re: The Starbucks salute

quote:

---

I've passed a whole slew of troops (like 100) holding a salute up. I've had my hands full and given the greeting of the day. In other circumstances, I have enough self-awareness to know to keep the salute hand free and not do stupid acrobatics or salute with something in the right hand. For 24 years of commissioned service. This guy's been President for, what, 6?

Troops appreciate the mutual respect of the gesture. It is an obligation of officers (of which you so adroitly point out, POTUS is THE TOP DOG) to understand and abide by those customs and courtesies.

---

Never, ever flubbed a salute? Each and every one, over a 24 year period received it's "proper respect and courtesie"?

I'm cynical. I don't believe you. I think that had GWB done this, you don't say a word (certainly not as many). I may be wrong, but I doubt it.

This is a non-issue for me. I'm outta here.

I wish I had the inclination to express my faux-outrage every time "Barry" does something so heinous.

Good lord you people have a lot of time to bitch about nothing.

This thread is still hopping? I would have figured after we covered all the bases yesterday with people getting outraged, people not caring, people screwing around and people getting outraged about that because they were too dense to get the sarcasm.

The serious answer is that it isn't a "big deal" but the salute is a gesture of mutual respect so if you can't operate it with a basic correctness for whatever reason, just don't do it at all.

Don't do it with a coffee cup, don't do it while holding your dog, don't do it while scratching your balls. Don't do it while painting a house, don't do it while petting a mouse (OK, channeling my inner Dr. Seuss with that last example)

quote:

---

Never, ever flubbed a salute?

---

Not that bad.

quote:

---

Each and every one, over a 24 year period received it's "proper respect and courtesie"?

---

Unless it was impractical to render a proper salute. One of my mentors was fond of telling OCs, "Alright, alright. Don't abuse us." while walking past a huge group of them (after returning at least a half dozen at that point). I can live with that.

quote:

---

I'm cynical.

---

Me, too, generally.

quote:

---

I don't believe you.

---

Don't, then. I have missed salutes, believe me, but it wasn't intentional. And don't get me wrong, I don't think POTUS intentionally flubbed the salute - but it's complete inattentiveness.

This isn't a situation where he's stationary, and troops pass by and render a salute - there's no telling how that plays out. This is him exiting his official aircraft. It was no surprise. He HAD to know there would be marines at the bottom of the ladder rendering salutes.

In fact, he would have probably raised hell if they weren't there. That's what makes it egregious.

Look - he's the Commander in Chief - the top dog, the head honcho, the big cheese, etc. If he wants to do away with the practice, just publish the memo and move on. If his hands were full (They weren't. The wrong hand was full. It's a subtle difference, but an important one.), that would also be understandable.

But, if you're going to do it - at his level - do it right. Again, he's the f*cking President for Pete's sake.

quote:

---

Had Obama done the dog salute

---

The picture would have won a Pulitzer Prize.

quote:

---

and Bush the coffee cup

---

He would have been impeached.

quote:

---

If you're outraged over this

---

I'm not outraged over it, but it is very predictable how the wagons are circled for even this minor f*ck up. Instead of saying, "That's terrible - he should follow Clinton's example, regroup, lock the salute down and move on." - ANYTHING perceived as criticism of this President is opposed to the ends of the Earth.

And part of this defensiveness is that Dems don't value military experience anymore. They denigrate guys like Bush and Quayle, who served in the guard, while holding up Gore (only soldier in Vietnam with his own bodyguard detail) and Kerry (self-explanatory). They make fun of Dole and McCain, disabled veterans, and applaud Clinton's cleverness in avoiding service altogether.

When a guy who has no real experience - at all - for the job, particularly on the defense/national security side shows up - one would think he would be sensitive to these issues of customs, courtesies, etc. Again, as the boss, he could dispense with the President saluting.

Almost anything would be better than what he did. This is a minor issue and, I'm sure you guys on the left are trying to give him credit for trying. I would, too, if this were 2009. For frick's sake - he's been president almost 6 years.

He just obviously doesn't care. This is a minor thing, but it illustrates that ambivalence in a very high profile way.

I believe the majority of the right don't hate BHO but find his skills at being leader of the free world and President not up to par.

quote:

---

Keep digging

---

Digging? The standard is from a US Army website. It's common sense too, is it not? When carrying something with both arms it would be unreasonable and cumbersome to have to stop, put the thing down, stand up and salute, pick the thing up again and resume walking, even moreso if you have to do it multiple times. But if you're just carrying a cup in your hand, just change hands and salute.

But I know you Leftists have a hard time with common sense so I understand the frustration.

quote:

---

I think I can speak for the entire U.S. Army... we're humbled.

---

I figured it'd be a good middle ground between dirty civilian and the Corps.

quote:

---

Digging? The standard is from a US Army website. It's common sense too, is it not? When carrying something with both arms it would be unreasonable and cumbersome to have to stop, put the thing down, stand up and salute, pick the thing up again and resume walking, even moreso if you have to do it multiple times. But if you're just carrying a cup in your hand, just change hands and salute.

But I know you Leftists have a hard time with common sense so I understand the frustration.

---

Actually, "common sense" dictates the President - as a civilian - should not salute at all. Until Reagan came along.