Obama Defies Sgt. Jopek’s Family
In Wearing “Whats-His-Name’s” Bracelet
In Wearing “Whats-His-Name’s” Bracelet
If this doesn’t turn the stomach of every voter in America that hasn’t yet been brainwashed by The One or intimidated by the Obama Goons, nothing will.
Soldier’s Family Told Obama Not to Wear Son’s Bracelet – Gateway Pundit
Barack Obama played the “me too” game during the Friday debates on September 26 after Senator John McCain mentioned that he was wearing a bracelet with the name of Cpl. Matthew Stanley, a resident of New Hampshire and a soldier that lost his life in Iraq in 2006. Obama said that he too had a bracelet. After fumbling and straining to remember the name, he revealed that his had the name of Sergeant Ryan David Jopek of Merrill, Wisconsin.
Shockingly, however, Madison resident Brian Jopek, the father of Ryan Jopek, the young soldier who tragically lost his life to a roadside bomb in 2006, recently said on a Wisconsin Public Radio show that his family had asked Barack Obama to stop wearing the bracelet with his son’s name on it. Yet Obama continues to do so despite the wishes of the family.
How dare Senator Obama use the name of a dead Army soldier, whose name he can’t remember, as a sheer political stunt. And against the wishes of Sgt. Jopek’s family, nonetheless. Â
Senator McCain wears his bracelet in kinship and shared sacrifice with the family of Cpl. Matthew Stanley.
Senator Obama wears his bracelet in an arrogant defiance of what America stands for. To Obama, the bracelet is yet another prop for his campaign, like the American flag he once did not wear on his lapel.
He makes me sick.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
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And I’m breathlessly awaiting the NY Times, WaPo, CNN and MSNBC to report this bit of information. (SARC)
Bias? What liberal media bias?
How much you want to bet that if it were McCain or Palin who wore a bracelet that the soldier’s family did not wish for them to wear, that the MSM would jump on the story in a heartbeat?
Sigh.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — September 28, 2008 @ 10:55 am - September 28, 2008
Unclear.
This was an interview by the father, six months ago.
I’d like to hear what the mother has actually said. If she still wants Obama to wear the bracelet, and is okay with him using her son’s memory for political points…
At the very least, the fact that one of the parents wants Obama to stop is distinctly different from saying that both his parents do.
This has the sound of one of those stories that’s going viral without the appropriate skepticism.
Comment by Clint — September 28, 2008 @ 11:39 am - September 28, 2008
If only one of the soldier’s parents doesn’t want him to wear it, he shouldn’t. A presidential candidate should be sensitive enough to stay out of family disagreements and find another bracelet to wear.
Comment by MichaelnotMike — September 28, 2008 @ 11:52 am - September 28, 2008
That’s probably right.
But, again, this was six months ago. I’d like to see a more recent source.
NOTE: the quoted interview took place back in March.
Heck, the LA Times is today reporting, based on accounts of a conversation more than ten years ago, that Governor Palin believes that dinosaurs and humans shared the Earth as recently as six thousand years ago.
Let’s not play the same game.
Someone needs to ask Brian Jopek what he thinks today. Poor guy.
Comment by Clint — September 28, 2008 @ 12:13 pm - September 28, 2008
Obama is a scuzball. McCain, despite his own flaws, honestly tries to put the country first. Will the mass of Americans wake up in time?
So it’s OK to violate one parent’s wishes in the matter, if the other says it’s OK? I disagree.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — September 28, 2008 @ 2:21 pm - September 28, 2008
Ok people, turn that bracelet on his wrist into an albatross around his neck.
Comment by Jeremayakovka — September 28, 2008 @ 2:44 pm - September 28, 2008
I’d be more comfortable if candidates would refrain entirely from scoring points by pointing out that they’re wearing/carrying some guy’s bracelet/dog tags/badge/etc.
If they want to wear a bracelet – fine. Just don’t use it as some sort of advertisement.
I was a bothered by McCain’s mention that he wears a bracelet with Matthew Stanley’s name on it and a bit offended when Obama came back with his “well, yeah, I’ve got a dead guy’s name – uuhhhh – Ryan Jopek on my bracelet”. In other words, I’ll see your dead guy.
Ugh.
If the media/blogosphere wants to take Obama to task for this – fine. But if I were John McCain, I’d stay light years away from it.
Comment by SoCalRobert — September 28, 2008 @ 2:55 pm - September 28, 2008
HOW DARE JOHN MCCAIN HONOR A SOLDIER KILLED IN BATTLE
HOW DARE AGREE WITH THE DEAD MAN’S FAMILY THAT HE WILL HONOR THEIR SON
WHAT A SCUMBAG!!!!!!
/s
Comment by Vince P — September 28, 2008 @ 5:34 pm - September 28, 2008
Vince – if a candidate chooses to wear a bracelet honoring a soldier – that’s fine. And if someone asks “who’s bracelet is that?” then there’s no problem answering the question – proud of being given the honor of wearing it. (If you’re Obama – uuuhhhh – it helps to know what the name is in the first place.)
