[classyT]

That was done on purpose, had to be. My 12 year old knows to use his right hand. It is unbelievable that he was ever elected. I'm getting furious just thinking about it. Did this make the news? Where is everyone.. HELLO!! Doesn't anyone think something is WRONG here. Ugh

[Wondergirl]

From urbanlegends.com --

The above photo [the same one pictured in this thread] is, in fact, a cropped mirror-image of the original, which was taken during a commemoration of the victims of 9/11 on the South Lawn of the White House, September 11, 2009, and originally published in Newsday. The viral version boasts Photoshopped wedding bands and reversed buttons on Obama's jacket to lend it the appearance of authenticity. The ruse is spoiled by the soft-focus medals on the uniform of the Marine standing behind the president, however. They're on the wrong side of his chest! [the Marine has been airbrushed out]

Other photos taken at the same time clearly show the president and Mrs. Obama saluting properly.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/bar...lag_salute.htm

[Wondergirl]

I live in the Chicago area. It had been a cloudy day, but suddenly the storm came out of nowhere. Lots of outdoor picnics were spoiled.

From WGN News --

President Barack Obama's Memorial Day address at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood was just getting started today when lightning and heavy, gusting rains forced the cancellation of the proceedings.

Earlier, Obama, with umbrella in hand, encouraged spectators in Elwood to get to a safe place to ride out the storm and said he would hold off the ceremony because he didn't want anyone to get hurt.

"Excuse me, everybody listen up," he said before the event was officially called off. "We are a little bit concerned about lightning. This may not be safe. I know that all of you are here to commemorate the fallen. ... What we'd like to do is if possible have people move back to their cars and if this passes in the next 15 to 20 minutes, I'll stick around."

He said he hoped the ceremony could resume later, "but we don't want to endanger anyone, particularly the children, in the audience. A little bit of rain doesn't hurt anybody but we don't want anybody struck by lightning."

After a delay of about 30 minutes, the event was officially canceled.

[Wondergirl]

I'm not hearing any apologies for posting misinformation.

[utalkin2me]

Look, listen, uhh... what it most likely is. Is that in America when you address the country on national t.v. there is a lot of electrical equipment involved. Water is a conductor of electricity. Did all of these people come out to watch the president die in an accident or something? I mean, come on.

[excon]

Hello u:

Whatever you think of him, George Bush shouted out with a bull horn after 9/11, and the people loved him for it. In fact, that act alone, carried him through 7 more years.

I just wanted Obama to walk out there with the people getting wet, and getting PHOTOGRAPHED doing it.

excon

[Wondergirl]

Hello u:

Whatever you think of him, George Bush shouted out with a bull horn after 9/11, and the people loved him for it. In fact, that act alone, carried him through 7 more years.

I just wanted Obama to walk out there with the people getting wet, and getting PHOTOGRAPHED doing it.

excon

It was cloudy. Rain was predicted, but the overcast was bright. People could have carried umbrellas and raincoats. I'm sure some did. The storm came up out of nowhere and was teeming. There was lots of thunder and lightning. It lasted long enough to drive people indoors and keep them there. If someone got wet, it was his own fault. An aide was probably smart enough to have an umbrella handy for President Obama. I get mad at him for stuff, but don't fault him this time.

[speechlesstx]

I'm not hearing any apologies for posting misinformation.

My post was accurate.

[Wondergirl]

My post was accurate.

Sort of. "So I’d ask everybody to very calmly move back to your cars. I’m going to move back to mine. [ADDED: And he did.] We will wait to make sure that the thunder has passed." [ADDED: And he too waited. Thunderstorms usually move from west to east quickly here. This one did not, as it was part of a larger front moving through.]

As I said earlier, it was cloudy. [ADDED: It was a warm day.] Rain was predicted, but the overcast was bright. People could have carried umbrellas and raincoats. I'm sure some did. The storm came up out of nowhere and was teeming. There was lots of thunder and lightning. It lasted long enough to drive people indoors and keep them there. If someone got wet, it was his own fault. An aide was probably smart enough to have an umbrella handy for President Obama. [ADDED: The danger was from the fierce lightning, not the warm rain. Of course, had it been BP oil falling from the sky, that would have been a different problem... ] I get mad at him for stuff, but don't fault him this time.

[excon]

I get mad at him for stuff, but don't fault him this time.

Hello again, WG:

Well, I don't specifically FAULT him for it either. I suppose if I were wearing blinders, I'd have advised him NOT to risk his presidential butt, too. But, there are times when a leader needs to tell his handlers to cool it, and SEIZE the moment.

