LEATHERNECKM31

Yesterday……

…. was a TV day.

Several hours of viewing yesterday produced the yin and yang of American society in both its goodness and its excess.

Television is a window on the world; it is also a mirror and a lot of the time I don’t like what I see.

In my version of a right world, the viewership of President Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday celebration in Simi alley California and the Superbowl in Dallas would have would have been reversed. 

I watched the entire broadcast and I’ll remember it for a long time.

It was one of those times that Americans, at least those who bothered to watch, could easily see why I am proud to be a Marine and serving this great nation.

The Marine Corps and its many traditions are woven into the history of the Presidency. A lone Marine sentry (four Marines rotate half-hour shifts) stands outside the entrance whenever the President is in the West Wing.

• Founded in 1798 by an Act of Congress, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band is America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization.
• Virtually any lengthy trip the President undertakes begins and ends with Marine One, and every U.S. embassy in the world is guarded by a Marine Security Detachment.
• Yesterday the 21-gun salute For President Reagan was flawlessly carried out by a unit of the 11th Marine Regiment
• Marine Lt. Gen. George J. Flynn, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command,  served as Mrs. Reagan’s escort at the celebration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• A very nice touch was the Medal of Honor presented by President Ronald Reagan to the late U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez in 1981 which was showcased at the Library for the event.

Yesterday the Corps showed the world why most Presidents are deeply appreciative of the superb military bearing, dignity, and professionalism, well worthy of the leader of the Free World.

This young Marine, after standing at attention for more than an hour, assisted Mrs. Reagan as she lay a Presidential wreath and then went to present arms with the opening volley of 21-gun salute; a single tear made its way slowly down her lean cheek.

There is every chance that this young NCO is not a presidential history buff and was a just child when Reagan left office, but I believe her tears were produced by her great love of country, it’s history and traditions, that she was entrusted with the solemn presidential duty, and the emotional impact of participating in American history; she has no doubt lost friends over whose grave such volleys were fired, who had served under our flag which in the end, covered their caskets.

It was truly one of those times that a picture was worth a thousand words; video '>here.

The ceremony’s speeches were brief and heartfelt, the music appropriate and up lifting, and the invitation-only audience of 1,200 must have come away deeply touched, encouraged, renewed and positive.

I know I did… such is the visual and aural impact of this Great Country at its best.  

But by mid-evening, watching a much different broadcast, I was returned to my molar-grinding, tense, elevated blood pressure old self.

It had nothing to do with the game…. or the commercials, or the teams or the score; it was the contrast between the two wildly divergent Americas I’d witnessed in the space of just eight hours.

Christina Aguilera , who could have been mistaken for one of the estimated 10,000 hookers on hand for Super Bowl week, not only made a mockery of the National Anthem, she sang it before a flag line of red banners… so popular in communist countries.

Yes, she mis-sang and lost some of the lyrics, and I can understand that kind of pressure, but the reason she, a professional singer, forgot wasn’t that kind of pressure; she screwed up because she was so intent, not on honoring her country, by on making our National Anthem sound like amateur at the Apollo Theater; she even changed the melody to boot.

Later she explained the disaster, saying that she was “caught up in the moment”; yeah… her moment.

In the future I’m going to avoid the National Anthem at televised sporting events… sports should be fun and entertaining… not rage-inducing.

There are what… 45 players on each side of the field? Add coaches, trainers, groupies, owners… and there are probably 100 people facing each other when the Anthem beings.

Last night a collection of overpaid, steroidal Neanderthals, most of whom could not graduate college in four or five years despite majoring in “communications” or “coaching science”, did not bother to take off their head gear, stand at attention, place their hand over their heart or manage to look like an American for even two minutes.

Talking, moving around, stretching… it was all about them; no thoughts of the flag unfurled before them, the dead and wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq who make it possible for them to play a child’s game for a living. 

… No thoughts of a young man standing alone near the end zone rigidly at attention, saluting, in dress uniform—the only real hero in the entire stadium, virtually unnoticed….

Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta, United States Army, Medal of Honor, Afghanistan, 2007. 

Right, Giunta later acknowledged the crowd’s ovation… I wonder how many narcissistic jocks made their way over to him at some point just to say thanks and meet someone really important?

And as Aguilera wailed like a banshee, as my disgust level reached critical… I caught sight of Pittsburgh corner William Gay, looking up, hand over heart, tears running down his lean cheek.

