Stagecraft and Image

The PresBO will reveal his "new" plan for Afghanistan going forward after nearly 4 months of 'deliberation'. That's what they are calling it, those out there that make up the excuses for the PresBO and his administration. The real reason is that the Left and no one is more Lefty than PresBO has always had trouble with the concept of the Armed Forces. They do not know what to do with them and especially during war time. Remember Vietnam and all the meddling that LBJ did, remember Carter after our embassy was taken over (which is sovereign territory, the same as invading the country itself) he did virtually nothing. All Clinton could do was throw Cruise Missiles at empty buildings oh and try to 'upgrade' the military by allowing homosexuals to serve in the open (this failed). And now PresBO is caught having to press the "good war" and justify keeping our troops in country and in fact increasing the number of boots on the ground and it took him almost 4 months to decide this. If it was truly a "good war", a "war of necessity" (these are things he has called the war in the AF) don't you think you would come to this conclusion sooner? I know I would.

But this is all a diversion anyway; the real take-away from this will be the speech itself and more importantly the imagery that will be broadcast. You see, this is all stagecraft, all theatre of the administration and selling the image only, they could really care less of the immediate consequence of his decision but they really want him to look presidential in the face of the military.

This is why he went to 'honor' the fallen at Dover AFB but brought along the press corps to make sure pictures and video of him saluting the dead were available for release. He was even given lessons on how to give a proper salute and how to stand while rendering same. You see it was all about the image, and they want to prevent another one of these:

He recently stopped off for gas in Alaska and gave a speech to the troops there. Plenty of network cameras where there set up on a stage complete with his famous teleprompters (which have their own detachment of technicians to take care of them, jobs created or saved) and on the stage behind him were scores of men and women in uniform. He was giving the speech to as many people behind him as those in front of him, you see it was all an image of the CINC in front of his troops. He was heard to utter the words "you guys make a great photo op". Yes, it's all image with PresBO.

So while he is up there at West Point, the proverbial home of the Army, you will see the image again of the PresBO as CINC before his troops, but I will see the empty vessel and think it appropriate that he went to West Point, the place Benedict Arnold sold out. I surly do not hope for a repeat, but you cannot be sure with someone as empty as PresBO.

BT: Jimmy T sends.