Freepers & now newspapers spreading accusations President Obama "snubbed" Salute to Heroes Ball

[1776Forever]

Note: One reason I am posting this is so when anyone goes on Google and posts for this they will find this and know the real TRUTH!

Read on:

Freeper blogs and right-wing extremist radio hosts are having a field day talking about the "snub" of President Obama not attending a Salute to Heroes Ball on Inauguration night. This American Legion "Salute to Heroes Ball" honoring Medal of Honor Recipients and 13 other veteran's service organizations, including those such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, has been around for over 50 years. Now it is being picked up in some newspapers.

Here is one article on it:

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/8627

In defense of the President, the Commander in Chiefs Ball was attended by the President and First Lady and the President was surrounded by Military personnel at this ball and had a televised talk with deployed U.S. service members via satellite. Both he and the First Lady also danced with some of the troops.

Here is the photo gallery and information for the Commander in Chief's Ball:

http://www.afic.northcom.mil/newscenter/photos.asp?gallery=6

Also - here is the list of "Official Balls" from the PresidentialInauguration.com cached site:

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:TeyTv8S6R2sJ:www.presidential-inauguration.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dsection%26id%3D3%26Itemid%3D32+Presidential+Inauguration.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

Official Balls

The Inaugural Balls listed below have been set up by the Presidential Inaugural Committee for the 2009 Inauguration of Barack Obama:

Biden Home States Inaugural Ball
Commander-in-Chief Ball
Eastern Inaugural Ball
Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball
Midwestern Inaugural Ball
Neighborhood Inaugural Ball
Obama Home States Inaugural Ball
Southern Inaugural Ball
Western Inaugural Ball
Youth Inaugural Ball

.......

There is also a list of "unofficial balls" and the funny thing here is the 'Salute to Heroes Ball' is not listed there either? I do believe this matter should be addressed by one of the people on the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee (AFIC) in order to get the truth out. This is a wedge issue that can be used in the future if it is not stopped now.

Update:

Vice President Biden did attend this Ball:

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2009/01/the-one-blows-o.html

In answer to your inquiry:

The American Legion, as it has on every inauguration evening since 1953, hosted the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Banquet & Ball on January 20th. The quadrennial event is co-sponsored with fourteen veterans service and military service organizations and honors recipients of the Medal of Honor. Forty-seven of these heroes attended this year’s event which was held in the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.

President Obama was invited but did not attend. Vice-President Joe Biden did appear, however, and was very warmly received. The new President’s absence was understandable considering the unprecedented logistical challenges presented by the vastly increased number of visitors to this inauguration and the necessary attendant security measures. The American Legion, as an organization, does not feel offended or “snubbed.”

Craig Roberts
Media Relations Manager
The American Legion
1608 K Street, NW

.........

And this from votesomemore reply:

More from REAL link:

I have found out also that the likely reason that Barack Obama attended the auxiliary balls that he did is because six of the balls that he attended were held in the same building. Therefore, attending those balls and the others that he attended were the most efficient with regards to security. It is no secret that President Obama has had questions surrounding his security, that is evident by observing that he was the earliest presidential candidate ever to get a security detail. If the Secret Service felt it prudent to guard him so early in the campaign can the reader imagine what the Secret Service feels is prudent now that he is the President of the United States?

The most likely reason that President Obama did not go to the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball is because it was held in the Renaissance Hotel which consists of 16 floors. There was an event called the "Illinois Party - Presidential Event" held at the Renaissance the night before that the then-President-elect did not attend either (I have a call in to the President's press office asking for confirmation of this information which was given to me by one of my sources for this story). Given the amount of time and resources it would have taken to clear a 16 floor hotel as well as protect it while President Obama was inside, I can only guess that he was advised by his Presidential Protection Detail not to attend either inaugural ball because of the building and the inherent problems in securing and then protecting it. The sheer number of people crowding the streets and staying in the hotel surely presented a formidable screening problem as well. But, there's your story... it's not as sexy as "Barack Obama Hates The Military" but it is the truth as best I can tell after talking to the organization responsible for hosting the event and doing some research and educated guesswork about why a security team wouldn't want to protect a principal in the Renaissance with more than 2 million extra people in Washington D.C.

http://isaacs.newsvine.mobi/_news/2009/01/23/2345799-obama-blows-off-medal-of-honor-recipients-not-exactly

[Political Heretic]

1. It is not a wedge issue. No one fucking cares.

Try not to base "care level" on Free Republic.