His heartfelt response to the Anthem would have made him welcome at the Reagan Library this morning… I cannot say as much for most of the rest of those in the players’ boxes.  

He’s the kind of person America needs… to serve as a counter-balance to the wretched excess of a society that refuses to take even a moment to give thanks to the institutions and the citizens like SSgt. Giunta who have made it all possible.

At least in Minnesota the Vikes seem to understand……

Courage, sacrifice, leadership and pur-deee American guts

Like anyone else with a brain I get highly irritated when actors and musicians and athletes and some democrat presidents are held up as “heroes”.

Playing an instrument or singing, pretending to be someone else in a movie, playing a game or holding an political office is in no possible way criteria for  heroism.

But… Detroit Lions rookie quarterback Matt Stafford showed me something a few days ago that is seldom seen in today’s society outside emergency personnel, cops, firefighters, and our military… sacrifice, guts and an absolute refusal to give up.

With eight seconds left, on Cleveland's 32, Stafford heaved the ball to the end zone. Interception, game over; Lions lose, 37-31.  

But… a defensive pass interference call in the end zone placed the ball on the 1 with 0:00 on the clock… one last shot.

Back at the line of scrimmage Stafford was on the turf, writhing in pain, downed by a ferocious, but clean hit; he’d been “mic’d” for the game as the NFL does from time to time with players and coaches. He had separated the AC ( articular-clavicular joint) in his shoulder.

Stafford lay on the turf moaning in serious pain, his left arm clutched to his body. Backup Daunte Culpepper was already was on the field when the Browns called a timeout. But as soon as Stafford heard the timeout over the P.A. system, Stafford got up and said to the clutch of coaches and teammates , “I can thrown if you want me to.”

He didn’t wait for an answer; pushing his way though the sideline chaos, he ran to the huddle and again took charge of his team.

As sometime happens in life, the impossible becomes possible.

The teams lined up, Stafford took the snap, which must have hurt like hell; he dropped back and fired a pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew to tie the game 37-all and a Lions’ PAT moments secured a 38-37 improbable win.

"He made a great play,” said Lions Coach Jim Schwartz, chuckling, “But probably his best play was to elude four team doctors on the sideline.

"You could tell by the look in his eye, nobody was going to stop him from getting on the field. He'd come way too far in that game to not finish it."

And just for contrast:

In a complete surprise move the Lions started Stafford yesterday in the 34-12 loss to Green Bay.

Back-up QB Culpepper didn’t take it well…. in fact he took it like a little girl in the throes of terminal panty twist.

Learning he wouldn’t start, he pouted on the bench like a little bitch instead of joining the team in warm-up drills. Martin Mayhew, Detroit GM, had a “man up” chat with the boy, and he went thought the motions of being a team player.

That’s big of him.

I wudda sent Li’l Daunte home, and started the trade process; I don’t want a any punks playing on my team…  the Motor City has enough problems.

Said Stafford about the amazing win:

"It didn't feel good, but I didn't care," Stafford said afterward, his left shoulder wrapped tightly. "It was one play. I knew I didn't have to play too much. Just one snap and try to throw the touchdown."

This is a treat… have your male children/grand-children watch this and discuss it; the drama starts about 3:45:

And so what? you say.

Well, what I say is that we need to proclaim role models for our kids anywhere we find them.

Stafford just happens to play football.

But so does Culpepper.

Which one do you want your son to emulate?

 

I had a good Thanksgiving with the Sellmans… Senior and Junior. 

Senior provided two brace of pheasant and Junior put the smoker to them. Voila, a tasty and far more traditional Thanksgiving—sorta Jeremiah Johnson--than most folks have.

 

 

Plus… pheasant sandwiches!

Mickie and Karen did all the rest, and I got to play with the dogs….

Sparky, below, Sammy, next, and, Mimi, below, right, were even more thankful than we were… not many canines have pheasant for Thanksgiving dinner.

But that’s how we roll down here at the Southern Command in Texas.

Anyway, a good time was had by all… hope all you faithful readers had the same….

 

 

Death in Afghanistan; CnC works on the only handicap he can do something about

News item:

The US military had a tough day in Afghanistan, with 11 soldiers and three civilians killed and three helicopters lost. In the largest incident, a CH-47 Chinook crashed as it was departing a firefight in Baghlan province (this very likely was a Chinook as there were 14 Afghan troops, 11 US troops, and 1 US civilian injured in the crash). The Taliban claimed it shot down the Chinook, but the US military said "The cause is not believed to be from enemy action."

