Get ready for this Righty Canard: Obama snubbed the Salute to Heroes Ball

[DeltaLitProf]

A Republican facebook friend posted a link to a clip from a paper called the Cleveland Leader. According to the story Obama is the only president since Eisenhower to skip the inaugural ball thrown by the American Legion for Medal of Honor Winners:

Obama Snubs Nation's Heroes, Becomes the First President to Skip Ball Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients in Over 50 Years
Submitted by Julie on January 21, 2009 - 10:13pm.

Barack Obama may have stumbled over his words briefly during his inauguration, but he made an even bigger blunder later Tuesday evening. The newly sworn-in President opted not to appear at what should have been one of the most important Balls on his agenda that evening - The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball.

The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball was begun in 1953 for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. The event recognized recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. There were 48 Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, who were undoubtedly disappointed by the Commander-in-Chief's failure to show. Over the past 56 years and 14 inaugurations, no President has skipped this event - until now.

The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball is sponsored by the American Legion, and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including those such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=46171849161&h=zOxgD&u=V-UF4

I realize the American Legion has done nothing but screw Democrats since at least the Reagan era, but surely a few minutes could have been spared for this.

[Danger Mouse]

1. So what's the story here?

[w4rma]

2. Report: Veterans Inaugural Ball Canceled as Organizer Disappears

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/01/military_vetsball_missingorganizer_011909w/

[Danger Mouse]

4. So in other words, this RW stuff is an outright lie?

[backscatter712]

14. Yeah.

Obama did attend another military ball, and at that ball, he did indeed honor Medal of Honor winners and veterans.

The righttards are full of shit, as usual.

[NYC_SKP]

10. That is correct. There was, in fact, no Veteran's Ball to attend. Even FOX reported it.

So, any slime that wants to contest it can read it on their own reliable news page.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/19/report-veterans-inaugural-ball-canceled-organizer-disappears/

:patriot:

[ShadowLiberal]

12. Well that fits the GOP strategy well, lie and be outraged at everything the opposition does

[DeltaLitProf]

13. This wasn't the same ball

n/t

[texastoast]

3. That is complete bullshit

But I didn't expect any more from the RW nutters. They have NOTHING so they lie, and the nonthinkers just drink it up. It's nothing but propaganda, the same shitty tactics they used to hypnotize the morans before the run-up to the war.

And Barack stumbled over his words? LOL!

[AtomicKitten]

5. Manufactured outrage fuels their pathetic existence. n/t

[atreides1]

6. Consider This

According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, there are only 99 Surviving Recipients, as of October 19, 2008.

World War II - 25
Korea - 14
Vietnam - 60


48 out of 99, that's half of the survivors.




This isn't news, it's a hit piece!!

[sandnsea]

7. He went to the CiC Ball, and honored Military Families

with the Kids' Inaugural Ball. Honest to god, fuck these whiny-ass Republicans.

[atreides1]

8. Maybe you need new friends

[Thrill]

9. Just Send them these pics. It usually leaves them speechless

[scarletwoman]

11. Well, bully for you to keep it going. Happy now?

[DeltaLitProf]

18. We have to be ready for what they're coming at us with.

To do otherwise is to disserve the causes we stand for.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DeltaLitProf]

17. I am probably further to the Left politically than you

I have been posting on DU since 2001. At first under the name Chomskyite and when I lost that password (and got no help from the DU staff in recovering it) had to switch to DeltaLitProf.

The ball was not cancelled. It did happen. Biden went to it. A Right-wing blogger called the American Legion and got them to release this statement:

The American Legion, as it has on every inauguration evening since 1953, hosted the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Banquet & Ball on January 20th. The quadrennial event is co-sponsored with fourteen veterans service and military service organizations and honors recipients of the Medal of Honor. Forty-seven ... Read Moreof these heroes attended this year’s event which was held in the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.

President Obama was invited but did not attend. Vice-President Joe Biden did appear, however, and was very warmly received. The new President’s absence was understandable considering the unprecedented logistical challenges presented by the vastly increased number of visitors to this inauguration and the necessary attendant security measures. The American Legion, as an organization, does not feel offended or “snubbed.”

Craig Roberts
Media Relations Manager
The American Legion
160

[IndianaGreen]

16. Are any of you familiar with the racist history of the American Legion?

The FBI recruited American Legion members as informants on groups such as labour activists and desegregation.