Umbrella Gate...Marines asked to violate dress code protocol so President doesn't get wet

He isn't the best at operating umbrellas. Probably why he asked for help, so he wouldn't be embarrassed in front of his guest.

NYAH! Let's attach "gate" to the end of everything so we can create some irrational subconscious connection to an act of high treason NYAH!

Watergate was Watergate, there is no Umbrella-Gate, there is no Bengazi-Gate.

The Bengazi SCANDAL was the Bengazi Scandal and I don't know what the deal with the marines carrying the umbrellas is but it is neither a gate nor a scandal.

President is likely to have higher authority, than most of the military if not all, do not for sure, and to be honest, it is such a small thing, such a common sense, that nobody should even care about it. I understood if Obama asked the the guy to kill somebody, but holding umbrella, come on, people....

It is such a small thing regardless of the dress code protocol.

For me this is just creating a problem out of nothing...

I agree the optic is awful and smacks of elitism. While compared to other ongoing issues, it's not that big of a deal, it goes to show how increasingly off the mark this White House is, about a lot of things.

No wonder this world is in the mess it is when people are more worried about Marines using umbrellas out of uniform than trillions of dollars being spent blowing up Arabs, governments turning countries into police states, corporate greed bankrupting and destroying the world and creating millions upon millions of starving homeless people and the planet getting raped of it's resources....

But that's OK, as long as people get to complain about trivial nonsense then the big issues can be forgotten about, correct?

reply to post by Kryties


I do totally agree with you. But the underlying issue of Umbrella-gate ( lol! ) is also the underlying issue in many of the problems you noted as well...elitism.

And the fact that a man who was previously of the people, a "community organizer" who promised things would be different, has seemingly cast those values aside in every way, this being but just one visually shocking example, has people talking. And, frankly, feeling somewhat conned or betrayed.

Making a big issue out of a marine hold an umbrella. So glad all the problems facing the US have been worked out so this can be investigated and resolved.

So we will be hearing soldiers are dying in Afghanistan because of umbrellas or lack there of. May too lightly armored.

Originally posted by muse7
non issue

Agreed. Some people will jump on anything to criticize. Sad.

Maybe we should add this to the bid to impeach him so we get another loser whos been bought by the corporations and bankers?

Wake up, the two party system is a sham. both sides are f'd up.

Originally posted by MrWendal
reply to post by muse7

 

You would say that but I disagree and suggest that it is an issue.

FACT: MCO P1020.34F of the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations chapter 3 states a male Marine is not allowed to carry an umbrella while in uniform. There is no provision in the Marine Corps uniform regulation guidelines that allows a male Marine to carry an umbrella.

So to order a Marine to disregard a basic protocol in favor of his own personal comfort is just another sign of Obama's willingness to thumb his nose at the rules for his own personal gain.

However, let us suppose this was simply an innocent mistake, which I believe it to be, then that is actually a different issue. It would go to show that the President, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of this Country, has no clue of the rules of his own troops that he commands and in actuality I think this is a much bigger issue than if he had ordered the Marine to hold the umbrella.

Other Presidents have used umbrellas, they have carried it themselves. They have had any member of their staff hold it. They have had Secret Service hold it. Interns have done so. The President has many options to choose from if he needs someone to hold his umbrella. Even the Queen of England holds her own umbrella, so in some ways I think having a Marine do so is a bit insulting.

Marines are a different breed of Military. They have a long history of tradition. They are very very proud, and as far as the armed services goes, they are what one could describe as more exclusive. Not everyone can join the Army, but even less can become a Marine. Of all our Armed Forces, the Marines are the smallest group.

What we need are more rules and regulations. NOT!

Silly humans stack rules on top of rules that dictate there will be more rules. Now they need search engines to find the rules they are supposed to abide by.

No wonder they are heading for self anihilation.

reply to post by MrWendal

Originally posted by MrWendal
FACT: MCO P1020.34F of the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations chapter 3 states a male Marine is not allowed to carry an umbrella while in uniform. There is no provision in the Marine Corps uniform regulation guidelines that allows a male Marine to carry an umbrella.

Let's be honest. Do you think the SPIRIT of this rule means that a Marine isn't allowed to carry an umbrella to shield himself from the rain? Or do you think it means that, under no circumstances is a Marine authorized to touch an umbrella while in uniform?

I'm more inclined to think the purpose of this rule is to show that a Marine can withstand the rain and isn't a "softie" who needs protection from the rain... To "carry an umbrella" in the rain means to use it to protect one's self, rather than to honor the Commander-in-Chief's request.

