Comments on: Heroes Real and Manufactured

By: mike

mike — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:07:38 +0000

Brainy - i agree that he can't tell the media what to show but he didn't have to schedule a major foreign policy speech at the same time as the medal ceremony - he could have at least asked for a moment of silence.

By: brainy435

brainy435 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:05:57 +0000

Bill H, if that's true that's a far worse reflection of the people who would ignore the troops because of their BDS than on the President himself.

By: brainy435

brainy435 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:03:37 +0000

Right, Mike, because a democrat who sets up port-a-potties on memorials shows so much more class. It's nice that you give McCain so much credit that he actually can dictate to the media what they should show and when they show it though. I'm not looking at a snapshot in time. As much as I wish McCain had done something, he was on a schedule and is rather busy. A 24-hr news media doesn't have that excuse. Beyond that, it also doesn't explain the near black-out of good news from Iraq. As I said, if you ignore the successes of the troops, how can you claim to support them? And how in the HELL can you say you support them as someone who wants to be a national leader when you won't go see what they've accomplished or talk to those who have overseen those accomplishments? If you have never voted for a Dem for President, you've more than likely never voted for a President.

By: sam

sam — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:19:30 +0000

I should add that Jacobs's Medal was awarded to him because:

Although wounded by mortar fragments, Capt. Jacobs assumed command of the allied company, ordered a withdrawal from the exposed position and established a defensive perimeter. Despite profuse bleeding from head wounds which impaired his vision, Capt. Jacobs, with complete disregard for his safety, returned under intense fire to evacuate a seriously wounded advisor to the safety of a wooded area where he administered lifesaving first aid. He then returned through heavy automatic weapons fire to evacuate the wounded company commander. Capt. Jacobs made repeated trips across the fire-swept open rice paddies evacuating wounded and their weapons.

By: Bill H

Bill H — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:16:36 +0000

I think you must take into account the serious unpopularity not only of the war itself, but of the president making the presentation. There are many who simply can no longer bear the sight of this man, and cannot tolerate the sound of his voice.

By: sam

sam — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:14:15 +0000

I was listening to Imus one morning when Jack Jacobs was on. Imus mentioned his Medal and Jacobs downplayed it, and in doing so, he said something interesting. It went along the lines of, Well, if an officer gets the Medal, that's one thing. But if an enlisted man gets the Medal, you can bet he did something really worth taking note of.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:32:50 +0000

brainy - why are you pissed at the media alone

McCain gave a major policy speech at the exact same time as the award ceremony yesterday and Fox News covered this instead of the medal ceremony (CNN showed the medal ceremony) - McCain could have delayed the speech 30 minutes but chose his speech was more important than a 19 year Soldier giving his life for four of his fellow Soldiers. To me this shows his priorities and may be a reason that I for once in my life vote for a Dem for president

By: brainy435

brainy435 — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:24:01 +0000

"After all, planes that crash get massively more coverage than those who don’t."

While that MAY explain wide coverage of negative news from Iraq vs. little coverage of positive, it's not enough to explain litle coverage of exceptional heroism. News usually covers VERY bad and VERY good, because they are outside the norm... like wide coverage of a kid who jumps into the seat of a runaway school bus to avert an accident. A medal that gets awarded very infrequently and only for exceptional bravery would seem to fit that criteria.

I don't see how the media can claim to "support the troops" while ignoring them.