[1776Forever]

3. When I started to see it posted in newspapers as "news" I felt it needed addressed.

It is really getting steam and needs to be stopped IMO.

[Political Heretic]

4. When you see it in the newspapers for more than a day, wake me up.

I appreciate your concern, but addressing this is what will MAKE it a story.

Right now, there's nothing there. And its not going anywhere.

[Why Syzygy]

2. OMG.

I certainly hope we don't expect Obama to babysit the freepers for 8 years. The most benign thing we ever got from Bush was the BIRD.

Even with this email, there is still Web dispute over whether or not it was held this year.


email from the American legion
From: Roberts, Craig R. croberts@legion. org
Subject: Salute to Heroes inaugural event
To: larry@nam-vet. net
Cc: "March, Joseph H." jmarch@legion. org
Date: Thursday, January 22, 2009, 11:56 AM

Good afternoon Mr. Stimeling,

The American Legion, as it has since on every inauguration day since
1953, hosted the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Banquet & Ball on
January 20th. The quadrennial event is co-sponsored with fourteen
fellow veterans service and military service organizations and honors
recipients of the Medal of Honor. Forty-seven of these heroes
attended this year's event which was held in the Renaissance
Washington DC Hotel.

President Obama was invited but did not attend. Vice-President Joe
Biden did appear, however, and was very warmly received.

Thanks for your inquiry.

Craig Roberts

Media Relations Manager

The American Legion

1608 K Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006
http://www.bermanpost.com/2009/01/obama-skips-salute-to-heroes-inaugural.html

[1776Forever]

6. There was a blog about it on my.barackobama.com about it - check this out...

ColbertWatcher posted about this yesterday - here is his post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4901239&mesg_id=4901239

He has this about it from my.barackobama.com page blog:

American Legion 'Salute to Heroes' Veterans Inaugural Ball
By Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 - Jan 22nd, 2009 at 10:40 pm EST

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamablogger/gGxHPx

The Veterans Inaugural Committee, which is comprised of congressionally chartered veterans organizations, hosts a ball to honor Medal of Honor recipients (not sure about that) , "heroes" all. The 99 living Congressional Medal of Honor recipients were invited and 48 were present.

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Traditionally, the president and first lady visit as special guests, from time to time accompanied by the vice president and his wife. Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and leaders of the veterans groups also headline the guest list. This event has been an Inaugural tradition since 1953. This year there were no administration visits. However, LT. General James B. Peake was seated at the head table. General Peake recently served as the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary under George Bush.

The American Legion sponsors the ball, which recognizes recipients of Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award. It started in 1953 for President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first inauguration. Event co-sponsors include 13 other veterans service organizations, among them the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

[Why Syzygy]

10. The American Legion can address it...

There is no such thing listed on their site. It is still controversial. A blog post is hardly definitive even if it is on Obama's site. I'm not going to ask Obama to BABYSIT FREEPERS! It is a thankless task and one that would never end. They will always find something to WHINE about. That's what they do!

[Joanne98]

5. If they don't like it they can MOVE!

[1776Forever]

8. I think it should be addressed by the committee - let's get the truth out there.

Why put our heads in the sand and let this be picked up by more newspapers? It is rediculous but that is what these idiots feed on!

[mwb970]

7. We can't freak out over every crazy thread at Free Republic.

I read on cnn.com that 12% of Americans disapprove of Obama as president. And every single one of them posts at FR. It's always the usual right-wing stuff: paranoia, lies, made-up crap in e-mails from Uncle Zeke, etc.