Originally posted by beezzer
I'd make this a non-issue the second someone can post a photo of a marine holding an umbrella for Bush(s), Reagan, Ford.

. . . waiting. . .

So if Obama does it, it is wrong.

But if a previous President did it, then it is ok.

I don't follow that logic.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Why does the King need someone to hold his umbrella? The actual Queen holds her own.

Make all the excuses you people want to. This one pic shows what it wrong with the current PotUS. He is simply a racist and an elitist that hates the military and nothing more.

Regulations are the rules soldiers live by. A thousand other options were available and he wanted a white marine to hold him umbrella. As a soldier I cannot hold an umbrella for my grandmother in a wheelchair. So what is wrong with President Obama that he needs help?

Did you people really vote for such a "light weight"?

ETA - I was a soldier for a long time. I would have refused this order even if I only had a week to go until I was eligible for retirement. People here are afraid to use the word but I am not. If I get censored or banned so be it. Obama used this marine as A SLAVE.

reply to post by 200Plus


Ah, yes! Never miss an opportunity to play the race card! Well-played!

There are four Marine "Sentries" assigned to the President while he works. Mostly, they open and close doors, but they also attend events like press conferences to be at the President's service.

Regulations prohibit Marines from using umbrellas while in uniform. One reason: it makes it hard to salute.

According to Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Greg Wolf, the sight of uniformed Marines holding umbrellas is "extremely rare" and only happened because the president needed it.

And, of course, Obama is the commander-in-chief. If he orders Marines to hold umbrellas, they hold them, even if they can't properly salute.

Source

Originally posted by Kryties
No wonder this world is in the mess it is when people are more worried about Marines using umbrellas out of uniform than trillions of dollars being spent blowing up Arabs, governments turning countries into police states, corporate greed bankrupting and destroying the world and creating millions upon millions of starving homeless people and the planet getting raped of it's resources....

But that's OK, as long as people get to complain about trivial nonsense then the big issues can be forgotten about, correct?

I'm with you, but don't you think it's a little idiotic for the President to be standing there with someone holding an umbrella over him like some kind of Pharaoh being fanned by slaves?

That's the thing that gets me about this. It's nothing to do with uniform, the military, the right-wing loons on here ready to attack Obama for anything at all... it's about a grown man allowing someone to hold an umbrella over him in front of cameras like this!

1. It gives the impression of Obama being "elitist"
2. It shows his ignorance of the beginning of the class war
3. He should know better

You say there are more important things to talk about, but at the same time we could argue that Obama shows how out of touch he is with the problems Americans can see if he thinks this image of him is reasonable.

Like a lot of other people in such positions, this makes me think of Obama as being privileged, out of touch, a rich man in a job where others are there to serve him. That is not a good look to create.

Well after all these events.







But it is not the first time they held one for a President.



In all fairness even the Marines holding Umbrellas make mistakes.

reply to post by Rocker2013

Originally posted by Rocker2013
I'm with you, but don't you think it's a little idiotic for the President to be standing there with someone holding an umbrella over him like some kind of Pharaoh being fanned by slaves?

That's not what it looks like to me. I think he wanted to make the Prime Minister more comfortable. I doubt very much he even entertained the thought of "how it would look" to the public. He pretty much does what he wants regardless of how it will be perceived by his critics.

He's the president, for Christ's sake. He IS the elite in the US.

reply to post by JBA2848


Thank you. I was looking for that pic, but couldn't find it. I didn't want to say that I remembered it without proof.

Meanwhile... back in Turkey...

"The US president actually asked US Marines to hold an umbrella so that our Prime Minister doesn't get wet. That evil, evil muppet!"



It's. Not. The. End. Of. The. World.

Maybe what you all are missing is what he actually said during the speech?

Say for instance

"On the IRS scandal, Obama said he knew nothing of what was going on"

and

"It has emerged that his State Department political appointees intervened in the aftermath of the 2012 terror attack, in a process that resulted in a misleading set of talking points which ignored terrorism in favor of a more muted explanation, in the midst of a re-election campaign."

Link

Edit: (Random examples to make a point.)

Remember to watch the magician's other hand.

reply to post by Gemwolf


Boy you are missing it to. Turkey IMF debt changed to surplus in order to pay them back for gun smuggling to Syria. How many billions was that? And the surplus now gives Turkey some control over the War on Terror and other political events.