. See PJTV for details.
Skook,
It’s amazing. It’s like you read my mind. I couldn’t have worded it better than what you have done. Class and common. We race trackers can indeed put things simply to words, can we not?
I wonder sometimes if we did indeed meet in my past horse days and if we haven’t, I certainly wish we had. Your posts are right on the money and also always bring a warm nostalgic feeling.
Obama did what any President would do. He honored the fallen.
Remember that there are many deranged people out there and Temper your rhetoric.
The rants of Nugent, Palin, Beck, etc. will come home to rest.
Tread carefully !
OMG, will the words of Obama’s pastor for twenty years come home to roost,“God Damn, America”
How many deranged people were in that congregation?
How many people will take their president’s advice and bring a gun to a confrontation.
Tread carefully my ass, President Obama has made a fool of himself by encouraging violence in the streets and you want to tell me to temper my rhetoric, when he tells people to bring a gun and get mad.
Let me tell you OMG I am not going to temper my rhetoric or logic, I will expose every vile and ignorant this man says and I can without the lies and hyperbole used by the Left. So stick around if you want to see some more fireworks, but not the asinine kind, like saying punish your enemies and bring a gun to a knife fight. Hell no, we will make a fool of him with his own words and actions, because in the arena of ideas, he is unarmed. Just like he displayed with this crass campaign effort on the blood of innocents. If you think we will be deterred by your veiled and dubious threats, you like Laughner have a serious defect in the brain pan.
@OMG: More liberal lunacy, OMG. You just don’t get it; Nugent, Palin, Beck, etc., are not responsible for what this guy did. But your buddy, Sheriff DUPE-nik, MAY be partly to blame, since it turns out that he knew this guy was a nut and did nothing about it. And THEN had the NERVE to blame the same folks you are trying to blame. Just keep talking, OMG, and you’ll prove my point that the Left is clueless, and full of hate themselves.
Well said. OMG Kiss my ass and shut the f up!!!
Stevie part of this foul up was my fault. I took the last paragraph and used it as a lead and then noticed that it read, continue reading. It takes a little while to get used to the new format for us writers and since I like to experiment, I will have more problems. Things will improve with time
@Jenn:
That was in intelligent reply.
@Pete Smith:
Guilty, guilty, guilty
@OMG / in shock:
We don’t allow sock puppetry here.
You now live in the filter.
Didn’t Obama talk about the instability of the country last night? Well isn’t the instability of the country directly proportional to the incompetence of this administration and our elected representives. The first duty of government is to protect the citizens from enemies, foreign and domestic, I read nothing in the Constitution that says their first duty is to protect the politicians from the electorate, but that is exactly what they propose. I blame this on the “We the People”, there are to many that sit back and say nothing while voting these same politicians back into office and expecting different results. These self serving leeches have no compulsion for anything but their own needs. “We the People” deserve exactly what we got, an unstable country run by an unstabile government controled by incompetent fools. By the way I’ve have seen high school pep rallies that were more somber that that so called memorial last night.
If I am correct in my thinking, it takes several days to set up and manufacture t-shirts. Planning a campaign, ordering, warehousing, shipping, all a time consuming task. Liberals are always ready to make use of a tragedy. They just have a difficult time making use of judgement.
This was an event organized and planned and hosted by the University of Arizona. It was the University of Arizona which “branded” the event “Together we thrive.” It was the University of Arizona which distributed the T shirts.
The President of the United States was an invited speaker at the event, along with the other invited speakers. He had no standing whatsoever to tell the University of Arizona how to run their event.
Do you have any information at all to back up your accusation that the White House was involved with “Together We Thrive?”
– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach, CA
Just fall off the turnip truck?
I’ll just share one……
In March, 2009, the White House held a health reform town hall.* Five lucky questioners were chosen “randomly” to talk directly with the president in the East Room about their concerns, including:
1)Linda Bock. She’s a registered nurse — and a card-carrying member of the SEIU in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
2)Carlos Del Toro. A Democratic candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates. He backed Obama against McCain in the general, endorsing him in an Oct. 24, 2008 op-ed in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star.
3)Tom Sawner. A service-disabled veteran, small-business owner in Arlington, Virginia. His company, Educational Options, works with public schools. He served on Obama’s education platform committee.
4)Bonnee Breese. Public school teacher, prominent AFT union member, and member of the Pennsylvania for Obama page on Facebook.