I go to FR for humor and I occasionally post the silliest of the nonsense here just for laughs. But scared of them and their phony "issues"? Nope. They're pathetic losers.

[1776Forever]

9. Did you see my link to the newspaper story? n/t

[Arkana]

26. I'm going with this.

For eight years they didn't give a shit about what we did--and I for one am really fucking sick and tired of babysitting the degenerate morons over at that archaic POS website. Who. Gives. A Shit.

[Lasher]

11. Here's the best debunking I've seen so far:

Obama Blows Off Medal of Honor Recipients... Not Exactly

Blackfive, which I read occasionally for military pieces, confirmed that President Obama did not come to the inaugural ball. So I became curious because the only two sources were two blogs and one source that consisted of initials. Therefore, I did what any rational person would do: I contacted the American Legion to get the straight story from the people who would know. I was put in contact with a very pleasant gentleman named Craig Roberts who is the American Legion's Media Relations Manager and after our conversation he e-mailed me this statement which I will include in its entirety:

In answer to your inquiry:

The American Legion, as it has on every inauguration evening since 1953, hosted the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Banquet & Ball on January 20th. The quadrennial event is co-sponsored with fourteen veterans service and military service organizations and honors recipients of the Medal of Honor. Forty-seven of these heroes attended this year’s event which was held in the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.

President Obama was invited but did not attend. Vice-President Joe Biden did appear, however, and was very warmly received. The new President’s absence was understandable considering the unprecedented logistical challenges presented by the vastly increased number of visitors to this inauguration and the necessary attendant security measures. The American Legion, as an organization, does not feel offended or “snubbed.”

Thank you,

Craig Roberts

Media Relations Manager

The American Legion

http://isaacs.newsvine.mobi/_news/2009/01/23/2345799-obama-blows-off-medal-of-honor-recipients-not-exactly

The issue has been discussed in this DU thread.

[1776Forever]

13. I just found that too and updated my post on it. I hope the truth gets out there soon!

Thanks!

[Why Syzygy]

15. See?

I posted that same email, but it had been EDITED to remove the last two sentences. Glad you found it in its entirety.

They will always lie and try to make us look bad. I won't personally, and won't ask my President, to go around scooping Elephant poop for 8 years.

edit: As Obama said, "I won".

[1776Forever]

18. Now we have some truth to lies though. We have the answer right from the American Legion

If anyone remarks on this we can tell them what the AL had to say about it - "No snub" and the VP did attend.

[Optical.Catalyst]

21. This is a manufactured issue designed to give the likes of Rush Limbaugh a segment of talk time

The only ones paying any attention to this are the rabid right wing who are being whipped into a frenzy by the talk shows.

The Republican are powerless in Washington, and all they have are these made up, over blown 'issues' that lead them to 'question' President Obama's motives. Since the Republicans cannot compete with this Administration on policy, they are forced to attack the President's character.

The last time I checked, the Republicans did not hold the House. The Republicans did not hold the Senate. The Republicans did not hold the Executive Branch. We hold all three, and we do not need the Republicans to govern.

[Lasher]

23. Looking for excuses to dust off the same smears they used against Clinton.

They tried to make it look like Clinton hated the military. Same thing here. After having turned over enough rocks they picked on ball and lied about it. These people are just too lame to even come up with new lies.

Wait until Obama cuts defense spending. Well, I hope he does. Then we'll see a retreaded version of 'Clinton cut defense spending and that proves he hates our soldiers!' Dumbasses never stopped to realize Poppy bush cut defense spending more in his 4 years than Clinton did in 8.

[Optical.Catalyst]

24. The Strategic Missile Defense can be the first thing to go

The Strategic Missile Defense has proven to be little more that bottomless pit for money that can only perform it the most contrived of tests. It infuriates the Russians and is laughed at by the North Koreans and Iran. End it now and put the money where it is needed more.

