Obama visits with Boy Scouts, and honors their 100 year anniversary

Glad you posted that, I hate smear campaigns of any sort and Fox has been relentless. Hateful little buggers.

Fox news is so nasty.

Good post, Peter!

I am glad for your article, Peter. You are bringing the truth to people.
I do not like snopes as this is a husband and wife team and people take their opinions as fact. I use several other sites to get facts.

I found the snopes article interesting because it gave more detail than what the Boy Scouts site had said about the issue of Eagle Scout certificates.

Snopes has a less than 0.5% verifiable error rate. That means they're correct 99.5% of the time (and then some).

Thank you so much for posting this Peter. Wish it would teach the scout loving, Obama bashers a lesson, but we all know it won't!

As you were writing this did you feel like going nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah?

I went "nyah nyah nyah nyah" so loud that you heard me, didn't you.

I heard the maniacal laughter too!

(actually I just rolled my eyes)


(I do that a lot these days, with all these tempests in tea party pots)

Have you been able to see all the way back into your brain yet? If not, I could recomend a few posts...(G)

Could you recommend that to a few right-wing nutjobs here too, E? I'd like for them to make sure they still have a brain in their head.

Who's posts do you think they ARE? ;)

Thanks for sharing Peter. Go to the source I always say. I find the WH site to be quite informative.

I respect your post for truth on President Obama's relationship with the Boy Scouts.
Both deserve the best positivie show of media truths.

Photo's don't lie. Guess some people will jump on the bandwagon before checking the facts.

The two events are NOT connected, Heather. Yes, the President did participate in something called the "Report to the Nation". It is an ANNUAL REPORT -- nothing special for the BSA's 100th anniversary except for the invite to speak at the Jamboree (which only happens once every three to four years!).

The photo is real, the event in the White House is real. But it is NOT the same as showing up at the BSA's premiere national event and saying a few words.

Settummanque!

They can't find anything that he has done wrong so they have to make stuff up. Great post, Peter.

Exactly!

I would also include the non-citizenship, and other labels they have attached to him, all created to stir hatred and mistrust.

Sadly, there are many posts filled with biased hatred and misleading information. Those that promote this way of thinking are a part of the problem, not the solution.

Oh, those apologies are being typed right now as we speak, I bet!

A retraction by Fox News is in the works I am sure of it.

There ya go again, spoiling all the fun with FACTS. Shame on you!

I never whined about it. There are more important issues out there.

If Obama didn't show up at the actual ceremony then I guess one could state that he did avoid, shun, not attend or didn't think it worthy for his time and they could all be accurate. Just because he had a couple come to the white house and spend a few minutes with them doesn't change the fact that he didn't show up for the event. It is very common knowledge that Obama doesn't not care much for the Boyscouts organization and support them the way past presidents have.

Is it because the are a mostly white organization or maybe because it is seen as more republican........or both..who knows but the fact is he didn't attend.

"...the fact is he didn't attend."

So what?

Would this moronic comment by Mr. a. be one of those apologies you were expecting, Clark & Robin?

Clark Kent... The simple fact is, there is nothing that this president could do, say, or even think, that the wingnuts in this country would be able to tolerate.

Case in point.

>It is very common knowledge that Obama doesn't not care much for the Boyscouts organization and support them the way past presidents have.

That is just the Conservatives totally making things up.

I was curious to see if the great conservative Ronald Reagan had ever visited the Boy Scouts. He did not. I'm too the point that I can't believe anything a republican says. It's just lie after lie after lie. I used to be a republican back when they had decency, integrity and felt ashamed for telling lies. I'm now an Independent leaning Libertarian.

Bill...the President was ill and he sent his wife to sub in for him. She spent an entire day on the grounds talking with Scouts and taking pictures with Scouting volunteers and professionals. That was a LOT MORE than what the present President *chose to do* instead. It has NOTHING to do with politics and EVERYTHING to do with Presidential duties.

Imagine if the President did not show up for Veterans' Day and the wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns....and did not send anyone to represent him. Instead, he chose to attend a fundrasier in California on that day.

Settummanque!

