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 Greetings! You are reading an article from The Mudville Gazette. To reach the front page, with all the latest news and views, click the logo above or "main" below. Thanks for stopping by! September 16, 2007 My Take On The MilBlogs Visit With Our PresidentBy Mrs GreyhawkIt was surreal, to say the least, I think some of the others have used this description as well. We gathered in the Roosevelt room adjacent from the Oval office an hour before our meeting to be briefed, get video com set-up, checking mics, while at the same time, giving the “Baghdad Bills” a hard time on their choice of attire. T- shirts, baseball caps and unshaven. The President also chided them at the end of the meeting.  The anticipation of meeting the President was far more nerve wracking than actually meeting him. Matt joked before hand that he wasn’t sure if Mohammed would be able to go the whole meeting without a cigarette. I worried I’d have to excuse myself during the meeting to go to the ladies room after gulping down an extra large white chocolate mocha coffee from Starbucks. But after the President entered the room, worked his way around the table, shaking hands and sitting comfortably in his chair, we all immediately felt at ease. He thanked us for coming and acknowledged it was the "first time a president had met with bloggers at the White House". It was history in the making. This alone was awe-inspiring and I did have to concentrate hard to keep from having an idiotic grin on my face thru out the meeting, especially since we were all discussing serious issues. Unfortunately, I did not get to say much since the President gave very long but thought provoking answers to the important questions given him, starting with the Baghdad Bills, and going around to a few others. We only had an hour, and there were 10 of us, and The President is a busy man. It didn't matter, really, it was an honor to be there and just being there was saying something. Bill Roggio from A Long War Journal, currently embedded in Iraq, asked, “…With the current blurring of the lines between domestic politics and foreign policy, and the unwillingness of the American people to fight the current war, how do you get the American public to support the current and future conflicts?”  Bill Ardolino from INCD Journal, currently embedded in Iraq, asked, “What influence or leverage is being applied with the national Iraqi government to ensure that such assistance is delivered to the province? And note that the desire for support is tempered by the local belief - incorrect or correct to whatever degree - that the central Iraqi government under Maliki is compromised by Iranian interests.” BlackFive mentioned that he had an embed headed for the Philippines to join a Special Forces unit there, which evoked a surprised look from General Lute. John of Castle Argghhh! asked "Mr. President - you talk about and clearly believe in the "Long War" and that it's the President's job to see "over the horizon" and beyond the next Gallup Poll. How are you going to set the conditions so that your successor will continue the fight - regardless of who wins the election?" His wife, Beth, She who Must be Obeyed, was there at the Whitehouse too but the Whitehouse staff kept her busy with a personal tour of the Whitehouse during our meeting. She also got to say hello to Barney the First Dog. How cool is that?  CJ at A Soldier’s Perspective had made a comment regarding the troops but I just could not write fast enough and have a poor memory, so I’ll update this section later. Update: Seems CJ could not remember his question either, but for good reason. Find out why here. NZ Bear was able to comment on his efforts with the Stand By the Mission petition. He emphasized the success they have had and the way they've been able to do their part via the petition to push back against Move-On's libel against General Petraeus by giving Americans a way to express their support for the general and our troops, and the President of course welcomed the news. Ward Caroll representing, Military.com and Defense Tech, then asked "after watching the original 9-11 "Today Show" broadcast in real time and that the experience had left him, wondering whether his petition to the nation had been strong enough in terms of calling citizens to duty? About that time the Chief-of-staff Josh Bolten poked his head in and the President asked, "Is the copter here?" Our signal that this meeting was quickly coming to an end. Like myself, Steve Schippert with The Tank and Muhammed from Iraq the Model, did not get time to ask our questions. You can find Steve’s thoughts of the day here and if and Muhammed puts up a post I’ll up date this section as well. I really did not have a question for the President anyway but wanted to comment that reading hundreds of milblogs every morning, that the troops are stating the same things that General Petraeus conveyed during his report and that I found it appalling how he was treated by congress and how he was accused of "cooking the books". That the troops see the progress and the reduction in violence in most areas and General Petraeus passed on their thoughts honestly. The president was adamant when he said, "I will do everything in my power to support the troops and their families” and I believe he means it. He did express that he was very upset with the Move-On.org ad. If anyone should be attacked, it should be him, it is his policy, Petraeus was only giving the report they asked for. When he became President he knew what he was getting into, "I don't mind people attacking me . . . that's politics . . . but I do mind people impugning the integrity of our generals." He also said that he did not want to bash the media, that is when I said “that's what we were here for, to correct them when they have facts wrong and keep them in line”, my only line in the meeting. Not really the one I wanted to leave with, but oh well. We were then escorted into the Oval office for individual photos. Cj was hoping to get one behind the desk, but no such luck. After photos, the President then exuberantly slapped Presidental coins in each of our hands. Here is where we got to personally meet and shake the hands of Tony Snow on his last day, his replacement Dana Perino and Stephen Hadley. Then President headed out to Marine one. We stepped onto the Portico outside the Oval office and watched him step onto Marine One headed for Quantico. He turned and waved goodbye to us then to the press that was waiting on the Whitehouse lawn. A few reporters curiously glanced our way, which we found quite amusing, as I’m sure the President did.  After he left we were led into a hall where, we could use the restrooms, finally, goodbye to the extra large white chocolate mocha coffee. CJ reminded Vanessa our hostess, that when he used Saddam's toilet that it was solid gold and that they "may need to update" the Whitehouse toilets. It was duly noted. My overall impression of the President is he is very intelligent, focused, engaging and genuine. He sincerely believes in the message of freedom and the necessity of this fight for victory because they “will follow us home otherwise”. He also truly believes the war is "winnable." I wish it were Greyhawk that had been there, I think he could have added much more and he deserved it but I’m glad I got to go. Out of the mouth of littlest Greyhawk, "that must have been AAAAAAWESOME!" ...and it was.
