Ft. Polk Troops Practiced Their Hoo-ahs (for Smirk's visit)

[donsu]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50942-2004Feb18.html

This White House is known for going to great lengths to create meticulously crafted, visually resonant backdrops for the president when he's traveling -- backdrops that telegraph the message of the day even if you're not paying attention to the words.

For instance, when Bush went to a window and door factory in Tampa on Monday, Mike Allen noted in The Washington Post that the White House actually brought its own windows. "Strengthening America's Economy" was emblazoned on two fake windows that revealed an inviting blue sky. (See this AP photo.)

-snip-

In St. Louis in January, Allen wrote that "Bush began his visit . . . on a low bench with three pupils at his side and 'No Child Left Behind' written in chalk on the blackboard behind him. He spent 22 minutes chatting with parents on a stage in front of a White House set with 'No Child Left Behind' written 10 times so it would appear in almost any camera shot." (Here's a Reuters photo of the chalkboard.)

-snip-

Yesterday, at Ft. Polk in Louisiana, the backdrop was spectacular: thousands of rowdily cheering soldiers yelling "USA!" and "Hoo-ah!" Nothing staged about that, was there? (See this White House photo.)

-snip-

"Instead of coming to attention at the sounding of 'Hail to the Chief,' they were encouraged to cheer.

"They even practiced yelling, but the practice wasn't nearly as noisy as the real thing once Bush was introduced by Fort Polk commander Brig. Gen. Jason Kamiya."
-snip-
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the snipped parts of this article are quite interesting.

[madmom]

1. Bush at Fort Polk:

hubby said he noticed when Bush came in he saluted an officer, but said officer did not salute back.

[donsu]

2. wow

has the officer been demoted yet?

[TacticalPeek]

5. "he saluted an officer, but said officer did not salute back."

aWol saluted out of order. Guess his dyslexia carries over to military protocol.

And the heretofore honored rule has been that whenever "Hail to the Chief" is played, when the first note is heard, soldiers should stand at attention, face the flag if it is in view or face the music if it is not, and hand salute until the music ends.

(The military band must use the US Marine Corps Band arrangement of "Hail to the Chief", by DoD directive.)



Not that Shrub or his media flacks care.

[donsu]

3. I keep laughing about them bringing a window to a window company

nt

[bluedog]

4. Fake per usual....like fake workers March 9, 2001

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0309-03.htm

Nichols's trade association, which pushed for yesterday's passage of President Bush's proposal to reduce income tax rates, circulated a memo among business groups this week urging lobbyists to show up in full force at the photo opportunity.


House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, holds a dollar bill and a nickel at a lobbyist rally on Capitol Hill Thursday, March 8, 2001, prior to expected house approval of a Republican tax cut plan. DeLay said that for every dollar of budget surplus over the next 10 years, only five cents will be used to pay for the tax cut. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

And it urged them to be "dressed down" so that "a sea of hard hats" could flank Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and other House GOP leaders to help buttress Republican arguments that the plan helps blue-collar Americans.