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2009-04-08 Home Front: Politix

Bambi refuses trip to Normandy to avoid insulting Germans

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Posted by Steve White 2009-04-08 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11125 views ] Top

#1 "During this trip, we wanted to maintain a balance between the British, German and France".

But obviously not to the Americans forever in Normandy...

Posted by Ulinesh Hapsburg5687 2009-04-08 00:22|| 2009-04-08 00:22|| Front Page Top

#2 Instead, using the astounding power of Smart Diplomacy, Obama visited Compiègne, France. Twice.

Posted by ed 2009-04-08 00:23|| 2009-04-08 00:23|| Front Page Top

#3 At least Omaha Beach wasn't desicrated this time like Clinton's fake photo op.

Posted by Muggsy Glink 2009-04-08 01:17|| 2009-04-08 01:17|| Front Page Top

#4 Why would he visit Omaha Beach? It's not like the soldiers and sailors would rise up and give him his required standing ovation for oratory brilliance.

Posted by Cornsilk Blondie 2009-04-08 02:30|| 2009-04-08 02:30|| Front Page Top

#5 They probably haven't finished recording all of the names from the markers for their next Get Out the Vote campaign.

Posted by Whiskey Mike 2009-04-08 03:58|| 2009-04-08 03:58|| Front Page Top

#6 The longer Obama presidency goes on, the more I suspect its a Karl Rove plot.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2009-04-08 05:55|| 2009-04-08 05:55|| Front Page Top

#7 I'll have to pitch the BS flag on this one. At La Cambe, Marigny, Lisieuz, and Orglandes lie over 55,000 fallen Germans. Graves that are still visited and decorated by surviving kith and kin. While I have a few ideas, I don't know what his reasons were for not visiting Normandy but it had little to do with the Germans.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-08 07:28|| 2009-04-08 07:28|| Front Page Top

#8 Perhaps Normandy is the ultimate symbol of non-soft power, and O doesn't want to be associated with that sort of thing.

Posted by Cynicism Inc 2009-04-08 07:37|| 2009-04-08 07:37|| Front Page Top

#9 ...or the people who made it happen.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-04-08 08:01|| 2009-04-08 08:01|| Front Page Top

#10 WTF? The reason to visit Normandy is not to "placate" France, but to honor those brave Americans (and British, Canadians, and Poles) who died there. The Germans would not have been insulted. In fact, he could have visited the WWI cemetaries, too.

Posted by Spot">Spot 2009-04-08 08:23|| 2009-04-08 08:23|| Front Page Top

#11 Speculation of motivations supported by unnamed sources usually indicates agenda driven journalism.

Posted by DepotGuy 2009-04-08 09:43|| 2009-04-08 09:43|| Front Page Top

#12 Spot, you assume that the Obamanation WANTS to honor those brave Americans.

Remember, his Muzzie relatives were on the other side.

Posted by AlanC 2009-04-08 09:46|| 2009-04-08 09:46|| Front Page Top

#13 To heck with Muzzie relatives. I think Obama is on the other side. Deference to Nazis over the US military--sheesh.

Posted by Thealing Borgia 122 2009-04-08 10:47|| 2009-04-08 10:47|| Front Page Top

#14 Deference to Nazis over the US military

And the closest he'll ever get to a WWII Nazi Concentration Camp will be channeling his great-uncle, Charles T. Payne, a member of the 89th Infantry Division, who helped liberate Ohrdruf.

Can't offend the 'Holocaust Deniers', now can we.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2009-04-08 11:18|| 2009-04-08 11:18|| Front Page Top

#15 he could've visited Normandy, and apologized to the Germans

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2009-04-08 12:02|| 2009-04-08 12:02|| Front Page Top

#16 Don't give him any ideas, Frank.

Posted by Spot">Spot 2009-04-08 13:19|| 2009-04-08 13:19|| Front Page Top

#17 I have mixed feelings on this. When was the last time a head of State visited Verdun, Marne, Ypres, or Somme?

Posted by Yosemite Sam 2009-04-08 13:50|| 2009-04-08 13:50|| Front Page Top

#18 This came to a head when President McAleese and Queen Elizabeth inaugurated the Peace Tower at Messines in Belgium on November 11th, 1998, in the presence of King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium. The tower, dedicated to the memory of those from the island of Ireland who fought and died in the first World War, was erected at the site of the Messines Ridge battlefield, the only location in that conflict where the 36th (Ulster) Division and the 16th (Irish) Division fought side by side. The Irish and British governments helped fund the project.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2009-04-08 14:02|| 2009-04-08 14:02|| Front Page Top

#19 To a size of 172.5 acres, the Normandy American Cemetery has 9,387 burials of US service men and women. Of this number, some 307 are unknowns, three are Medal of Honour winners (see below) and four are women. In addition there are 33 pairs of brothers buried side by side. It is the largest American Cemetery from WW2, but not the largest in Europe: that is the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery from WW1 with more than 14,000 burials.

There are 9,387 reasons to pay respects--this number doesn't include all the wounded who sacrificed. Normandy is hallowed and sacred like Gettysburg.

Posted by JohnQC 2009-04-08 14:46|| 2009-04-08 14:46|| Front Page Top

#20 FUCK HIM AND THE CAMEL HE RODE IN ON.

Sorry for shouting, but this pisses me off. >:-(

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-08 15:19|| 2009-04-08 15:19|| Front Page Top

#21 If Obama considezrs that Germans would feel aggraviated it means Obama considers them as Nazis.

Posted by ly a ctholic thing. ">ly a ctholic thing. 2009-04-08 17:17|| 2009-04-08 17:17|| Front Page Top

#22 There is no reason for a Head of State not to visit the graves of the brave fallen soldiers of his country. It might concentrate his mind about his ultimate responsibilities. He can also pay his respects to the brave fallen soldiers of those who were at the time the enemy. Again a useful lesson.

Posted by Aussie Mike 2009-04-08 18:02|| 2009-04-08 18:02|| Front Page Top

#23 I can tell you from having visited that cemetery and some others like Margraten - it indeed concentrates the mind and provokes an overwhelming emotion.

Posted by Cynicism Inc 2009-04-08 18:32|| 2009-04-08 18:32|| Front Page Top

#24 IMO an American president when overseas should have time available to pay his respects to those who in life were better than any of us.AND IT SHOULD NOT BE A FUCKING PHOTO-OP. Shouting over

Posted by and it shouldnCheaderhead 2009-04-08 19:45|| 2009-04-08 19:45|| Front Page Top

23:47 Frank G
23:29 Flueldcheep
23:25 Rambler in Virginia
23:21 crosspatch
23:19 JosephMendiola
23:17 JosephMendiola
23:11 Cornsilk Blondie
22:54 Frank G
22:48 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:41 ed
22:38 ed
22:37 JosephMendiola
22:36 JosephMendiola
22:35 ed
22:34 3dc
22:30 3dc
22:29 WTF
22:27 JosephMendiola
22:19 ed
22:18 ed
22:13 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:11 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:59 Pappy
21:50 Pappy