Wasn’t it just a short time ago we heard the left complaining loudly about these kind of visits from President Bush to the troops?

No.

despite having fashioned a seal for himself, there’s really no such thing as the “Office of the President-elect.”

As President-elect, he is afforded certain things, because of the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 and 2000.

Some of the perks are office space and an office staff, paid by the government. He doesn't really have a position in the government, but he does have some sort of government recognition that he soon will have a position in the government. And he has a title recognized in law.

So technically, I think it flies. I still think it's pretentious, but that's not news about Obama.

Actually, Obama resigned his Senate seat in late November, as James noted in the post.

Still... Wasn’t it just a short time ago we heard the left complaining loudly about these kind of visits from President Bush to the troops? Grandstanding we were told. Well, about that; Since they’re releasing pictures of the event, it is relatively easy to figure out why Obama actually went through with this particular event, as opposed to canceling it at the last minute as he did with an event at Walter Reed.

Forgive me, but it doesn’t seem to me to be a massive sacrifice on his part to be visiting the troops on Christmas that are lucky enough to be stationed in Hawaii. Given his history, I can only conclude this is at best a half hearted effort with the troops with the larger concern being his image with the voters.

Personally, I think it's better that he went in on an informal basis, otherwise those Marines would probably have been setting up some dog'n'pony show instead of enjoying their meal.

I'm sure that all the uniformed personnel were courteous and professional, in any case. If not, we'd have heard about it on Page 1, and the Op-eds would be about the military rift with Obama, just like Clinton, etc, etc.

Interesting. That's how it was at Fort McClellan, previous home to the MP and Chemical schools, too, back in the day. In the National Capitol Region, however, all the posts are controlled access, even those such as Fort Belvoir and Fort McNair that seem to house innocuous TRADOC functions. Ditto Carlisle Barracks, PA, home of the Army War College. I just presumed that all the posts were making it hard to get in in the post-9/11 environment.

It has actually gotten easier. I don't get it, either. Had a buddy of mine tell me things I do not want to repeat recently...

I really should raise complaints with my congress people.

The President is the top classifying authority for all information and as such can authorize the release to anyone he chooses. As a matter of course, he follows established procedures for classified material but in the end, the classifying authority is the person who determines need to know and authorizes the release of the information. Security clearances are simply one method for the classifying authority to determine the risk of releasing the information to the person but are not barrier to it (for the classifying authority). Clearances and other procedures are policies that classifying authorities use to permit the release of information they have classified by those lower in the food chain.

But I'm also curious, now that you (and John) mention it, about how the security clearances work generally in terms of briefings.

Not sure how you define a "secure military facility", but I can tell you that anyone who wants to can waltz in to Fort Leonard Wood, anytime they want (they look at your driver's license, nothing else). While I am sure there are areas that civilians can't go, I have yet to find one in all the years I have been working there.

Interesting. That's how it was at Fort McClellan, previous home to the MP and Chemical schools, too, back in the day. In the National Capitol Region, however, all the posts are controlled access, even those such as Fort Belvoir and Fort McNair that seem to house innocuous TRADOC functions. Ditto Carlisle Barracks, PA, home of the Army War College. I just presumed that all the posts were making it hard to get in in the post-9/11 environment.

So . . . how is he able to waltz onto a secure military facility on a casual drop-by basis?

Not sure how you define a "secure military facility", but I can tell you that anyone who wants to can waltz in to Fort Leonard Wood, anytime they want (they look at your driver's license, nothing else). While I am sure there are areas that civilians can't go, I have yet to find one in all the years I have been working there.

What is he entitled to, briefing wise? What is he not? Are the briefings he is receiving and all president-elects get legal, or does no one care?