Here is the initial report of the Chinook crash (the follow-up report provided the casualties). The three civilians killed are Drug Enforcement Agency personnel. The operation targeted drug operations:

Read more from the Long War Journal

Meanwhile, here’s the Fifth-Columnist who can’t seem to find the time to command troops in the field or even send critically needed reinforcements, but has all the time in the world to play Charles Barkley-like golf.

And where’s the state-run news media on this obvious outrage? He has time to declare pig flu a “national emergency”, yet where are his words of comfort and reassurance of retribution for  families and comrades of the dead?

Why, the answer is right here (via Weasel Zippers.com):

CBS' Mark Knoller — the unofficial documentarian and statistician of all things White House-related — wrote on his Twitter feed that, "Today-- Obama ties Pres. Bush in the number of rounds of golf played in office: 24.

Took Bush 2 yrs & 10 months."

Where’s the outrage that was heaped on President Bush for playing golf? And he was winning his war.

Here’s some more golf links-politics that Barry Hussein has time for…. bending to the demands of the National Association of Gals—N.A.G.—whose presidentrix, Terry O’Neal (with an apparent straight face), was grousing about:

"The boy's club" atmosphere at the White House, as exemplified by the president playing basketball earlier this month with 11 members of Congress and four Cabinet Secretaries -- all men.

Well what’s a failing, lying, president to do?

What priorities must be served…? Well, in a master stroke (pun intended), Barry The Timid—in an incredible coincidence—took to the links with a woman — chief domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes.

(For more formal photo shoots in keeping with the dignity of being a presidential advisor, Miss Barnes wears shoes.)

Finally, a president we can be proud of… and another first to Barry; the dreaded Putting Green Ceiling has been shattered. It is a wonderful moment for The One and his subjects.

OMG! Hold the presses… I just discovered the Melody Barnes is black!!!! (above). So it’s TWO more first for the TelePrompTer POTUS!… first woman, and first black duffer.

But his presidency is certainly not about race.

The Predator Update: 

Where is Mr. Blackwell when you need him?

I swear to God… if this woman does not stop outraging my sense of color, fashion and layering I will publically rips my eyes out in front of the White House.

I read she was on Leno’s show (sic) the other night where she decided this ensemble was best for TV:

Is this woman blind!?

I remember this pattern from my grandmother’s bed spreads.

I’ve had acid trips that weren’t this jarring.

And what better to go with than orange flowers in this garden-like setting but a large, chocolate, satin bow with rhinestones?

It’s enough to make me want to say periwinkle.

Olympic postmortem of an Olympic-sized failure

DENMARK—Aftermath: First and foremost we must consider the arrogant, self-serving, narcissistic speeches given by Barry and ‘Chelle Obama in Copenhagen, just your average millionaire political affirmative action couple living off their credit cards until a convicted influence peddler, Tony Rezko, pulled a fast one that allowed them to “buy” a Chicago mansion.

It begins there… these people are worst example of human nature; arrogant without any justification whatsoever.

Let’s listen in.

Michelle with reporters in the White House State Dining Room.:  "It's a battle -- we're going to win -- take no prisoners," the first lady said with a smile before leaving.

"Some of my best memories are sitting on my dad's lap, cheering on Olga and Nadia, Carl Lewis and others for their brilliance and perfection,” Mrs. Obama said. “My dad would have been so proud to witness these games in Chicago.”

Ahem.

Carl Lewis's first Olympics: 1984; Olga Korbut’s first: 1972; Nadia Comăneci’s first: 1976.

Michelle Obama’s birthday is Jan. 17, 1964, so it’s possible that Nadia and Olga, her Dad’s lap, and Michelle all intersected at some point, but gawd forbid she was sitting on the poor man when she was 20 and Carl Lewis was running and jumping.

Since the poor guy had MS; his doctors would rather not have had a very large, 20-year-old woman sitting on their dying patient.

As I wrote yesterday, virtually all democrats do this… they’re so out of touch with the everyday American that they feel that have to make up stories that we “’little people” will be moved or impressed by.

And the guy didn’t deserve to be used in such a manner. Fraser Robinson III, born 1935, was by all accounts a dedicated family man and a very hard worker despite his illness; he died in 1991 at 56.

