Last week after blowing off a visit to see the wounded troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the Obama campaign released this statement:
The Pentagon “viewed this as a campaign event and therefore they said he should not come.” said Axelrod.
Barack Obama went to workout instead.
John McCain pounced on his Democratic opponent, blasting him for ignoring the wounded troops.
Today, European military brass disputed the claims by the Obama camp.
The Military Times reported:
Although news outlets have reported charges that Sen. Barack Obama canceled his trip to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany because the media weren’t allowed to cover the event, U.S. European Command officials say plans were in place to allow limited press coverage.
All media, including local press and the more than 40 journalists accompanying the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on his eight-day international trip last week, would have been able to photograph the Illinois senator entering and leaving the hospital, said Air Force Lt. Col. John Dorrian, a U.S. European Command spokesman.
Defense Department public affairs policy guidance on media coverage of candidates visiting military installations states “under no circumstances may a candidate receive approval to make a campaign or election-related statement or to respond to a campaign or election-related media query.”
The guidance also states that “the candidate may appear on camera and in photographs as an official participant and may make a statement or answer questions about the official business being conducted.”
Obama’s canceled July 25 visit to Landstuhl sparked a strong and lingering reaction from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain over allegations that Obama canceled the trip because media could not cover the event. The McCain campaign has since aired a TV commercial blasting Obama for his no-show at Landstuhl.
An ongoing back-and-forth has ensued, with McCain accusing Obama of canceling the hospital trip because he wasn’t allowed to bring reporters.
Hat Tip Bill Nelson
The former Command Sergeant Major at Landstuhl Hospital, also attacked Barack Obama this week for blowing off the wounded troops in Germany.