Ending the war in Iraq will save billions

[Lasher]

27. Yep, star wars should be the first to go.

Junior promised it wouldn't be deployed until it worked. Then he sent them out anyway, because that's what Saint Ronnie wanted and by God, just because he said so. His mighty will alone would make the missiles accurate enough to hit the broad side of a barn from the inside.

Combat solders are coming out of Iraq, but we'll be maintaining some sort of military presence there and I'm not sure how soon it will start being less of a black hole for our money.

If we spent half as much as we currently do on 'defense' it would be way too much.

Edit:

There was an email making the rounds about the USS Reagan, how the mighty ship is supposed to be just like the even more mighty Saint Ronnie of Reagan. It went on to show a garbage barge named after Clinton. Here is a fun response I posted in the propaganda debunking group. I'm sure we'll be seeing a modified version of the same email soon, when wingnuts decide Obama isn't flushing enough cash down the military budget. Hell, they've decided that already. They're just waiting for something to latch onto, like this invented controversy about the inauguration ball.

[jmowreader]

29. Then remind them of the USS George W. Bush

All aircraft carriers are named for Republican presidents. It's the new rule. Unfortunately, the last Republican president spent so much money they can't afford a new ship to emblazon with his name, so the Chief of Naval Operations authorized a contest to choose an old ship to name for him.

After a contest open to all members of the fleet, the Navy finally rechristened the USS Oriskany as the USS George Walker Bush.

In 2006, the USS George Walker Bush was scuttled in the waters off Pensacola, Florida. She sits under 200 feet of water.

Said a spokesman, "Christening this ship the George Walker Bush should demonstrate to him just what the ordinary seaman thinks of George Walker Bush. We at the Bureau pf Personnel are very relieved we'll never have to type "USS George Walker Bush" on a set of assignment orders."

[Lasher]

31. Then they'll never be assigned to a certain sewage treatment plant in California

They named a California poop prepping plant after Junior just last year.

[jmowreader]

33. They tried, but it lost big

I think it was the $50,000 it would have cost to rename the plant that turned off the voters. George W. Bush has cost the city of San Francisco enough over eight years.

[Divine Discontent]

12. These crybabies repubs are taking their pot-shots at O. reactions to it going national here at DU

are of course, anger that this bullshit is continuing. People often attack the messenger when this type of crap starts up. Anyhow, I posted this among the tons of comments at the Cleveland paper website - "He attended the big Commander-In-Chief ball, there's bunches of other balls. Now you kids quit your crying over the black man being president and commander in chief of the military - it's gonna be a long 4 years for you miscreants. EH?"

They are going to continue pushing this crap against him, and the liberal blogosphere needs to shove back hard, as also (and I'm sure they will) someone in the military who will point out what sour grapes this all truly is.

It truly is gonna be a long 4 years for these nasty people - and hopefully another 4 on top of that! LOL... let 'em cry, they love B*shie and anyone that does that is not living in the real world.

[1776Forever]

14. Check my update - VP Biden did attend this & AL says "no snub"!

:patriot:

[Divine Discontent]

16. there we go! good news! yep, they'll be attacking NON-STOP and how senseless of anyone on DU to

say "oh who cares" about these baseless attacks on the new adm. - we are in perilous times - if nothing was said to correct the GOPsmears it would go viral. President Obama became president because hundreds of thousands of supporters talked to other people, who talked to other people - it's the same thing with misinformation!


Good job, 1776Forever! Fight the good fight!

[Why Syzygy]

19. OTOH

It's one thing to expect the blogs to right misinformation. Quite another as the OP started out, to ask OBAMA to address every freeper republic urban legend.

It's all good. Thank gods we are here for each other.

[Why Syzygy]

17. This is bound to

come up again and again here at DU. Bookmark this thread for rebuttals.