Barry’s (The Prince of the Personal Pronoun) Denmark speech strategy: first, apologize again for American, and then beg for Chicago:

“America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others. No longer do we have the luxury of indulging our differences to the exclusion of the work that we must do together.

“… the USA is open to the world…. I want people to come away with the impression that America is an open and diverse society.

“Over the past few years the fundamental truth of the United States has been lost. The Olympic Games could restore it.”

And when it was over: "One of the things that I think is most valuable about sports is that you can play a great game and still not win," a disappointed Obama said, back at the White House after a quick five-hour stay in Copenhagen.

“Great game”?…. dead last?

Yeah, “My kid is a really, really good participant in Oak Village Little League”.

Makes sense though… he throws like a girl.

Reaction:

It is already being charged, of course, that “this is Bush’s fault.”

The left-wing should copyright the phrase.

So sayeth Blagojevich crony Sen. Rowland Burris, (D-Incompetent):

“…the image of the U. S. has been so tarnished in the last 8 years that, even Barack Obama making an unprecedented pitch for the games could not overcome the hatred the world has for us as a result of George Bush.”

Uh-huh.

And the totally irrelevant fake preacher and “civil rights” race hustler, Jesse Jackson:

"I'm shocked and saddened. We were emotionally prepared for it," he said, noting that the United States had sent its "A team" of President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to push for the Chicago bid.

Arrogance Dooms Olympic Dream

Ron Flatter—RealClearSports.com

“Instead of dedicating three days and nights working the IOC members, as we hear Tony Blair did for London in its successful bid for 2012, President Obama figured all he had to do was show up for a few minutes….”

This is what happens to those who enlist in a cult of personality and drink the Koo-Aid…. even if they are atheists, it’s near impossible for them to accept that Obama is not God.

Took me awhile, but here are the money quotes from the “morgue” as we old school reporters used to call research:

About 10 days ago:

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama gave his strongest indication yet that he will not join the city's delegation to Copenhagen next month for the decision.

"I would make the case in Copenhagen personally, if I weren't so firmly committed to making real the promise of quality, affordable health care for every American," he said.

This would seem to indicate how reluctant Barry was to go to Denmark carrying water for his masters, and in the end how obvious that Chicago controls POTUS, and FLOTUS:

"Barack and I would feel such tremendous pride to see the Olympic torch burning brightly in the city that we love so much," Mrs. Obama said.

My homies, Don and Mike, and I just got back from Chi-Town… take it from me, the last thing the Chicago Police want is a torch burning brightly in Chicago. 

Not just “NO”, but “HELL, NO!!”

REE—jected!

Out in the first round of the competition to host the 2016 Olympics.

Like being 15-1 and and getting blasted in the NFL play-offs.

Not just Air Farce One and Her Highness’ 757 containing the corpulent bride’s maid, Oprah, (think of the lift required to get those three-wide bodies airborne), but the back-up 757 and the presidential backup 747, the staff, and the Secret Service, and the executive chef, and the arugula, and Oprah’s staff, and the major with the nuke football…. and the president’s limos, and the support Air Force C-130 heavy lifters containing two Marine One choppers.

My WAG?? $10 million, minimum.

And that’s nothing compared to the millions in bribes paid to the IOC by Mayor Daly and the battalion of Chicago developers and lobbyists (including Valerie Jarrett). 

Think of what Obama and the missus must have owed the Daly machine (see my post yesterday) to force him to make this glaringly in-yo-face trip when losing would be catastrophic for his well-crafted image.

But when The Man says you go…. you go.

Under the this rubric: “better the king-maker than the king”, we find the truth: POTUS is not the most powerful man in the world, the man who runs POTUS is.

There will be ramifications to this, especially because the cost:benefit ratio was in the everything to lose and nothing to gain category. First, the president shouldn't be pimping some curb and gutter project like a small town mayor… so what if he “won”…. other than half of the Windy City, nobody gives a damn.

And before this gets lost in the wailing and gnashing of teeth by the state-run news media (this was due to racism)—here’s The Predator dragging her father’s corpse on stage in the worst kind of macabre pandering.

“His wife tugged at IOC members’ heart strings by discussing her late father, who had multiple sclerosis. She recounted sitting on his lap, watching Olympians such as Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci compete, and how her father “taught me how to throw a ball and a mean right hook.”

“’My dad would have been so proud to witness these games in Chicago’, she said.”

And anyone who believes this bull (other than about the MS) is an idiot…. just another one of those imaginary events that democrats write the night before they speak, thinking it will lend a note of authenticity and pathos.