Just so there is no confussion:

http://www.melrosetroop68.org/blog/?tag=president

Obama isn't the only president to not speak at the Jamboree - however Boy Scouts only turns 100 once! Further more like I mentioned in my other post it wasn't so much that he didn't come in person - it was how he handled the entire thing waiting until the monday that Jamboree started to say - oh I'll tape a message for the scouts and send it as I can't come. . . b/c the view and fundraising was more important. Jambo has been in the making planning for well over a year. I'm sure the president was invited months ago to speak but would not commit - so yes it is a slap in those boys faces to know the president thought that little of them. . . .

So how many events of the Girl Scouts, Spiral Scouts, 4-H, Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Y youth camp, etc. etc. has he attended?

That's what I thought.

Elizabeth: which organization(s) you mention is celebrating their 100th annivesary this year (or since the President came into office)?

That's what *I* thought. It's NOT the same thing, isn't it?

Settummanque!

As President of the United States he serves as the honorary president of the Boy Scouts of America and as such he was invited to attend the Jamboree to give a speech to the 45,000 scouts in attendance celebrating the 100th anniversary. According to the White House, it was because of a scheduled fundraiser that the President missed the historic occasion but as a consolation he videotaped a message to be viewed at the event. Given the fact that it was the 100th anniversary and the fact that he is the honorary president of the organization he should of been there personally and sent a videotaped message to those attending the fundraiser. It is true that Presidents have failed to show up to the Jamboree in the past but the Boy Scouts were not celebrating their 100th birthday then they are celebrating it now. The consolation prizes the President is giving now in the forms of videotaped messages and photo ops with a handful of scouts does not do anything to cover up the fact that he chose a fundraiser over 45,000 boy scouts celebrating a century of achievement by an organization Obama is honorary president of as President of the U.S. Which would you choose to attend and which would you give a videotaped message to if you were President- a fundraiser or a historic event of an organization you are leader of?

As always....follow the money.

You can't really blame Obama since politically he needs money more than he needs the boy scouts...he had to raise record amount of money to win the last election and will need even more in 2012 which explains why he hasn't quit campaigning since he won the last election.

I don't think you want to draw any comparisons between Obama and Reagan when it comes to the boy scouts.....Reagan would win that one hands down.

Peter:

We're talking about the ability (or not) for the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America to visit HIS PROGRAM'S PREMIERE EVENT to say "hi".

The annual Report to the President meeting you mention and have the photo from is NOT the same thing as attending the pinnacle event of the program -- the quadannaul National Scout Jamboree. Many Presidents -- from either party -- have attended in the past.

As far as President Reagan's no-show -- he sent his wife in his stead. I feel that if President Obama could not make it -- for whatever reason -- that in addition to the videotaped message, he should have sent his VP... or his wife.

Scouts and Scouters were upset because many of them supported the President's call for change, and part of what they felt is change is having the guy who represents their organization "ceremonially" to show up. Even if Marine One landed on the field, the President jumps out, waves and takes a microphone and say "Hello Scouts!!" and jump back in Marine One and takes off...THAT would have been more acceptable than just a videotaped message.

Two other comments about this matter. First, the BSA should have been a little MORE proactive here. As part of that public celebration of our 100th anniversary, live feeds from several places in the nation (sponsored by a telecommunications company!!), enabled Scouts and Scouters to see what was going on at Fort AP Hill that evening. What was the problem with having the PRESIDENT to be one of those LIVE FEEDS so that he can provide his message live from the White House to the more than 100,000 people present (and in return, to several million people nationwide via a live message!!!)?? The BSA dropped this ball big-time.

The other point is as a Scouter and Eagle Scout, I am PERSONALLY ASHAMED to hear Scouts and Scouters "boo" the President at the conclusion of his videotaped presentation during the Closing show. WE WERE ALL RAISED A LOT BETTER THAN THAT.
Even if we were upset that he wasn't there in person --- we should have all respected the fact that this is the Honorary National President of the BSA; the President of the United States -- who provided a few words of encouragement and support to kick off the evening's program. He deserves a LOT MORE RESPECT from the nation's future leaders.