5)Sergio Salmeron. Democrat National Committee member and community blogger at Organizing for America.
Have you ever seen better Kabuki Theater than an Obama event?
* Whole transcript here:
@Skookum: Skookum, Obama could save a puppy from drowning in a swollen river and you would still complain about something. So why should anyone be surprised that you are now outraged by this?
@Nan: What on earth does that have to do with the University of Arizona’s “Together we thrive” memorial?
– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach, CA
@openid.aol.com/runnswim:
No matter who dreamed up and handled the logistics for the souvenir tees, the whole thing was, without any doubt, passed through the White House for approval.
You and I both know that presidential appearances are closely scripted, carefully managed events and that nothing, nothing is ever left to chance.
It’s really and truly a shame that the White House didn’t do a better job in setting the tone for the event ie coaching the crowd on what behavior would be appropriate.
And the t-shirt idea was just tacky. Whoever let that one through made a big blunder.
@OMG: Whooping and cheering and hollering at a memorial service? It is hard to tell what the hell the president thought he was doing by holding a party over the graves of the dead and injured. And it is certain is was not for remembrance or remorse. This was just another whistle stop on Obama’s endless campaign.
Just like liberals to dance on the graves like they danced on Wellstone’s grave.
@Reckless: “Whooping/cheering/hollering.” Again, this wasn’t an Obama-organized rally. The whole thing was entirely conceived, planned, and scripted by the University of Arizona, which also invited the “guests.”
It wasn’t Obama’s fault that the assembled masses “whooped/cheered/hollered.” Perhaps you think that he should have done something like giving them a lecture and saying “this isn’t the time or place for whooping/cheering/hollering.” But I frankly don’t think he was expecting that and, when it happened, he just went on with his speech — which, by the way, has received broad praise, from across the political spectrum.
@Aye: This wasn’t the White House’s event and it wasn’t the place of the White House to “set the tone” for anything. Obama was simply one of a number of invited speakers. His job was to give a speech, and he gave it. It wasn’t his job to tell the University of Arizona how to run their memorial. In the absence of any information at all to indicate otherwise, blaming Obama and the White House for the fact that the University of Arizona wanted to pass out T shirts is just the same sort of trying to make political hay out of a tragic event that some Democrats tried to do with their attempts to put blame on Palin.
The truth is that the urge to gain political advantage is too strong for both sides to pass up. It’s like an uncontrollable instinct.
– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach, CA
Larry is correct on this. It was organized by U of A, in coordination with local officials. The WH and other federal elected ones who attended merely went to the address, and spoke when scheduled.
Depending upon the POTUS attendance, the venues could have varied. When there is an official of state this high in the food chain attending, venues will be narrowed to enable secret service to do their thing.
I don’t have a beef with the idea that the Univ wanted to make tee shirts to commemorate the event. Or should I say the “love the one you’re with” feeling they wanted to result from the event. The tees do not capitalize on the shooting, nor do they make a political statement.
I would be more curious to know that, if they were sold, where the benefits of profits went. Or it may be that it was simply a part of the event’s costs.
On the note about O’bummer’s speech. I didn’t watch the event, but I did read the transcript of the speech. I thought it was a time where I have no criticism with the content. I don’t know how empassioned a delivery he made, but when it comes to Obama speech history… I consider it above criticism for the event, and worthy of a rare thumbs up.
Now the crowd? That’s another story…. but I don’t hold duh “zero” responsible for the behavior of the crowd,.. the majority of which were likely to be the college students.
I have plenty about this admin and Congress to swear about under my breath. This event doesn’t even hit the radar for complaint factors for me.
Say what? The hell he didn’t Larry. We can always count on you to defend your boyfriend no matter what.
I thought it might be illuminating to see how the UA newspaper expressed what happened the other night:
Speaker after speaker paid tribute to the shooting victims while also speaking about hope and healing for the future.
Obama’s speech often yielded applause and standing ovations, transforming an at-first solemn audience into a jubilant crowd as he spoke fondly with reference of the victims and “heroes” who came to their aid.
UA junior Daniel Hernandez Jr. said he would “humbly reject” the status of “hero” – to which Obama later reinforced upon him. http://www.uanews.org/node/36906
Now I watched the whole thing and I’d say that crowd was pretty ”jubilant” long before Obama took to the podium.
