Daily Archives: 07/25/2008

(Community Matters)

By James Gordon Meek

DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Thursday, July 24th 2008, 6:40 PM

WASHINGTON – The latest chain e-mail smear against Barack Obama: He “blew off” troops at an Afghan base to shoot hoops for a publicity photo.

The letter was apparently written by a Utah Army National Guard intelligence officer in a linguist unit at Bagram Airfield who claimed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee was rude to G.I.s.

“As the soldiers where [sic] lined up to shake his hand he blew them off,” wrote the Task Force Wasatch “battle captain.”

But angry Army brass debunked the Obama-bashing soldier’s allegations, which went viral Thursday over the Web and on military blogs such as Blackfive.

The e-mail claims Obama repeatedly shunned soldiers on his way to the Clamshell – a recreation tent – to “take his publicity pictures playing basketball.”

“These comments are inappropriate and factually incorrect,” said Bagram spokesman Army Lt. Col. Rumi Nielson-Green, who added that such political commentary is barred for uniformed personnel.

Obama didn’t play basketball at Bagram or visit the Clamshell, he said. Home-state troops were invited to meet him, but his arrival was kept secret for security reasons.

“We were a bit delayed … as he took time to shake hands, speak to troops and pose for photographs,” Nielson-Green said.

E-mails to the officer who made the charges and a call to his wife were not returned.

(Community Matters) I often find the AAS letters to the editor amusing, this morning no exception

If children want a lifelong stable marriage, with no cheating, why not teach them how to make this happen — save yourself for marriage. If you expect a spouse who will not cheat on you, start by not cheating on him or her now, before you marry.

(Community Matters) We’d planned an evening in Ft. Worth, then the morning at the Kimble and the Modern – all on our way to Oklahoma for Steven’s family reunion. Alas, the museums close early on Thursdays and open late on Fridays, so it wasn’t meant to be.

Instead, we’re in Dallas at the Palomar, which is a really groovy hotel – especially since a booking fluke let me grab their nicest room for a very average rate. Charles Santos & Rick Bond joined us for dinner at the hotel’s Central 214.

Hmm, how to get them to move to Austin?

(Community Matters) Lunch yesterday with Chris Valentine & Volney Campbell of the Busby Foundation. Many thanks to Austin Venture’s Clark Jernigan for connecting us. The foundation created in memory of Hill Partners’ Bo Busby who died in late 2006 of Lou Gehrig’s disease. They provides financial and other assistance to Central Texas families suffering from the disease.

(Community Matters) I’m not unconcerned by the midwest and battle state polls.