Everyone makes verbal gaffes. Here’s candidate Obama talking about campaigning in 57 states so far, “with one to go”. Funny, yes. Worth some good natured ribbing, sure thing. A sign of anything else? No. A verbal gaffe, the kind everyone makes from time to time.
THIS however is something else entirely. This is an inexcusable disgrace to two great men, their families and the office of President. No Commander-in-Chief should EVER make such a mistake when talking about the highest honor this country has to offer. Utterly inexcusable. The MSM is in FULL “let’s not cover this” mode. For any other president, this kind of mistake would have unleashed holy hell on the Commander-in-Chief, as well it should have. Not this president though. Outside of Twitter and a few blogs, like Blackfive, I have not heard a single word about this on TV or seen it in print. Not saying it has been completely ignored, but it certainly has not gotten the attention it deserves.
Someone You Should Know….Mr. President
On Father’s Day 2007, Vietnam veteran and 28-year member of the US Army, Bruce McQuain joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce told us about Jared C. Monti and what he did sacrificing his life to save a fellow soldiers. As always, Bruce did an amazing job telling Jared’s story. Immediately following the SYSK, we welcomed to the show Mr. Paul Monti, Jared’s father. He spent an emotional half hour talking with us about his son. He told us some great stories about the kind of man Jared was. Paul spoke movingly about Jared, the determined kid, how he made the varsity basketball team on his third try, and ended the season as one of the teams best players. Cutting down a Christmas tree for a local family that didn’t have one. The stories were great. Jared was always sticking up for the little guy. He was the kind of man that every father would be busting with pride to call their son.
Jared C. Monti’s Medal of Honor Ceremony
Paul Monti returned to Pundit Review Radio following the emotional Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House
Gaffe’s are one thing. Disgracing the memories of the men who have EARNED the highest honor the country has to offer is another. What a terrible, inexcusable mistake by our President.
The Obama administration is proving to be the most costly on the job training program in the history of mankind.
UPDATE: President Obama has called Paul Monti to apologize. No surprise, Paul was gracious, dignified and appreciative of the gesture,
“He apologized to me more than once,’’ said Paul Monti, whose son, Sergeant 1st Class Jared Monti, was killed in battle in Afghanistan five years ago, in a phone interview yesterday. “He was very sincere. I thought it was a wonderful thing for him to do.’’ Monti said he accepted the president’s apology. Monti said a White House secretary phoned him Friday afternoon to ask if he was available to speak with the president. Obama then got on the line. After apologizing, the president told Monti that he realized right after the speech that he had made a mistake, Monti said. “He could have just let it go,’’ Monti said. “He could have sent a statement to the press; he could have had an aide call me. But he was man enough to call me himself and I think that the highest honor you can get from someone is a personal apology.’’
Good for President Obama, he made a serious mistake here and he knew it. He did the right thing to correct it, and I respect him for it. The mistake was inexcusable, but in light of his contrition and apology, it is forgivable.