Say Anything Blog

Good question:

Before his visit to Ramstein Air Base, which is near the medical center, was canceled, the plan called for reporters to stay behind at an airport terminal while Mr. Obama and one adviser met with the troops. Why? The Pentagon does not allow reporters and photographers inside Landstuhl…

[O]ne question remains: Why didn’t Mr. Obama leave his aides behind, even the retired general, and make the visit by himself?

“Even him going alone would likely be characterized by some as a political event,” Mr. Gibbs said in an interview on Monday, adding, “He decided not to put the troops in that position.”

Allah at Hot Air wonders: If Obama was so worried about politicizing a visit with the troops…

...why’d he meet with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, or at Walter Reed a few weeks ago? He has every right to go in his capacity as senator, minus his campaign apparatus.

I think it’s because the “we didn’t want to politicize the visit” answer is a whole lot easier than the “it wasn’t really that important” answer.  Or the “it wasn’t going to be a photo-op so who cares” answer.