He frothed them up some more, but they were in a party-hardy mood early on.
B-Rob, B.H.Obama would NOT save a drowning puppy in a swollen river in a million years UNLESS the MSM was present with cameras rolling. Great post Skookum! Some race horses with Class, Secretariat, Riva Ridge, Alydar, to name a few of my favorites. And as for Presidents with true class, D.D. Eisenhower, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson.
With respect to looking for “heroes,” I think that this is general human nature — wanting to find at least something positive in an otherwise miserably horrible situation. When Tillman was killed by friendly fire, certain of the Army brass tried, at first, to make him out to be more heroic than he (already) was. I will say that I’ve got huge admiration for the plucky, injured 61 year old woman who went after the shooter herself and helped prevent further mayhem. – Larry W
Here is a sampling of what has been said by the peace loving left recently:
Apparently the President’s speech didn’t register with some of his supporters. Unfortunately, it looks like he will be getting lots of practice giving similar speeches. This crime was not the act of a Republican, a Democrat, a Tea Party member, a Palin supporter, an Obama supporter, a conservative, or a liberal. It was the act of a lone nutcase plain and simple as all the evidence that has come out so far indictates. There are those who wasted no time seeking to use this to advance their own personal/political agendas or causes. Eventaully this will become more widespread and it WILL become political in nature and the end result could very well be a civil war in this country. It won’t be pretty but one thing is for sure- the agitators won’t be the ones doing the fighting. They will leave that to others to do while they hide. The Chinese are probably watching these events and saying that shortly we will no longer matter because we will destroy ourselves internally.
Larry, you can say whatever you wish but the reality is that the White House has final yea/nay on every single detail of every presidential event right down to the smallest things up to, and including, seating arrangements and attendee instructions. Nothing is unplanned or left to chance.
If you’ve ever attended a presidential event as I have then you’ve experienced it first hand.
If that weren’t true then President Bush and the White House would have been totally immune from “Mission Accomplished” banner criticism but, of course, we know that wasn’t the case.
Aye, it was not a presidential event. No more than a POTUS organizes the rallies for random speeches, whether for NAACP or SEIC.
Glenn Beck, on Obama’s speech last night at the University of Arizona:
@Aye: Firstly, the “Mission Accomplished” thing was no big deal, and whatever leftover gripes I might have about the Bush Presidency, this doesn’t even deserve a mention. But the White House (not Bush, but one of his chief “message men”) was intimately involved with approving, designing, placing the sign (so that it would be in prominent view when The President gave his speech).
In order for this to be equivalent to T-shirtgate, the White House staff would have had to approve the concept and participate in the design and placement. We’ve got no information whatsoever to indicate that this occurred, beyond your speculation. Also, the President is the Commander in Chief of the Navy, but not Chancellor in Chief of the U of A.
The comment I really liked, though, was that by “Another Vet” (#29). After he put up his video link, for some quick political points, he entirely redeemed himself with the words of wisdom which followed — the essence of which was famously encapsulated by the immortal words of Pogo.
– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach CA
Almost, but not quite, Larry… INRE the “Mission Accomplished” banner. As Wordsmith pointed out in his May 2008 post you linked, and I further reinterated in my Jan 2009 comment, the banner was the crew’s idea, and the WH facilitated the construction of it for them, following their request.
The difference is that the crew and the carrier are under the command of the CiC, and this was entirely appropriate a request to follow up on for the service men aboard. Some in the WH may have thought it would be a political mistake. Personally, I’m glad they honored the crewmen’s wishes, and put their political blowback aside to accommodate them.
But, as I will remind Aye, a POTUS often does speaking engagements for events organized by others… i.e. union events, association events, etc. The WH doesn’t micromanage details of those events, i.e. seating, decor/backdrops, menus, etc. They will block out a row of seats for their entourage, manage security before and after the POTUS presence, and the secret service will indeed go over who is within close proximity of the president. But they do not have input on associated details (like tees, pins or other memorabilia) when it is not a WH organized event. Nor should they.
Larry,
What political points are you referring to? The video was to illustrate two points:
1. The left is throwing stones in glass houses by advocating assassinations and killings of those with oppsoing political views or who they don’t like.
2. It was designed to show how this is escalating. If there are other videos out there that have popped up advocating killing those on the left, I would denounce those as well.