This was not the Obama massive ego, although I believe he would certainly have taken all the credit had Chicago been selected; after all, showing up in 2016 to wave at the crowd, perhaps cut the ribbon opening the synchronized swimming venue, held little interest for him.

No, this was Barack Hussein Obama paying IOUs; there were hundreds of billions riding on this and Obama tanked, and you know what happens when you get behind in your payments in Chicago.

This is also sobering for the man who promised he’d see that the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal. Securing the spectacle of people running around in circles and jumping over barriers, pales in comparison to saving the planet.

Fashionista

As you can tell, not only am I a political pundit… I am also a sworn officer in the International Fashion Police and for this post I have included photographic proof of the charges I’ll be filing.

So… what to make of the above little frock The First Lady of Fashion chose to wear last night in Copenhagen? 

“My mom made this for me and I’m not entirely happy with it.” That can be the only excuse.

Today I sent several citations to the  First Lady for the same fashion sins that most large, black women commit…. they cannot see any problem with mixing bold patterns, favor too tight clothes—especially across you-know-where, garishly loud clothes, and clothes that simple defy description, such the ensemble below, to which I’ll devote an emtire chapter in my graduate fashion school workshop: “The Axe-handle Faux Pas: How to Avoid Accentuating the Wrong Parts of the Body.”

But wait, there’s more:

 

 

 

Above all, you want to maintain that teepee shape when out and about with the President of the United States.

 

 

 

 

…. and so, it’s a fond adieu to Denmark from Big Bird:

(Note to Predator: lose the yellow; all of the yellow).

Tune in next week for my indictment of Mrs. Obama’s footwear selections which also serve as canoes for the First and Second Daughters, Malia and Sasha.

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

Last night's money quote from the McCain-Messiah session came when Rick Warren asked asked Obama "when does a baby get human rights in your view?"

"Well, I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade."

He's actually been acting like president since before he clinched the nomination; someone should tell him that there is no higher pay grade than the one for which he campaigns.

In great contrast, McCain later answered the same question in five words: "At the moment of conception."

But The Big O wasn't finished obfuscating.

"But point number two, I am pro-choice. I believe in Roe v. Wade and come to that conclusion not because I’m pro abortion, but because ultimately I don’t think women make these decisions casually.

Huh?

These are the sort of answers scrawled in millions of blue books by unprepared high school students during mid-terms.... many words, no content.

This is where the democrat party's national charade begins to fall apart. All that was required was exposure to a surprisingly direct and cogent interrogator, the absence of a script and a TelePrompTer.

What a difference four years make.

Michael Phelps' historic performance in the Olympics may well remain unmatched... period. Just as important, perhaps moreso, for his personal development as a role model for young Americans.

Gone with the cockiness of his teen behavior in Athens, his immature, flippant attitude when asked about Mark Spitz' seven-gold medal record. Bob Costas' joint interview with the two legends (via remote with Spitz) was appropriately respectful all the way around.

But where was Spitz last night? Presumably, at home.

Uninvited by the IOC, and even Speedo, which he single-handedly made a house-old name and millions of dollars, Spitz was further and ungraciously snubbed by the man of the hour, Phelps.

The Packers have never forgotten Kramer, Starr and old Max McGee, rest his soul. Even Jackie Robinson's widow is a fixture at MLB events and ceremonies; MLB and Mark McGwire made damn sure that Roger Maris' entire family was present when his broke the Yankee great's hallowed "61", and Michael Jordan and Julius Erving are never overlook by their formers teams or any significant NBA event.

I guess Olympic swimming must be like soccer... short term memory loss.

No one with any self respect or social grace goes where they're not invited, and under last night's circumstances, especially someone of Spitz's world fame and achievement; he was after all, Phelps, before Phelps.

With more maturity, Phelps would have been able to simply pick up the phone and tell the IOC, the The US Swimming Federation and the US Olympic Committee that he wanted Spitz and his wife to be in the stands for not just Phelps', but America's triumph.

On the very remote chance his request was turned down, Phelps could simply have written a check; he already made $5 million this year (plus a $1 mil bonus from Speedo for last night alone); and that's just the beginning. Unlike Spitz, young Phelps, who has never worked in the traditional sense, will never have to.

And besides, without his relay teammates' great efforts, Phelps would be tied with Spitz, perhaps forever.

Nobody gets to the top alone.