The Jamboree has enough challenges with out a presidential visit, I was incountry Korea when a president came to visit, he came nowhere near Camp Casey and we were still restricted to base and on alert, no fun was had by any.

No surprise. I can see where it would be more important to attend a fundraiser and an ultraliberal gabfest. Why spend an hour with thousands of young men who will be the leaders of tomorrow?

Ken

This is the 100th anniversary of Scouting, not just a typical Jamboree. If scouting was at all important to the President, he would make a personal appearance. I don't think it is, and that's his prerogative as President. It does nothing to make me like him more, but I'm sure his base is happy about it. They despise Scouting.

Hey, maybe he can drop by one of the shining light telecasts!

I think we should ask the Scouts at jambo about their feelings on this matter. They may be relieved with all the extra security and what not.

"I'm sure his base is happy about it. They despise Scouting."

Perdido, I'm not sure why you feel you can speak for me. As a member of his "base", I certainly have never given anyone reason to think I despise Scouting. Quite the contrary.

Or were you just being divisive?

Maybe he was just reading the tea leaves before going off to party. Or, possibly just in a hurry to feed his elephant. :0

You might be surprised to know there are a lot of folks in his "base" at AP Hill this week who are quite devoted to Scouting. I'm one of them. But this is the situation the BSA puts itself into when it takes a pretty blatantly discriminatory policy and puts it at the forefront of it's identity as an organization. Yes, the Supreme Court has given it the right to do so, but the BSA has to live with it.

I look at this situation and think that a bunch of adults got in the way of thousands of young men having the opportunity to see a sitting president in the flesh. Any sighs of relief about security procedures are total hogwash.

I once saw Nixon in the flesh, many years ago. He still looked like a potato.
Back to my hole....

Trevorum,

I'm disappointed that the President could not make time for the 100th anniversary of Scouting. It's not like this was something that just came up. His staff knew about it for years. I will be a bit more specific. The left fringe of the Democratic party (which is becoming the base) despises Scouting. We are "homophobic" and pro-religion.

Bando,

From your statement "I look at this situation and think that a bunch of adults got in the way of thousands of young men having the opportunity to see a sitting president in the flesh." I guess you agree with me that the President is not coming to the Jamboree for political reasons.

I mentioned to several boys yesterday that Obama wasn't coming. Of course, they wouldn't know how much security, etc they would have had to go through, but they were disappointed they wouldn't get to see a president.

I dont know how disappointed my son (who is at Jambo) is that the President is not speaking in the flesh, but he was happy to hear that Taylor Swift will be there!

I personally am disappointed with the Presidents decision. I agree with the comment that the concerns about security are hogwash its a military base after all, far more secure than Bar Harbor, and he would be speaking to Boy Scouts. As a former community organizer you would think that speaking to members of an organization of which service is one of its core principles would be appealing to the President. One would think that he would realize that the gay/religion conundrum has little meaning to all those boys gathered there, but for those boys to be able to say that they saw and heard (and hopefully were inspired by) the President of the United States would be something they would carry with them for a lifetime. Bad, unfortunate decision. If its for politics it sort of falls in line with the old saying that Scouting is fun until the adults (read political pressure) get involved.

I guess they needed all that extra security for Chelseas wedding.

YIS
Mike

The security excuse is silly. Why in the world should the President (or more specifically the Secret Service) be afraid of Boy Scouts and their leaders present at a military base? Why would they need to be searched?