Please show me where I have advocated or supported someone killing someone other than a sworn enemy of this country. Had my statement that followed the video said, “Look at what the left is saying, now we need to start killing them as well”, then you would have a legit point.
For some reason, I doubt that the president’s “people” let him walk into any situation without knowing what is in the details. Is that hard to imagine or believe. As a practiced orator or teleprompter reader, the president has the ability and the power to control a crowd, with a simple reminder of why they are there and a request for humility and respect for the dead and wounded. That effort alone would have changed the whole nature of the memorial service.
It might have required implementing a spontaneous sentence on his part and I can understand why he is reluctant to chance becoming lost once again; especially, while he is being worshiped by his faithful lemmings. Unless, he enjoys the adoration and attention so much he is willing to risk appearing as a classless slob, then the omission by the president is understandable; otherwise, it is humiliating for our head of state and our country to allow a memorial service to turn into a pep rally. If he doesn’t have the ability to control a small crowd of sycophants, he is even less of a leader than we give him credit.
Saving puppies in fast water is best left to those who know what they are doing: mistakes can be costly, like allowing a memorial service to degenerate into a pep rally. The speech was written for him and he delivered it well, that is what he does best and is one of the main reasons he was elected. It’s the leadership and statesmanship part that he is having problems with. Sometimes, I must end a sentence with a preposition, rather than ending with a phrase like, the f ‘ing jerk.
A leader commands respect, even from college students; the nature of the event dictated and demanded a somber tone and respect for the dead and wounded. I could expect this behavior and lack of respect from Obama and his Narcissistic craving for attention, but to think that his handlers and advisors are so immune from the normal conventions of respect and mourning is surprising.
Perhaps, the audience of sycophants might have been a little more understanding of the nature of the event if a live screening of their congress woman would have been aired with her struggle to hold onto life or of the little girl’s casket as it is being lowered into the ground, that is the nature of the memorial, not an unabashed worshiping of Obama by the local college Marxists.
Those of you who think it has been just peachy might want to look very closely at someone who has been shot through the brain and had the bullet exit through their forehead before you praise Obama’s behavior and overlook his lack of etiquette and class at this event. I have no reason to place my feelings in line with Glen Beck or anyone else, a distinct lack of class in this memorial service is obvious, by both the audience and the speaker.
Skook, you can count me appalled at the audience. I think they were seriously disrespectful. However I cannot and will not hold Obama responsible for their unabashed groupie attitudes and irreverence for the event. You did not see such behavior at the Bush speech following 9/11 at the site. The cheer only went up when he promised not to let that attack go without response.
BTW, the reason the speech was so good is because Obama didn’t use his regular catch phrase guy.
Oh yes, I’m not sure about the connection you make between Obama’s “behavior” and the seriousness of Gifford’s injury. My friend’s husband, ironically, is going thru far more serious of the same with an AVM. Gifford’s surgery took 2-3 hours. He was in surgery for over 12 hours. Same post op ICU type watch… induced coma to keep the body quiet and minimize the swelling. Removal of part of the skull. Questions and constant testing of brain to limbs response. Both Gifford and he will have a very long come back in recovery. We’re hoping he hasn’t lost most of his ability for speech, which is possible when they start removing parts of the brain. While their injuries are humbling, and leave all of us with a sense of perspective for whatever we are experiencing personally, I still don’t see what it has to do with Obama’s speech.
As I said on another thread when I linked to Larry Johnson’s No Quarter post on this… I’ll start believing the Kumbaya stuff from Obama and the left when they start extending that same civility to Palin. Not before.
@mata: Thank you for the helpful clarification, re “Mission Accomplished”
@vet: I was simply making passing note of the fact that you, like so many others, are taking this occasion to score political points. You can’t possibly believe that the collection of inflammatory tweets are in any way endorsed or supported by me or Greg or 90% of your other friendly neighborhood Democrats. I don’t know whether there are more fringe kooks on the Left or on the Right, and don’t I don’t care if the fringe on the Left is worse or better than the fringe on the Right. I’m interested in the opinions and actions of the mainstream Americans of both Parties who are the ones who run the country and who determine the political future of the country.
We’ve got enough problems (as you, yourself, indicated in your mostly positive comments), reconciling differences between mainstream Democrats and mainstream Republicans, without unnecessarily complicating the problem by dragging in the blowhard extremists.
– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach, CA
Anytime the president appears somewhere all of the details are ultimately approved/disapproved by the White House Advance Office.
It is their job to keep the president out of awkward or embarrassing situations.
The 2002 version of the Advance Office Manual contained 103 pages. (The linked PDF had much of the information redacted by the Dept of Justice.) The original Advance Office Manual was created under Nixon and is the basis for all subsequent administrations.
Everything is choreographed right down to who will greet him at the airport as well as where he will walk and who will be allowed to sit behind him (TV face time) and the type of people they want in the room for the camera shots.
The events that I have attended have even included dress code expectations.
Aye, the link to the Bush 2002 redacted Presidential Advance manual doesn’t make sense with this event applied to this moment. Nor does it when relating to the controlling “tickets” or distribution. And, in fact (since that WH admin policy was highly criticized) that is a policy manual that was issued by a completely different administration. From what I could see in what remained, it is directives generally confined to events that are either political in nature (campaigning, speech appearances for focus groups) or official policy (pushing proposed legislation). Such an example is your last link INRE the Obama 2009 Hudson College event. That was an event where the POTUS was pushing eduction INRE economy point.
Therefore, it seems inapplicable to the more official duties of a POTUS, attending either a memorial or a funeral/wake service, as Tucson was. Take, for example, Obama’s appearance and eulogy at Ted Kennedy’s funeral, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Roxbury, Mass. Think that was arranged by Obama’s office to the extent you suggest? How about Bush, visiting the WTC site after the attack. Do you think they controlled the political make up of the crowd there? Or what was the backdrop for Bush’s speech atop the debris? Do you believe Bush demanded a bull horn be present and at his disposal? Similarly, do you think that fund raising events held by personal constitutents are planned by the WH, down to what color napkins appear on the table?
Do you think that Jay Leno allowed that office to pick his audience when the Zero appeared on his show? Obama addressed the NAACP on their 100th Anniversary celebration in July 2009. Did he pick the tablecloth colors? The centerpieces?
In short… no. It is not a “presidential event” in that aspect. It’s not one of Obama’s cocktail parties. Does the Office of Advance and Scheduling become involved? Of course. They have to coordinate with many govt agencies, from federal to local, for logistics of moving the POTUS around. And I suggest that if you want to find any kind of smoking gun on this “nefarious” act of tee shirts, you might want to contact Alyssa Mastromonaco, Director Office of Scheduling and Advance and find out if and when she had time to design and order the tees inbetween last minute cancelling of other events just a few days ago.
I think you just casually construe that political and/or official events operate the same way. Your own link to a non fiction novel by Bradley Hawkes Patterson about the Clinton WH notes the difference in pages beyond your link, (starts on pg 243 INRE domestic visits), INRE a political presence vs an official presence for floods, disasters, hurricane damage and funerals. As the author states, at that point in time, the Advanced Office, tasked with something more than mere political impact but also security, travel arrangements, lodging etc looks “… less like a long-range-planning-unit, and more like a firehouse.” At that point, they analyze what percentage fo the trip may be “political” in nature and are more concerned with disbursement of expenses.
All “local” expenses for the event, as it says on pg 244 of this novel (not a WH policy document), are borne by the event host, and they are sent documentation that this is quite clear in advance. That would include any tees they wish as part of their event. No where does it say the POTUS must approve their local expenses or designs … whether it be the choice of venue (outside of secret service approval), banners, etc.
This is just bad judgment for a point of contention, jumping on this stuff. If you guys think that Mastromonaco has the spare time to design everything from tees to service flatware at the table for such events, then the POTUS isn’t doing much but staying home. Certainly not true with this one.
And guess what… even if in your wildest and most creative dream of dreams were it remotely true, there is nothing wrong with the tees and their message.
Larry,
The Palin video was referenced in news reports by FOX and ABC when reporting on the fact that the number of death threats against her have increased pretty drastically since the shooting. Had there have been a similar report with a similar video concerning say Pelosi or Reid, I would have posted that as well to further prove the point. I also know that you don’t endorse the nutcases on the left who are advocating killing people just like I wouldn’t endorse those on the right who would do the same.
@OMG: Pretty convenient OMG left out Ed Shultz, Oberman, and Maddow. Says a lot about you OMG.
What’s wrong with a Rock and Roll star to tell someone to “suck on my machine gun” anyway?