I don't know if the rainstorm was it. Apparently, I'm the only one who thought so. I don't know if looking at the tar balls on the beach was it. I don't know if it was speaking out about death panels... I don't know WHERE those opportunities lie. Leaders do. What I DO know, is I don't want to die thinking George W. Bush was a better LEADER when he grabbed that stinkin bullhorn, than Barack Obama is.

But...

excon

[J_9]

I'm not hearing any apologies for posting misinformation.

I'm not going to apologize for speaking my opinion. Barak Hussein Obama is a mockery of the presidential title.

[Wondergirl]

Hello again, WG:

Well, I don't specifically FAULT him for it either. I suppose if I were wearing blinders, I'd have advised him NOT to risk his presidential butt, too. But, there are times when a leader needs to tell his handlers to cool it, and SEIZE the moment.

I dunno if the rainstorm was it. Apparently, I'm the only one who thought so. I dunno if looking at the tar balls on the beach was it. I dunno if it was speaking out about death panels... I dunno WHERE those opportunities lie. Leaders do. What I DO know, is I don't wanna die thinking George W. Bush was a better LEADER when he grabbed that stinkin bullhorn, than Barack Obama is.

But.......

excon

I know where you're coming from. I want him to slam his fist on the table and give 'em what-for. I want him to weep as he picks up a dead oil-covered bird off a Louisiana beach. I want him to get visibly excited about something. But he sort of reminds me of me. I have had counseling clients who told me they were disappointed that I didn't start crying when they told me their tales of woe. That's not my style. Why should both of us be crying? Didn't they come to me for help? Sure, I made the appropriate noises and was empathetic, but if I fall apart in tears, what would that have gotten us? My responsibility was to help them move forward, to problem-solve, and to somehow help them rise above their misery. Wallowing in misery would take us nowhere. I'm a pragmatic German-type person. I was always taught to spin a negative into a positive or at least to do my best to dig my way out of a hole. I think that's what President Obama thinks he has to do -- be the problem-solver and fix stuff.

Yes, it's a bit infuriating to see his lack of emotion and his looking like he doesn't really care all that much, but I believe he cares very much and wants to solve the problem or find someone who can. It's like being a woman (I am one, btw) and venting to any male in my life. The male doesn't want to hear the venting and tunes me out. All he wants to do is FIX my problem, not listen to me rant about it.

You're a guy. Does that make sense?

[speechlesstx]

Sort of.

Sort of? I posted one paragraph, not any of that other stuff you commented on:

While he sat in the presidential SUV, visitors made their way through the cemetery in the driving rain. Their clothes were soaked. Some were barefoot. Others held programs over their heads in futile attempts to stay dry. An elderly veteran was seen getting a lift from a golf cart.

What part of that was wrong?

[Wondergirl]

What part of that was wrong?

The point you were trying to make.

[tomder55]

Wow this is becoming intense.

My thought... in October 2008 ,everyone praised candidate Obama's cool as a cucumber demeanor during the financial "crisis " .What they mistook for a calm in a crisis was a paralysis of indecision . He has demonstrated this enough already as President to prove me right . Just look at how long he waffled before making a decision on his course in Afghanistan .

[Wondergirl]

paralysis of indecision

Some things don't make me happy, but that isn't one of them. I believe you have mislabeled it. Had he jumped into making a decision (in particular, one you didn't like), he would have been cut off at the knees for that.

[tomder55]

I think I'm right about this . The President was told early in the BP spill crisis by Carol Browner, director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, that the well most likely would not be capped until relief wells were drilled in August.

So his best course of action would be to act quickly to the relief requests by local Governors like Jindal for mitigation measures to protect the coastal marshes and wetlands .

This was not done . Excon's point is that Bush was decisive in his response to 9-11 even if he thinks the response was hheavy-handed. The image of President Bush with a bullhorn is in stark contrast to the image of Obama rockin to 'Hey Jude' ; or with a golf club in his hand.

YouTube - George W. Bush - 9/11 Bullhorn Speech

PolitiPage.com | Obama during oil spill — golf, parties, photo-ops… and more golf! (photos)

YouTube - President Obama sings "Hey Jude" - Live with Paul McCartney

[speechlesstx]

The point you were trying to make.

So my facts were right after all. I won't apologize for saying the men and women who sacrificed their lives for this country are worth an extra hour of the president's time.

[Wondergirl]

So my facts were right after all. I won't apologize for saying the men and women who sacrificed their lives for this country are worth an extra hour of the president's time.

He gave time on Memorial Day morning at a vet cemetery, then, during the rain, traveled to Hines Vet Hospital (near me -- his motorcade drove just south of my house on 355 to 290). At Hines, he visited vets and their families and ate bbq meat and baked beans. He did more than his "duty."