What the Democrats really hate about the President visiting the Lincoln is the footage. They hate those photographs, and they are terrified they are going to be used in the 2004 campaign. They will be- anbd they should. But to the idiots who think that the President in a flight suit is ramped up militarism, check out this exchange with Ari Flesicher and a reporter:
Question: And just one on the visit to the Abraham Lincoln. There are some people who have raised a question about the appearance, that the President arrived on deck in a very dramatic, spectacular fashion, on board a military aircraft wearing full flight suit. And there were some people who were concerned that that might have dissolved or weakened the distinction between civilian control of the military and adopt the civilian — the President adopting military regalia at the end of a war. Is the President concerned at all about that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Heavens no, that’s a non-issue. If you noticed, everybody who came off the Viking wore a flight suit, as you were required to wear a flight suit if you were going to participate in a flight on the Viking. That is what you wear if you’re on a Viking.
What bothers them is that Bush looks comfortable and natural. Of course, you all remember this:
Ricky
Unsurprisingly, the reporter was Terry Moran of ABC.
Bill
I think you spelled his name wrong. Terry Moran, I mean. I think it has one less A and one more O.
rick
“the President adopting military regalia at the end of a war.”
*Regalia???* Did I miss the fancy fore & aft hat with the big white feathers, or something?
HH
Arguably, not only did Pres. Washington suit up for battle during the Whiskey rebellion, but his official presidential portrait is “regalia”… at least it seems that way since he’s got a sword.
HH
You’d think Robert Byrd might remember that. ;)
F-18 mama
My husband is a Navy pilot, and I think what seems to be missing from this debate is that anyone catching a wire in a jet flying approximately 125 knots in the controlled crash that is a carrier landing has to wear a flight suit. Even members of the esteemed media.