Would it more appropriate to tell someone to “polish my chrome flash suppressor”?
Who’s going to “draw the line” on what is or isn’t too much rhetoric.
the president of the united states gave a shout out when first responding to the fort hood terrorist murder spree
his concerns seemed superficial, the shout out rude and arrogant
why not believe he would kick off his bid for reelection at a memorial service for the dead and wounded in the arizona murder spree
I see a pattern here
opportunist and out of touch with real people and real needs
Last nights so called memorial service was nothing more than a fucking jr high pep rally. If I was related to any of the dead or injured would not have attended. Had a memorial service for my late wife on the 10th of Dec and I cried like I never cried before. Served two tours in Vietnam as a combat helicopter pilot and the units I flew with lost some good men. However in combat you never get too close and bottle up your emotions. But when a close loved one dies your emotions become raw to the bone. They don’t call Tucson the Berkley of Arizona for nothing. You can best believe those festivities were corigraphed to the last dot on the letter i. Was nothing more than an event to make political points for Obama. Give me a break, they had an indian medicine man and a bunch of dumbass college students in attendance. There was no class in that room last night.
Urrggg…had a nice reply typed out and lost it. The new software is not as forgiving as the old version.
@MataHarley:
The point that I’m trying to get across is that there is, indeed, an entire group of the people, the Advance Office, which handles all of the minutiae of presidential visits whether they are official (as yesterdays’ was) or political.
While the AO may not choose the colors for the table linens or the designs for the centerpieces they no doubt evaluate the acceptability of all things up to, and including, what is in the background when the president speaks.
As a side note, something that struck me as a bit odd about the event. Doesn’t the Presidential Seal go on the podium just prior to the president beginning to speak? Seems that’s what I remember from the events I attended.
The larger point of this discussion is that with the attention to detail that goes into these things there is any possible way that the branding and the t-shirts, both of which I personally find repugnant, got all the way through to show time without the express approval of someone at the WH.
The UA couldn’t have done that without someone in the food chain giving the nod. Of course, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the highest levels of the WH echelon said yea. After all, this is the same cast of clowns that gave the Queen of England an iPod full of Obie’s speeches…oh, and who could ever forget the wrong region DVDs that Gordon Brown received?
As to the bullhorn, there is an interesting story behind that….I will see if I can find the interview where Bush talks about it.
Aye, INRE the bull horn, that is likely to fall under the “PA” needs of the actual event. They weren’t apt to have a generator power source and microphones at the WTC site. So did the WH arrange for the “PA”, (i.e. the bull horn)? Or was that part and parcel of the need to address a gathering without the advantage of a sound system, and handled by those local officials who arranged that gathering?
I’d say it’s the latter. The WH would have no need to do that unless it was an event they were sponsoring, and were attending to both the details of such and the expense.
I don’t think the WH had to approve the tees. If they saw them, I would see no reason why they should have a problem with it. The 9/11 event has many tees available for purchase i.e. here, as well as those memorializing the NYFD. Are these also “repugnant”?
Now, what I’d consider repugnant is the truther 9/11 tees. The Tucson shirts, of course, bear no resemblence to this. However as offensive as they are, it’s the nation we live in. They have a right to manufacture them, and people have a right to wear them.
Bottom line, the tees were not paid for by the taxpayer, and it’s unlikely they were designed and ordered by Obama’s WH. If you find anything that documents that as different, we’d all be interested in it. But what you suggest is simply beyond the scope of the advance planning for such events. That office is way too busy with other things than to plan and design tees for a last minute memorial service. They were too busy UNdoing his normal schedule.
Some more (conservative) reviews of speech:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704307404576080391479851536.html
Ain’t that the truth.
What’s amazing about all this is that, not only are people blind to their own biases and what’s in their hearts; they’re driven by those same biases into simple contradictions in their words and behavior that they’re equally blind to.
Case in point, here’s my friend, Aye, passionately lecturing dumb old me on the dangers of jumping to conclusions back on Monday.
Fast-forward to yesterday and President Obama’s speech had barely ended before Aye accused the White House of planting the shirts. More outrageously, he called the President a liar , one who lied to the entire nation, not to mention right to the face of the husband of the victim (who obviously knew the truth, thus, as I warned, insinuating he too was a liar). That’s one hell of an accusation to throw out about someone. And so far, he’s not been able to back up that claim either.