Posted by Mrs Greyhawk / September 16, 2007 4:26 PM | Permalink 18 Comments |
November 26, 2010America@war [Greyhawk]
I think anyone who's ever pondered the "comment" option - once only available on blogs and bulletin boards, now ubiquitous on almost any web site - will appreciate this:
The so-called faculty of writing is not so much a faculty of writing as it is a faculty of thinking. When a man says, "I have an idea but I can't express it"; that man hasn't an idea but merely a vague feeling. If a man has a feeling of that kind, and will sit down for a half an hour and persistently try to put into writing what he feels, the probabilities are at least 90 percent that he will either be able to record it, or else realize that he has no idea at all. In either case, he will do himself a benefit. That's wisdom from the past, captured for posterity at the US Naval Institute, shared via the web on the institute's 137th anniversary. From their about page:
"The Naval Institute has three core activities," among them, History and Preservation: The Naval Institute also has recently introduced Americans at War, a living history of Americans at war in their own words and from their own experiences. These 90-second vignettes convey powerful stories of inspiration, pride, and patriotism. Take a look at the collection, and you'll see it's not limited to accounts from those who served on ships at sea, members of the other branches are well-represented. I'm fortunate to have met USNI's Mary Ripley, she's responsible for the institute's oral history program (and she's the daughter of the late John Ripley, whose story is told here). She also deserves much credit for their blog. ("We're not the Navy nor any government agency. Blog and comment freely.") We met at a milblog conference - Mary knew (and I would come to realize) that milbloggers are the 21st-century version of exactly what the US Naval Institute is all about. Once that light bulb came on in my head, I mentioned a vague idea for a project to her - milblogs as the 21st century oral history that they are. "Put that in writing," she said (of course - see first paragraph above!) - and here's part of the result. Shortly after the first tent was pitched by the American military in Iraq a wire was connected to a computer therein, and the internet was available to a generation of Americans at war - many of whom had grown up online. From that point on, at any given moment, somewhere in Iraq a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine was at a keyboard sharing the events of his or her day with the folks back home. While most would simply fire off an email, others took advantage of the (then) relatively new online blogging platforms to post their thoughts and experiences for the entire world to see. The milblog was born - and from that moment to this stories detailing everything from the most mundane aspects of camp life to intense combat action (often described within hours of the event) have been available on the web... And et cetera - but since you're reading this on a milblog, you probably knew that. And you know that milblogs aren't just blogs written by troops at war, that many friends, family members, and supporters likewise documented their story of America at war online in near-real time, as those stories developed. The diversity in membership of that group is broad, the one thing we all have in common is the impulse to make sense of the seemingly senseless, and communicate the tale - for each of us that impulse was strong enough to overcome whatever barriers prevent the vast majority of people from doing the same. Everyone at some point has some vague idea they believe should be shared - we were the people who, from some combination of internal and external urging, found and spent those many half hours persistently trying to write it down. But where will all that be in another 137 years? Or five or ten, for that matter. That's something I've asked myself since at least 2004 - when I wrote this:
Membership in the ghost battalion has grown in the years since, and an ever growing majority of those abandoned-but-still-standing sites are vanishing. Have you checked out Lt Smash's site lately? How about Sgt Hook's? If you're a long-time milblog reader you know the first widely-read milblog from Operation Iraq Freedom and the first widely-read milblog from Afghanistan are both gone from the web. If you're a relative newcomer to this world you may never even have heard of them - or the dozens upon dozens of others who carried forth the standard they set down. If you have a vague notion that something should be done about that, (a notion I've heard expressed more than once...) then you and I and the good folks at the US Naval Institute are in agreement. Preserving the history documented by the milbloggers is just one of the goals of the milblog project, the once-vague idea that we're now making real. And it's a big idea, if I say so myself - too big to explain in one simple blog post, so stand by for more. Likewise, it's too big a task to be accomplished by just one person. So if you're a milblogger (and exactly what is a milblogger? is a topic for much further discussion on its own) I'm asking for your help. All I'll really need is just a little bit (maybe just one or two of those half hours...) of your time, and your willingness to tell the tale. We've already made history, it's time to save it. (More to follow...) Posted 4:02 PM | Permalink |
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The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
 
 
 Furthermore, I will occasionally use satire or parody herein. The bottom line: it's my house. I like having visitors to my house. I hope you are entertained. I fight for your right to free speech, and am thrilled when you exercise said rights here. Comments and e-mails are welcome, but all such communication is to be assumed to be 1)the original work of any who initiate said communication and 2)the property of the Mudville Gazette, with free use granted thereto for publication in electronic or written form. If you do NOT wish to have your message posted, write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the subject line of your email. Original content copyright © 2003 - 2011 by Greyhawk. Fair, not-for-profit use of said material by others is encouraged, as long as acknowledgement and credit is given, to include the url of the original source post. Other arrangements can be made as needed. Contact: greyhawk at mudvillegazette dot com  Tending Distant Far from hearth and home, watching What tales we'll tell When things grim Some distant sunset, vision fading Saluting fallen friends whose names - Greyhawk, Baghdad, December 2004 |
Gosh, Mrs. G, reading that made me feel like I was there! Thanks for sharing the personal as well as professional side to this experience. FWIW, I would not have lasted without either the cig or the bathroom ;-)
What a huge honor for you and GH, and for all who were invited. And very well-deserved. Thank you both for all you do.
