A Small Overlooked Item that Makes the Iraq Photo-op Ring Phony.

[The Lone Liberal]

The picture of Bush holding the turkey on a platter is nothing but staged and for those of us who have served rings really phony! The mess hall does not serve turkey on a platter, hell Bush had to bring that platter with him. If you had ever eaten in a mess hall you know that the turkey is shredded and is in a large warming pan on the chow line. NO PLATTERS FULL OF TURKEY! Nothing but a photo-op for the TURKEY!

[Toucano]

1. That's a good point.

Instead of bringing a banner this time, they brought a turkey and platter.

For all I know, it could have been a rubber turkey! :)

[Old and In the Way]

2. Very symbolic though....

An unbelievably bad foreign policy served up to the American people...a real turkey served to us on a silver platter of oil.

[sistersofmercy]

3. Also one turkey for all those troops!

[neebob]

4. Not only that

but he just picked up the tray briefly and set it back down. Of course most sheeple don't notice such things or ask why he didn't sit down and eat with the troops. He was willing to fly 13 hours - 26, with the return trip - for a few pics. Then again, it's really comfy on Air Force One, and the tax dollars don't bother him because he's got millions and they don't take as many of his dollars as they do the rest of ours. He'll get a lot of mileage out of those pics in the coming year. Is there a more despicable person on the planet? I don't think so.

I got into another argument with my mother that evening, after she criticized Hillary Clinton. Ugh, she sounds like a fishwife. I'm not sure what a fishwife is, but it's bad. I'm not fond of Hillary, either, but my mother jumping all over her and giving the chimp an admiring pass just infuriated me on top of her insisting I'd believe Bill O'Reilly's and Laura Ingraham's books if I read them. My mother just can't stop herself from bringing up something that will lead to a discussion of her idol, the Criminal in Chief. Pointing out that he's already robbed her blind and he's about to send all four of her grandsons off to die to reward his campaign contributors has no effect.

[MaineDem]

9. I saw the video

It was as if someone told him to pick up the tray and hold it. He moved a little for a better photo op. It reeked of opportunism. But the whole trip did. Although I do think it was a good thing for the Commander in Chief to be out with the troops.

Everything...and I mean everything...his handlers have him do is calculated. I have no doubt the time line for election has the tiniest detail already mapped out.

[Loki]

5. Not only was it a "prop"

but "Thanksgiving Dinner" was served at 5:00 a.m in the MORNING! They can't even be truthful about the time this so called dinner was taking place. And they have to ask why we hate him.

[sistersofmercy]

7. Love your handle my bird's name is Loki!

Yes this misadministration is well practiced in the art of deception. We know it and that is exactly why we hate them.

[RamboLiberal]

10. Some idiot reporters didn't know AM from PM

I think that's already been debunked. And if they had gotten in at 5AM they'd have to fly Chickenhawk AWOL out in early morning daylight where AF1 would be a target for any Iraqi with a shoulder-fired missile.

Does everything on DU have to be :tinfoilhat:

[youngred]

12. yes

but a 26 hour flight, for 2 hours of time with the troops, lying about when it actually was, and never leaving the compound. That doesn't reek of bullshit to you?

I realize the security precautions necessary for any President, but come on

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. I can't picture the military cooks doing all that fancy garnish, either.

They should have put numbnuts on a tray.

[Tinoire]

8. They would do that

The soldiers cooking that meal were probably the cream of the crop cooks in the area and, contrary to popular belief, there really are some fine cooks in the military and they're generally attached to General Staff.

If you guys get the Culinary Channel, you'd be shocked at what some of these guys whip up at Culinary competitions.

For a dog and pony show this big, I'm surprised we didn't see whole Virginia hams on an accompanying platter.

In all fairness to the Army, Thanksgiving is the BEST mean you get in the mess-hall all year. This meal was complete with lobster tails which really doesn't surprise me.

Now the soldiers in the rear... That's another matter :(

On edit- but I agree this thing was definitely staged. Our friends at FR had a one day notice about the visit from some guy stationed there but they thought the "high" guest of honor was going to be Hillary. They had plenty of time to put on a lavish spread to show the folks back home how well-cared for the soldiers were on this great day of Thanksgiving ( :eyes: )


Oh yeay.... The Turkey has landed...

[youngred]

11. of course it was

its a much more effective picture if he has a big turkey in hand.

[Turbineguy]

13. Maybe that particular turkey was placed as a centerpiece

I've seen that at banquets. Obviously one turkey would not feed 600, but it's a nice visual.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. Many of the soldiers

in this pic are not soldiers. W is so afraid of real people that he had to surround himself with security even in the midst of his own troops.

[Panda1]

22. What he really served up....

[maggrwaggr]

15. sorry but you're wrong here.

As a military brat we ate thanksgiving dinner at the mess hall on base more than once and they always had at least one big platter out like that.

[The Lone Liberal]

17. Having served with the 82nd Airborne,

all I can do is tell you what my experience was regarding Thanksgiving. One difference might be that during my time I never had Thanksgiving or Christmas where families dined with us. Maybe the branch of the service makes a difference?

[maggrwaggr]

19. Yeah, I dunno. I guess it depends on circumstance

I just know that those mess hall cooks can whip up a pretty good looking turkey. At least where I was, in Germany, back in the early 70's.

[maggrwaggr]

20. Yeah, I dunno. I guess it depends on circumstance

I just know that those mess hall cooks can whip up a pretty good looking turkey. At least where I was, in Germany, back in the early 70's.

[demigoddess]

21. I grew up in the army and the airforce and the

airforce was definitely more family friendly, they always billed the thanksgiving day spread at the mess hall as a way to thank the wives for all they did all year.

[Catfish]

16. You're right

It was just a photo-op for a turkey.

[Snazzy]

18. 10 seconds of tray holding

You can see the vid at cspan.

Bush clearly had a mission, which was to get to the turkey tray and hold it up for the waiting photogs. He does it in a comically casual way--mission accomplished.

Was funny, because I just saw the wire pics first and of course you get the impression he's serving turkey off the giant platter. Didn't happen.

Later he goes behind the sneeze-bar in the mess line to actually serve turkey. I thought this was more telling, and also why that part didn't work for a photo op.

The line included all the good thanksgiving stuff: turkey, sweet potatoes, mash potatoes, corn, cranberries, gravy, etc. So they hand Bush a plate with a slab of turkey on it and he's supposed to finish the order for whatever soldier's hand he is shaking. But Bush can't be bothered with that. All they got was turkey and a small misshapen dollop of dry mashed potatoes (one lucky guy got some corn too). You could eat well or shake *'s hand--not both. Hopefully they could go for 2nds.