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I think Bush had a better MC to warm up the crowd. The military has always been a Bastion of Conservative thinking. Obama knows and detest this

Hardly an "apples to apples" comparison there. Clearly the troops were given two different instructions on how to act when the president arrived.

tallmike wrote:Hardly an "apples to apples" comparison there. Clearly the troops were given two different instructions on how to act when the president arrived.

"Clearly"? How so? I doubt troops would be instructed to not clap for their Commander in Chief. The suits behind BHO WERE clapping
for his entrance, the majority of those in attendance were not. Granted a few limited claps of applause could be heard after Hail to the Chief finished playing. I don't think the video clips have been doctored, only edited together. Believe what you will.

Those who still support the future former president will be inclined to say the videos were staged, and edited together to paint the president’s apparent lack of popularity and distrust from the military in disingenuous way..

Those who wish to see the future former president become former sooner rather than later are apt to point out that, military folks, even if told to stand at attention when the president arrives and departs, once the senior leadership starts to clap,, if those of the rank and file felt personally moved to do the same, they would have taken the opportunity. But hey, what do I know..

Looks like to me that the Marines are at attention when Obama walks in. Proper protocol. For what it's worth, I was at Elmendorf AFB in the mid-90's when President Clinton came by. At the time he didn't seem to have much popularity with the other Airmen, but when he showed up, there was plenty of hooting and cheering, and it wasn't scripted. I got to shake his and his wife's hand, and I still think it was a pretty neat experience. I still remember that he was wearing a Timex Ironman watch.

Just heard that Bush - some 18 months out of office - went to Dallas with his wife to greet some troops returning from the Middle East. No fanfare, no big press release . . . he just wanted to welcome them home.

And I don't think it's the first time.

I don't see Obama doing that after he leaves office.

Yeah, I want to see it that way - and I am sure that in most cases the Marines feel as the video suggest. But as a former Marine myself, I can't help thinking:

"LOCK IT MARINES! How about showing a little decorum! This ain't the Airforce!" (No offense intended)

gemini wrote:

tallmike wrote:Hardly an "apples to apples" comparison there. Clearly the troops were given two different instructions on how to act when the president arrived.

"Clearly"? How so? I doubt troops would be instructed to not clap for their Commander in Chief. The suits behind BHO WERE clapping
for his entrance, the majority of those in attendance were not. Granted a few limited claps of applause could be heard after Hail to the Chief finished playing. I don't think the video clips have been doctored, only edited together. Believe what you will.

Depends entirely on the unit, its Officers/NCOs and what instructions had or had not been issued prior to each event.
The reaction of the troops can also be a result of how their Unit Commanders transmit how they feel about the CinC and his visit.

At the Bush visit the Marines may have been told that they could whoop it up and show their emotions.
At the Obama visit, nothing at all might have been passed for instructions. If so, this would have been treated as a normal Marine formation. All the dignitaries behind the speaker would have done their usual political gesturing, but the troops would have remained at Attention or Parade-rest.

I don't know what went down, as I would have had to have been there to see.