I just don’t think it should be a prop.
And once you’re wearing one guy’s name, what do you tell the next [some number] of people whose sons/daughters/spouses/partners have died in the service of their country (state/county/town) who offer a bracelet or medal?
The candidates should honor the fallen by doing what’s right for this country – and the basics shouldn’t be all that hard to figure out.
Comment by SoCalRobert — September 28, 2008 @ 6:50 pm - September 28, 2008
Here’s a video with Jopek’s father talking about Obama using his son’s bracelet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCO5S20L-pM
Comment by BillDemo — September 28, 2008 @ 10:05 pm - September 28, 2008
what is going on with Palin? I am getting the impression that the McCain folk are afraid to let her be Palin. If so, they are idiots. Palin is a great politician. Are they hiding her? Why put her on national TV with proven Liberal/Elitists who will try every way possible to diminish her? Why not onto talk radio, and regional outlets, where they are not as likely to spend the entire time sneering at her.
Also, I am terribly depressed about the sinking McCain ship. Damn.
Comment by heather — September 29, 2008 @ 2:08 am - September 29, 2008
what’s the orange or red bracelet that he’s wearing at the end of the video? the one on his wrist during hte video is black…
Comment by left leaning lesbian friend — September 29, 2008 @ 5:07 am - September 29, 2008
What do you mean “how dare” he wear the bracelet? OF COURSE he wore it!! He will do/say whatever it takes to give the illusion he cares. Anyone who knows anything, knows he hates this country and our militaty. A political stunt like that is par for the course for this charlatan.
Comment by LesbianNeoCon — September 29, 2008 @ 7:36 am - September 29, 2008
Braceletgate has begun. I expect to see Geraldo do a special on what the mom says and what the dad says. Perhaps Dr. Phil can convene a panel to bring meaning to our lives.
Meanwhile, Obama can play the trump card which is an arm full of 57 bracelets. One for each state.
Comment by heliotrope — September 29, 2008 @ 7:56 am - September 29, 2008
I was just about to agree with you SoCal, but then I realised, these people gave the bracelet to McCain because they believe in the war effort, they believe in the mission, as did their son. They gave it to McCain because they want him to convince others to support the war their son died for, and they wanted to help him do so.
I suspect they gave it to him so he could do precisely the sort of thing he did. And so no, I have no problem with McCains use of the bracelet.
Obama on the other hand, disrespecting the families wishes is a different story altogether, as is using Cindy Sheehan who is contradicting the wishes of her own son.
Comment by American Elephant — September 29, 2008 @ 8:08 am - September 29, 2008
For me the biggest insult of all, not knowing the name of the person Obama is supposedly ‘honoring.’ He uses that bracelet as a prop with no emotional attachment to it other than to impress some people and maybe get a vote here and there. I agree, “he makes me sick.”
Comment by benj — September 29, 2008 @ 8:25 am - September 29, 2008
Obama can’t fool anyone but fools. He should’ve had a Cabala bracelet on, that’d impress his fan base more than a bracelet from uh, some guy.
Comment by DoorHold — September 29, 2008 @ 2:07 pm - September 29, 2008
This confirms a few interesting things:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/bracelet-flap-lingers-post-debate/
- That the mom approves of what Obama is doing.
- That the father, quoted back in March, did/does not. (So I stand by my comment #4)
- The human capacity for self-deception. The mom says she was ecstatic that Obama knew her son’s name. Apparently she has no idea that Obama didn’t know her son’s name and, during the debate, had to stop and read the name off his bracelet.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — September 29, 2008 @ 5:07 pm - September 29, 2008
#12: AE… point taken.
Re: Cindy Sheehan… that poor woman is off the deep end. I think she’s nuts but I can’t help but feel sorry for her. It’s obvious that the death of her son, Casey, unhinged her and her way of dealing with it is to lash out a the country she believe responsible.
As far as the left is concerned, she’s a “useful idiot” – already discarded as they’ve moved on (.org’d).
Comment by SoCalRobert — September 29, 2008 @ 10:21 pm - September 29, 2008
#15: All we know is that the only known sentiment of the family’s at the time that Barack did his “me too” act was the mother did not want her son publicized or politicized.
He did it anyway.
Now she says she’s thrilled, but for all we know. they “convinced” her to enjoy it.
Comment by Vince P — September 30, 2008 @ 2:28 am - September 30, 2008
But lets not forget, Sheehan is running against Pelosi, so….GO SHEEHAN!!!! (perhaps I should add her to the endorsements on my blog)
Comment by American Elephant — September 30, 2008 @ 2:53 am - September 30, 2008
Spoken like a true partisan. RAW RAW RAW old man McCain!
And getting misty eyed when watching Reagan starred movies? Sheesh… some of you screwballs have the audacity to say that the left worships Obama.
Comment by Rob — September 30, 2008 @ 11:51 pm - September 30, 2008