Beck falsely claims Obama will not "honor our troops" on Memorial Day

[teko]

Beck falsely claims Obama will not "honor our troops" on Memorial Day
May 26, 2010 7:22 pm ET — 3 Comments

Glenn Beck falsely claimed that President Obama "has decided not to honor our troops on Memorial Day." In fact, Obama will speak at a Memorial Day service at a dedicated Veterans Affairs cemetery in Illinois; Obama is not the first president to commemorate the holiday somewhere other than Arlington National Cemetery.

Please upgrade your flash player. The video for this item requires a newer version of Flash Player. If you are unable to install flash you can download a QuickTime version of the video.
EMBED

Embed this video:
Beck falsely claims Obama "has decided not to honor our troops on Memorial Day"

From the May 26 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:

    BECK: The president has decided not to honor our troops on Memorial Day and go to -- can you find out the last president that decided to take a vacation and then go to a Paul McCartney -- come back for a Paul McCartney concert, but not for the laying of a wreath on Memorial Day? Maybe this has happened before. I don't recall it.

Obama will commemorate Memorial Day in Illinois ceremony

Obama will speak at veterans cemetery; Biden to lay wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. A White House press release states: "On Monday, the President will participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. Also on Monday, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden will host a breakfast for Gold Star Families at the White House. Afterwards, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery." Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery is dedicated as a national cemetery within the VA's National Cemetery Administration. [WhiteHouse.gov, 5/24/10]
Previous presidents have honored Memorial Day away from Arlington Cemetery

1983: Reagan attended summit meeting; Defense Department official Thayer laid wreath at Arlington. Deputy Secretary of Defense W. Paul Thayer laid a wreath at Arlington Cemetery during the Memorial Day ceremony in 1983, according to a May 31, 1983, Washington Post article (retrieved from the Nexis database). The Associated Press reported that President Reagan attended a "summit meeting in Williamsburg, Va., with leaders of the industrialized democracies."

1992: George H.W. Bush allowed VP Quayle to lay wreath. In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, according to a May 26, 1992, Boston Globe article (from Nexis). The Globe reported that President George H.W. Bush attended a wreath-laying ceremony and made brief remarks at an American Legion hall in Kennebunkport, Maine, where he also played a round of golf.

2002: George W. Bush spoke at commemoration in Normandy. On May 27, 2002, President George W. Bush spoke at a Memorial Day commemoration in Normandy, France.
Bush remained in Texas for Veterans Day in 2007

Veterans Day 2007: Cheney attended ceremony to pay tribute at Arlington as Bush remained in Texas. On November 11, 2007, the AP reported that "President Bush honored U.S. troops past and present at a tearful ceremony Sunday for four Texans who died there." The AP further reported that "Vice President **** Cheney went to Arlington to pay tribute to Iraq veterans."

[specialmom]

Oops.  Busy writing my lengthy post above.  

Oops again.  I did forget what the topic was.  Sorry.

But I was just saying that I really didn't even know what the other presidents did on this weekend-----------  just being honest.  And my further thought was that Obama is scrutinized more than other presidents during my lifetime.  You and I have different reasons for why we think that is so . . . but I think my point is still valid.

Oh yeah . . . I was alive during the Vietnam War having been born in the mid 60's.  But I was a wee little babe and don't remember much from then . . .  

[adgal]

I just read through all the comments and posts on this thread.  It really does all come down to perspective and what you personally feel is important (and that is exactly how it should be).  My rant (sorry about that) was about all the nonsense stuff that comes up to "cloud" the issues.  When I talked about the out and out lies around a single payer health care system, I was referring to all the comments I saw about things like death panels.  Or that we in Canada cannot change Dr.s without approval.  In all honesty, I do believe (in fact I am fairly certain of it) that single payer allows for less interference.  For example, your insurance companies dictate what type of treatment you will have by what they will pay for.  Everything around our health care is decided by our Dr.'s and ourselves.  The gov't just pays the bill like an insurance company would, but without dictating to our Dr.'s  Again, this is my perspective based on my experiences. Don't misunderstand, there is plenty wrong with our system, I am not blind to that.  I just like the fact that I am not capped or declined for anything, not ever.  But again, this is the way I grew up, and just as you have heard horror stories about our system, I have heard horror stories about yours.  So really, it comes down to perspective and what we want out of health care.

As for the race issue, I have no doubt it is not a factor for many, but is a factor for quite a few.  That's just reality in our world today...sad but true.  And I do think that is playing a part in the extra scrutiny.  It;s not 100% of it, but it is a fact.  I mean, the man had more death threats then any other President, and that was only a few weeks after inaguration.  I can understand though, for those like you SpecialMom that do not base your opinion on this, it must be frustrating to hear it come up time and time again.  

I think my frustration with most of this is it seems so little is being based on fact.  I don't understand all the energy being put into slandering the man...and that is what some of it is.  Are there legitimate issues with him?  No doubt about it, but again, that is what the vote is for.  I am just so sick of hearing he was born in Kenya, or he is anti American and Muslim.  I am sick of being accused of being a socialist and jealous of the US.  I am sick of him being accused of being Socialist and trying to bring down the country.  I dunno, maybe I need to just quit reading journals...I just get ticked off..lol.

[teko]

Well, I had my rant! lol, I think it must be a full moon! I have actually been on good behavior recently but every once in a while I get stoked! I think it is clear that we all agree on one thing, our vote is what counts. If Obama is voted out, so be it. I hope I would agree with whoever was put in his place but even if I dont, I will not treat them like this man has been treated. Every problem in the world comes across his desk, it is a major major job. I wonder sometimes about those that have so much idle time that they make a living out of kicking em. I wonder just how well they would fare in that job and being treated the way he is. The politicians all of them have something to gain, votes is what they are called. What does everyone else have to gain tho? And like I said entertainment tv being the head of the republican party is what is scary to me. What in the world is happening to us? And as far as that 58 mil to Greece? Well, there is a good reason behind that but it is too involved to get into here. If you research and learn what happened, how and why, it will make sense. He had his hands tied on that one.  As far as Bush, Reagan or any of the rest of them. I did not agree with all that they did either and yes, you had idgets acting the same way about him. (Not nearly as badly tho). And yes, the hatred that is spewed and the talk that I have witnessed, race does have a play with quite a few, not all no, but quite a few. I mean, they even argue cause of what he put on his census for crying out loud. So my rant is over. For today...... I still love and respect each and everyone of you guys. Now, somebody open that bottle of wine! lol

[adgal]

I second that...I respect and like all of you as well.  I enjoy our debates and hope I never make it sound personal.

Now, that said, Teko I will join you in that glass of wine..then I am having a nice long bubble bath!!!  It is a full moon isn't it...I had forgotten...yep, I am blaming my ranting and raving on that!!!!!!

[teko]

I will have red with chocolate and you may have the white to take to the bubbles and hopefully you and ryder will have sweet dreams! lol  Me gonna watch CSI and make an early night of it and hit the beach tomorrow! All welcome to join me.....BYOB!

[specialmom]

I'm going straight for the tequila!  Just kidding.  The smell of it alone makes me drunk as well as reminds me of one unpleasant incident long ago . . . but  if I have some margarita mix with it. . .yum.  Just what I need to get this ranting, full moon kind of mood out of me!  Enjoy the bath and enjoy the beach.