Settummanque!

As a mom of a soon to be Eagle Scout and Webelos Scout the fact Obama refused to commit to speaking to the boy scouts until the monday, the week of Jamboree was offensive - especially since he chose to go do fundraising and a talk show instead.

Yes, he sent a video message later the week - most likely caving after having received many messages from scout families of their disapproval of his decision. Had he any intentions of sending the message before hand he would have said here is my message sorry I can't make it in person.

Many of the Scouts had expected him at the opening ceremonies that Wednesday and were disappointed that they took back seat to a talk show! He had been invited months before the talk show, by BSA to speak.

The Scouts booing him was b/c he had dissed them - most kids under 18 could care less about the politics involved. They were expressing their disappointment and feelings of being let down by this man and made to feel less important than a $30,000 a plate dinner and a gossip talk show! And you know what I do not blame them at all! These kids are the future leaders of our country and were there from all over the world.

And get your facts straight people - see you are all going on hearsay, they booed at his introduction and then quited down and listened to his message. I was there Saturday night and heard/saw it first hand.

Also, I think the scouts would have been satisfied with a video message at the opening ceremonies or at least a head of time a commitment of such before Jamboree even started. The whole thing was everyone was up in the air as to whether or not he was coming at all until the first day of Jamboree - that is rude and inconsiderate on the President's part. He knew what he wanted to do and could have said such days/weeks before the Jamobree and had a message there for the opening ceremonies.

My son even called me the day of the opening ceremonies disappointed and said to me I guess the president isn't coming to speak to us is he. I told him no it does not appear that is going to happen as he appearantly is going to go on the View instead - my son turned and told the scouts around him and they all made comments like 'you've got to be kidding me' 'No way' etc. President Obama disappointed 40,000 scouts and exercising their freedom of speach they voiced that Saturday night.

And btw Respect goes both ways - Obama showed he didn't respect the scouts by giving commiting one way or another to the invitation until the last minute so he could appear on a gossip talk show, so why should they show him much respect when he sends a message after the fact - after many scout parents voiced their disapproval!

Oh and I bet one other thing you hadn't been told - the BSA honored President Obama by putting his face on the patch for the day - for the day he was suppose to come speak Wednesday, for the opening ceremonies - don't believe me? You can find it on ebay and the Jamboree Facebook Trading post page. So BSA honored a man who refused to show 40,000 teenage boys a little respect by honoring them with an appearance or even a video message for the day he was invited to speak.

In closing - none of those boys were told to boo him - it was a spontainous reaction showing their disappointment. After that conversation on Wed my son didn't even bring up that subject again - those boys were having too much fun, with other celeberties who came out, Mike Rowe, Shawn White, astronaut Benard Harris, Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, and so many more who made time for them this week to celebrate the 100th year of scouting. Between that and the soldiers at AP Hill, the boys were having a blast scuba diving, BMX biking, working on merit badges, robotics, trading patches, and so much more that I can safely say there was not some right winged conspiracy plan going on to disrespect the President.

This will just lead to a further decline in his approval polls....I'm going to start taking bets on how low will he go before Hilary resigns her post....I say...35%...probably after the 1st of the year.

Meeting with a few scouts is not the same as meeting thing as speaking with 43,000 at the CENTENNIAL celebration. Instead, Obama chose to go and tape The View show.

This decision will come back to bite him in the butt. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

What!!!
I would bet had he showed in person, they would find some other outrage.
There is NO appeasing the psychos!

Just because of this TINY thing, they get their bowels in an uproar?

They are truly running out of dung to throw!!!

Sick, people with NO IDEAS other than throw their feces around.

Unfortunately Rude we don't have to suppose your scenario since the facts are he didn't show. How about we just stick to the facts....making statements based on could of, would of and should of are showing how desperate the dems are to try and change the discussion.....don't blame you there.

The marriage ruling and the immigration ruling are only going to make things worse for the Dems....if it in fact can get worse. It will be interesting to see how most of the Dems running for re-election will put them selves on each side of these two issues. To try and save themselves I wouldn't put it past them to side with the republicans.