Hey! Dat's *my* Photoshop Paint work!
But it's true, you know we all look alike...
AAAAAAWESOME Mrs. G!
Nicely done, Mrs G... but an extra large white chocolate mocha coffee
what were you thinking???? LOL
I am proud and grateful for all of you in attendance, and for those who enabled you to be there. Congratulations, and thank you for your dedication getting the truth out about our troops and conditions on the ground, something at which the MSM failed miserably. I credit your collective efforts with preventing the liberal Defeatists from rampaging unchecked. Keep up the effort; we're depending on you.
It is encouraging that the President spent this time with you. This was most appropriate on his part, as he owes you a debt of gratitude, too. It was also an excellent way to thank and inform the troops.
I've emailed and called many elected officials (and military officers) over the past several years to encourage they heed and support your efforts, so this event is very special to me as well. I'm sure many others feel the same way.
Thank you, Mrs. G, for representing "us"- the supporters of this war and our brave military- there at the White House.
I am glad you were able to attend. God bless, stay safe, and get some rest!
Great post - no one deserves this more than you do, Mrs. G. :)
Sorry John you're right. I should put both your names. It was a combined effort.
A great recap of the events. Like MaryAnn, I felt like I was there when reading your account. A true once in a lifetime experience, and nobody was more deserving of this than you. I'm sure this made all of the hard work you do on behalf of the military community worthwhile.
Outstanding! It makes me proud to be one of your readers. I believe that if it wasn't for those bloggers like yourself, the Left and the MSM would have hijacked all the facts. Never Again!
Now, we all know there is no such thing as an "extra large" at Starbuck's. It's a "venti" which I think is Eyetalian for "twenty." And a "grande" is smaller than a "venti." Just why is that, again?
On a serious note, it was a big score for the milbloggers to post, getting a sit-down with POTUS. It's a tribute to the work you do and how you have maintained faith all these months. I'm serious. Good for you.
I am going to miss this man, our President. His faith in the rightness of the cause is something possible only for a President whose purpose exceeds watching the opinion polls. He has brought renewed dignity and seriousness to the White House
Thank you for sharing your impressions... what an amazing experience for all of you!
Naaah ... can't be any of you guys.
According to some of those I tried to "educate" in DC Saturday, if it really were y'all, you'd have horns, breathe fire, and drink blood instead of Starubucks ... all with a hypnotic stare produced by the meeting you had with the VP, after the President left ... his hypnosis worked so well, you were inhibited from reporting on that later meeting.
Hey, that is just as plausible as what the 911 Truthers were telling us Saturday ...
Now, seriously.
As I told Matt at Blackfive ... a true gathering of Men and Women.
It is so gratifying to see the CINC recognize Men and Women who have worked in a mighty way to reinforce his position against insurgencies, foreign and domestic, on the virtual battlefield of ideas ...
... not because they want to see an (R) at the top of the White House roster, but because they know the wisdom of supporting those who ACT to assure that the blessings of liberty remain secured.
Bravo Zulu ... to all of you.
I wish I could have been a fly on the wall.I am glad you got to represent the female side of the milbloggers. Thank you for all you do!
Good job Mrs. G. Too bad Mr G couldnt be there with you. Loved your post.
You people are natural-born suckers. What an insipid, credulous post. Keep it up wingnuts!
I did have to concentrate hard to keep from having an idiotic grin on my face thru out the meeting
Let me take a guess and say you were wildly unsuccessful in this attempt:).
Mrs. G. I'm so happy you had that opportunity, and proud too :)