Coffee Cup Salute by the Commander-in-Chief?

Al A Bama

Hall of Fame
Jun 24, 2011
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Is a Latte or Coffee Cup salute appropriate for a Commander-in-Chief? Just my opinion: there's a RIGHT way to do things and a WRONG (inappropriate) way to do things. All he had to do was put the cup in his left hand then salute his subordinates.

If a soldier did this in the Marine Corps or the Army, I could just see a Drill Seargant losing his cool. Have we become more permissive in our saluting in the military?

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/23/politics/obama-coffee-cup-salute/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
 

64met

All-American
Oct 12, 2007
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Nothing this clown does anymore surprises me. What does surprise me though, CNN reporting it.
 

selmaborntidefan

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Mar 31, 2000
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One of the things that always amuses me is how actually having political power deadens the perceptive political antennae of the very same people who thrived on PR in getting elected. This is hardly unique to Obama, it seems to happen to every President who gets a second term (and is - due to the inability to succeed himself - then politically isolated from having to worry about getting re-elected).

I remember early in Bill Clinton's term....remember, he was perceived as a draft dodger who was going to ram through an executive order for open gays in the military and who had said in his 1969 letter that he "loathed" the military......well he comes off the chopper one day and the honor guard salutes him. Clinton reaches down and scratches his belly. An immediate uproar ensues (remember that in 1993 we still had a huge living population that had been drafted and that still had a basic respect for military customs - including expecting the Commander in Chief to play along). Instead of apologizing and going forward, the admin doubled down on "clueless" by citing the regs and saying Clinton "wasn't required" to salute (which is one of those things that is literally true but hardly helpful).

The fallout was serious enough that almost immediately Clinton began saluting the guys when he boarded - but then again Clinton may have been the most pragmatic President since Nixon.

You'd think the image conscious buffoons in the White House would know this (image was one reason Reagan never actually appeared before the national pro-life gatherings but always addressed them via phone).
 

bamachile

Hall of Fame
Jul 27, 2007
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When (if) I look back in twenty years, this won't be in the top ten or twenty things I recall about this President. It's a gaffe, no doubt, but I have other issues with his administration which dwarf it.
 

Tidewater

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Mar 15, 2003
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When (if) I look back in twenty years, this won't be in the top ten or twenty things I recall about this President. It's a gaffe, no doubt, but I have other issues with his administration which dwarf it.
Personally, if I had a choice, I'd be willing for the President to return a salute by putting his thumb to his nose and wiggling his fingers in the air, if, by this, we could get him to respect more closely the provisions of the Constitution.
 

ValuJet

Moderator
Sep 28, 2000
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I don't know why he even bothered with the effort. Doesn't he know after six years that at the bottom of the steps are Marines there giving him respect as the Commander-in-Chief? With cameras constantly rolling, wouldn't you think he'd be prepared to handle that small detail in a half-arse fashion?

I'm not sure he's not playing to his base that hates the United States with a passion and, as Selma said "loathes the military."

I can only imagine how this simple act will further morph if and when President Hillary comes waddling off of Marine One.

Disgusting, disrespectful and beyond pathetic. Even for a community organizer.
 

mrusso

1st Team
Apr 17, 2006
808
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One of the things that always amuses me is how actually having political power deadens the perceptive political antennae of the very same people who thrived on PR in getting elected. This is hardly unique to Obama, it seems to happen to every President who gets a second term (and is - due to the inability to succeed himself - then politically isolated from having to worry about getting re-elected).

I remember early in Bill Clinton's term....remember, he was perceived as a draft dodger who was going to ram through an executive order for open gays in the military and who had said in his 1969 letter that he "loathed" the military......well he comes off the chopper one day and the honor guard salutes him. Clinton reaches down and scratches his belly. An immediate uproar ensues (remember that in 1993 we still had a huge living population that had been drafted and that still had a basic respect for military customs - including expecting the Commander in Chief to play along). Instead of apologizing and going forward, the admin doubled down on "clueless" by citing the regs and saying Clinton "wasn't required" to salute (which is one of those things that is literally true but hardly helpful).

The fallout was serious enough that almost immediately Clinton began saluting the guys when he boarded - but then again Clinton may have been the most pragmatic President since Nixon.

You'd think the image conscious buffoons in the White House would know this (image was one reason Reagan never actually appeared before the national pro-life gatherings but always addressed them via phone).
I'm guessing they mean that since he's not in the military he's not required to salute. Wouldn't the opposite be true...since he's not in the military then why does the honor guard salute him.
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
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All this is is a small indicator of the person he is, how he views his role as President, and what he thinks of this country.

It literally takes no effort to salute these men who are his protectors, and the protectors of this nation. No effort at all. Yet, he can't be bothered to even half-arse it. (I think "arse" is ok, right?)

Yes I know this isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it's kind of like a football team that can't take care of the small stuff. The fundamentals. That team may be very talented but the lack of attention to detail will bite them at some point.
 

TideEngineer08

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Jun 9, 2009
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I'm guessing they mean that since he's not in the military he's not required to salute. Wouldn't the opposite be true...since he's not in the military then why does the honor guard salute him.
Yet, as President, he is the Commander-in-Chief. So he most definitely is in the military, or at least a part of it.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
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I don't know why he even bothered with the effort. Doesn't he know after six years that at the bottom of the steps are Marines there giving him respect as the Commander-in-Chief? With cameras constantly rolling, wouldn't you think he'd be prepared to handle that small detail in a half-arse fashion?

I'm not sure he's not playing to his base that hates the United States with a passion and, as Selma said "loathes the military."

I can only imagine how this simple act will further morph if and when President Hillary comes waddling off of Marine One.

Disgusting, disrespectful and beyond pathetic. Even for a community organizer.

As was previously mentioned, he doesn't even have to salute. With the Marines saluting at attention as a matter of protocol for the disembarking - as opposed to in response to an introduction to or an address from the President - it isn't necessary, even as just a matter of courtesy, for him to even acknowledge the salute. If, as an act of courtesy, he desired to acknowledge their salute then a simple nod would have sufficed, especially since he was carrying something in his right hand.

Heck, even a private isn't expected - under normal circumstances - to salute a Colonel when he is walking with his hands full.

However, if the President does decide to return the salute then he should take the little time and effort it requires to ensure that he returns the salute properly; returning the salute improperly is nothing but disrespectful, regardless of whether or not he intends to be disrespectful. I'll go ahead and give him the benefit of the doubt as to whether or not he was intending to be disrespectful. Even so, he's the Commander-in-Chief; he should know better.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
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I'm guessing they mean that since he's not in the military he's not required to salute. Wouldn't the opposite be true...since he's not in the military then why does the honor guard salute him.
In this particular instance, he's not required to salute at all - even if he were an active, say, General immediately prior to taking office. Also, irrespective of any previous military service or lack thereof, the Commander-in-Chief is always considered a Commanding Officer.

As for why they are saluting him, they are saluting at attention for the disembarking of the President - something they are required to do for the embarking or disembarking of any active or former highly ranked Officer, a member of Congress, a foreign dignitary, etc., at whose arrival or departure they are present in an "official" capacity.
 

Displaced Bama Fan

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Jun 5, 2000
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He's cool. Seriously. The way he sprints up and down flights of stairs, and he can salute without bothering to interrupt his coolness while getting off the helicopter. We are so lucky.
The man is growing on me. Seriously. He's glides when he walks. He probably levitated at the UN this morning to show them his omnipotence. I'm all in.
 

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