Yes, people, even exceptionally erudite people like Aye, believe first what they want to believe. We should all be careful how we judge others, particularly when a comeuppance or an undressing might be just around the corner. Otherwise, we too might find ourselves dashing out immediately, immediately, to begin pointing fingers, casting aspersions, and heaping blame. I guess we never learn.
May I say,
God Bless little Christina Taylor Green. May God take this little ‘Angel’ into his loving arms. I pray for her Mom, Dad & Brother, that God will give them the strength they will need to get through the days and years ahead, surely it will not be easy….
_____________________________________________________
In the words of Rahm Emanuel – ‘Never let a crisis go to waste’. The Obama Administration and Obama himself ‘sets the tone’ for America as our Leader. HIS Rhetoric and ‘tone’ is what has driven a divide in this Country before, during and after his Election. The ‘vitirol’ from the LEFT is despicable. They are so ‘afraid’ and venomously hateful of other Americans who don’t agree with them. Well, so much for the left’s ‘tolerance’ (do they even know what that means or is just a by-line for them?).
Obama’s ‘visit’ in Tuscon for a “Memorial Service” for little 9 year old Christina, turned into a “PEP RALLY” HUH? HUHHHH?? Pep Rally – Totally Undignified and Class – less. Do these college students even know how to behave at a Memorial Service better yet, what a Memorial Service is all about?? Hint – it not about a pep rally. Sorry, but I thought the victims deserved better than a ‘pep rally’ with tee shirts.
I could be very wrong but, what this ‘did’ appear to be, in the words of Rahm Emanuel, ‘a Crisis’ being brought to full Political fruition by Obama’s Co-horts. 2012 ‘ Campaigning’ at a memorial service?? Who pray tell, thought the ‘themed tee shirts’ were appropriate? If that ‘theme’ on those tee shirts becomes the mantra of Obama’s 2012 Campagin – “I” ‘will’ feel ashamed of my country and the idiocy connected to it.
On a more positive note, I will say however, there were poignant parts of Obama’s speech and his tone was much different than usual, as it should be. I think at the same time he should have ‘re-set’ the tone in his own camp. I do hope this whole episode, tragic as it has been, has opened the ‘eyes’ of a good many people, and they realize where the ‘real’ vitriol and rhetoric is coming from.
About the shirts:
Well Antics, I suppose the Obama crew has rewritten etiquette as well as history. We can now expect to see political T-shirts at the best memorial services; otherwise, we can act offended if we attend and aren’t given a complimentary T-shirt. Durimg the summer we can wear our T-shirts and display our Class by letting everyone know which memorial services we have attended by the logos on our T-shirts. Deaths can become commercial and political events to be exploited for political advantage and a chance to make a buck. Who said Obama was against business. There is a real opportunity in the ghoulish business of memorial planning. Maximize the potential of memorial services by hiring memorial planners who can get the promotional dollars and influence rolling. The opportunities are limitless.
I hear ya Skookum. Forget about “Death Panels,” that is soooo yesterday. Death Shirts are where it’s at.
What’s next? Memorial swag that includes beer coolies, foam fingers, visors, frisbees?
If Obama was a horse, what would his type be called? Have you ever come upon a horse that fits his personality?
I felt sorry for the victim’s families that were at the memorial. Our King-in-Chief didn’t ask anyone to refrane from shouting or encouraging them that this is a solemn ceremony.
It’s disgusting enough that they had the shirts, but I’m guessing they discussed SELLING them or asking for a DONATION before they decided to give them away.
I guess it will be the new “arrested while wearing Obama t-shirts” thing. It is good it will take the stress out of determining who has class and who doesn’t. To bad they don’t make them for thieves, rapists, murderer’s and generally bad people. Oh, wait they do! Unfortunately, Obama and his administration have divided our great Country but on the bright side we can tell who has class!
Faith well put. I feel sorry for all the victims and their families to be used under the ruse of a memorial service (political rally) to support our failure and useless President. It is disgraceful and when one of his relatives or close friend is murdered by a nut we can sew the costumes, print up the t-shirts, beer coozies,hats, foam fingers and hire a band and pretend it is a memorial. See if they approve? We would most likely be called insensitive to say the least. The families deserved much better than what happened. I hope that the victims and families get to mourn and should have been able to properly and with some respect. To bad this will have set the standard.