More from REAL link:

have found out also that the likely reason that Barack Obama attended the auxiliary balls that he did is because six of the balls that he attended were held in the same building. Therefore, attending those balls and the others that he attended were the most efficient with regards to security. It is no secret that President Obama has had questions surrounding his security, that is evident by observing that he was the earliest presidential candidate ever to get a security detail. If the Secret Service felt it prudent to guard him so early in the campaign can the reader imagine what the Secret Service feels is prudent now that he is the President of the United States?

The most likely reason that President Obama did not go to the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball is because it was held in the Renaissance Hotel which consists of 16 floors. There was an event called the "Illinois Party - Presidential Event" held at the Renaissance the night before that the then-President-elect did not attend either (I have a call in to the President's press office asking for confirmation of this information which was given to me by one of my sources for this story). Given the amount of time and resources it would have taken to clear a 16 floor hotel as well as protect it while President Obama was inside, I can only guess that he was advised by his Presidential Protection Detail not to attend either inaugural ball because of the building and the inherent problems in securing and then protecting it. The sheer number of people crowding the streets and staying in the hotel surely presented a formidable screening problem as well. But, there's your story... it's not as sexy as "Barack Obama Hates The Military" but it is the truth as best I can tell after talking to the organization responsible for hosting the event and doing some research and educated guesswork about why a security team wouldn't want to protect a principal in the Renaissance with more than 2 million extra people in Washington D.C.
http://isaacs.newsvine.mobi/_news/2009/01/23/2345799-obama-blows-off-medal-of-honor-recipients-not-exactly

If the stinkin freepers think Obama is going to walk straight into a dangerous situation so one of their crackpots can take a pop at him, they are sadly mistaken.

[1776Forever]

20. Excellent post - now we have more reason for him not attending - this is the TRUTH!

:thumbsup:

[Why Syzygy]

22. I worked airport secuirty

ages ago. Our airport did not even have x-ray at that time. Every morning we had to check the entire ramp area, including trash cans, agent desks, etc. How much more sophisticated must the sweeps be for a Presidential visit.

I did find a gun once with the metal detector. A Mexican police officer had it in his pocket. We had real cops at our stations in those days, and he quickly took over the situation.

[Gothmog]

25. Some Freepers on Disboards are making a big deal of this so-called snub

It has been fun watching some freeptards on a disney related board make a big deal about ths so called snub. They are convinced that this was a snub by President Obama to the military.

[Cha]

28. Then we have to Rec'd, don't we?

Get it freakin' Viral.

[ClarkUSA]

30. C-SPAN has him attending the Commander-In-Chief's Ball which was open only to military

Freepers are idiots and so is MSNBC's Gen. Jack Jacobs which spread this on cable TV on Wednesday.

[unauno]

32. Obama was the 1st Pres to skip it, ever

American Legion Acknowledges That Obama Failed to Attend the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball
Submitted by Julie on January 25, 2009 - 11:18am. Elections Elections 2008 Government News Politics Society U.S. Government U.S. Politics US News White House
Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to skip out on the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball since its inception in 1953. The event recognizes recipients of the military's highest award - the Medal of Honor - and as The Cleveland Leader previously reported, over the past 56 years and 14 inaugurations, no President has failed to appear at this event until now. Following the breaking of this news, there have been some misconceptions and erroneous information floating around. The American Legion, one of the main sponsors of the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball, issued a statement making it clear once and for all that Barack Obama did not in fact attend the event.

Craig Roberts, Media Relations Manager for the American Legion, issued the following statement:

The American Legion, as it has on every inauguration evening since 1953, hosted the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Banquet & Ball on January 20th. The quadrennial event is co-sponsored with fourteen veterans service and military service organizations and honors recipients of the Medal of Honor. Forty-seven of these heroes attended this year’s event which was held in the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/8666

[and-justice-for-all]

34. Blah Blah Blah......uh, so how many died in Iraq today??

I think of great things to be concerned about and this is not one of them.

[berni_mccoy]

35. Freepers were NUTS about Birth Certificates, now they are CRAZED with BALLS.

[baldguy]

36. I'm sure he didn't go to the Sons of the Confederacy Ball either.