Memorial Day, a Federal Vacation

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, MEMORIAL DAY 2010 -- Who's there?  Not Obama.  Why?  He was busy at a barbecue at American community organizer Marty Nesbit's place, who lives in a swanky upscale neighborhood with patriots such as William Ayers and Louis Farrakhan.  Obama did plan to speak at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in honor of the hallowed Memorial Day, but unfortunately mother nature denied him the luxury of being on vacation and doing your patriotic duty at the same time.

Rain and lightning tore from the sky as Obama took the podium.  Obama spoke, only just enough to tell everyone that it wasn't safe; go home.  Obama should have listened to his own pleadings with the crowd.  Chicago is not currently his home.  He has a job to do.  Memorial Day is a big day for a president.  After all, he is the Commander-In-Chief of our great American military.  He of all people should respect the tradition of Memorial Day.  Instead he couldn't break away from his precious vacation time in Chicago.  He should have been at Arlington National Cemetery and not have sent Vice President Joe Biden to do his bidding.

Obama has a history of paying little respect to the tradition of Memorial Day.  Last year he was at Arlington National Cemetery for the traditional wreath ceremony, but he was able to slip out of there just in time to hit the links.  Obama was on the golf course at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day 2009, but he was able to manage a small prayer in between his tee shot and his approach.  He missed the putt, and obviously the point.

In Obama's defense, he is not the first president to miss a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.  George Bush missed it in 2002, but for a slightly different reason.  Instead of hamming it up with crooked Chicago socialites, Bush was in Europe meeting with foreign leaders on official U.S. business.  He made a speech at the Normandy American Cemetery, where he commemorated our veterans in proper fashion, with the best means available to him.

Whether it's the golf course or a barbecue with communists, it's disrespectful.  Mr. President, do your job and lead this nation by example first and foremost.  Honor the tradition, not the vacation.