July 4th: Obama Thanks Troops At White House Party

WASHINGTON — Telling U.S. troops that "America is proud of all of you," President Barack Obama marked the Fourth of July holiday by hosting a barbecue and concert for military members and families on the South Lawn of the White House.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama greeted more than 1,200 guests from a White House balcony Monday evening. After brief remarks, the first couple stood in the driveway and shook hands with visitors.

"You represent the latest in a long line of heroes who have served our country with honor, who have made incredible sacrifices to protect the freedoms that we all enjoy," Obama said.

"You've done everything we could've asked of you," he said, also recognizing the "families that serve alongside of you with strength and devotion."

This is the third year the first family has celebrated July Fourth with service members and their families. Obama told his guests Monday that the occasion was "a chance to get out of the uniform, relax a little bit and have some fun."

Red, white and blue lanterns decorated trees on the South Lawn and miniature American flags adorned more than 50 tables spread across the yard. Children wearing face paint in the patriotic colors played with balloon animals.

Providing the music for the celebration: rock band Train, singer-songwriter Amos Lee and the U.S. Marine Band.

The concert was presented by the USO in its 70th year of providing support for Americans in the military.

Comments

[TexasTreader]

11:59 AM on 07/05/2011

I'd thank the troops, too, if I was getting campaign donations off of their sacrifices.

[swimbiker]

06:14 PM on 07/05/2011

Oh put a sock in it. You hate the man and come online to denigrate him for anything. It only degrades YOU.

[TexasTreader]

11:55 AM on 07/05/2011

Would a liberal burst into flames for using the term Independence Day?

[swimbiker]

06:15 PM on 07/05/2011

juvenile.

[Tanya OaksBrooks]

07:00 PM on 07/05/2011

If not for our liberal Founding Fathers, Independence Day would not exist.

This implication that you on the right are somehow more patriotic is fallacious and unethical. Have you no shame?

Thomas Jefferson was a liberal. Benedict Arnold was a conservative.

[ruleoflaw66]

11:21 AM on 07/05/2011

From America's most decorated soldier, General Smedley Butler's book, War is a Racket--

"I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil intersts in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested." [p. 10]

"War is a racket. ...It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives." [p. 23]

[kenhamlett]

10:43 AM on 07/05/2011

I am sure this was a lovely occasion. But, the real way to say thank you to our troops would be to stop sending them to fight wars we have no intention of winning and no reason for fighting. We still have 50,000 troops (and lots of "armed contractors") in Iraq, and the pullout date keeps being pushed back. The administration's plans for Afghanistan call for at least four more years of war, but we have no objective that involves any sort of victory. Our troops have been almost constantly at war for ten years. The President should make this event really different by ensuring that next year, the troops did not have to leave the function and prepare to leave their families again to fight in a war fewer and fewer Americans support.

[brijo731]

10:30 AM on 07/05/2011

End the wars, now.

[ruleoflaw66]

11:21 AM on 07/05/2011

Yes!

[jujub]

10:19 AM on 07/05/2011

http://www.gibill.com/news/veterans-benefits-act-of-2010-signed-289.html

People seem to forget that Obama increased Veteran's benefits and is reinventing the Vet for the benefit of veterans...and the Republicans voted against it...just like they voted against the health care initiative for the 9/11 responders. They have no shame.

[Rory Canfield]

10:32 AM on 07/05/2011

And yet Bush increased VA funding 27% over what Clinton had in place. Obama is increasing (trying) funding by 11-15% so please spare us the rhetoric.

[jujub]

11:36 AM on 07/05/2011

Bush had to...there were so many soldiers coming home with serious injuries inflicted upon them in Iraq...but the Republicans voted against any increase in benefits and couldn't even find enough money to provide body armor...remember when families were sending body armor? I suppose not because you live in a world of denial.

[swimbiker]

06:16 PM on 07/05/2011

George Bush STARTED two freakin' wars, so don't go giving him credit for increasing VA funding. It was the least he could do for a decade of wars!

[lmwj]

10:18 AM on 07/05/2011

More empty words read from a teleprompter! You would think he could make one coherent sentence from within w/o someone else writing it!

[jujub]

10:22 AM on 07/05/2011

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I guess you've never watched any of his new conferences? Or did you watch the time he attended the Republican Caucas and took their questions and took them down?

[Rory Canfield]

10:41 AM on 07/05/2011

Took them down ROTFLMAO .. yea, I watched that and he didn't come out looking like a guy who won everything.

[TechYes]

10:22 AM on 07/05/2011

Yeah, the least he could have done was don a flight suit and land on an aircraft carrier in front of a banner [mis]labeled "Mission Accomplished."

[turbobore]

10:16 AM on 07/05/2011

But are the troops proud of him?

[jujub]

10:23 AM on 07/05/2011

They should be...he has their back. Bush and Cheney couldn't even find funding for body armor.

[turbobore]

10:49 AM on 07/05/2011

Most of the troops think he's a joke and I'm speaking with intimate knowledge.

[chaucer1]

10:04 AM on 07/05/2011

Let's hear it for endless wars!

[jujub]

10:20 AM on 07/05/2011

You'll get more under the Republicans...remember bomb bomb Iran McCain?

[fortressfountain]

10:04 AM on 07/05/2011

On our way to military-police stateism.

[jujub]

10:20 AM on 07/05/2011

Nonsense.

[UtahLiberal45]

10:24 AM on 07/05/2011

No, but we have long been a military empire with over 800 overseas bases, and two wars, time to cut back and come home.

[LibDisorder]

10:31 AM on 07/05/2011

Empire? Get a grip. Google up some history for actual empires.

[TechYes]

09:58 AM on 07/05/2011

O/T but did anybody else catch Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers performing at A Capitol Fourth? Awesome!

[jujub]

10:23 AM on 07/05/2011

Yes! Its hard to tap your toe in bed!

[Absolute]

10:27 AM on 07/05/2011

They were great, but Jordin Sparks and those two Broadway stars were not. I turne it off after Martin and his Canyon Rangers peformed.

[Blizzard2010]

09:58 AM on 07/05/2011

Speech is over and... on to the golf game.

[lendmeanear]

10:00 AM on 07/05/2011

Four!

[jujub]

10:21 AM on 07/05/2011

As of this time, Barack Obama has taken 78 days of vacation, including his time at Camp David. At this same time, George Bush had taken 218 days of vacation.

[LibDisorder]

10:36 AM on 07/05/2011

Neither President had an actual single day of vacation.

[swimbiker]

06:20 PM on 07/05/2011

fanned for smacking down the faux patriots.

[TechYes]

09:54 AM on 07/05/2011

What a great way to celebrate the 4th of July. President and Mrs. Obama continue to make me proud! Well done!

[UtahLiberal45]

10:26 AM on 07/05/2011

Now, he would just end these illegal wars, and bring the troops home this year, all would be well.

[jujub]

10:33 AM on 07/05/2011

I believe 60,000 are coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan...a good start.

[UtahLiberal45]

10:50 AM on 07/05/2011

He is planning to bring most of the surge troops home, but we will still have a major presence for 2-3 or more years. A very slow start. Just like Nixon in Vietnam, no real commitment to ending these wars, just drag it on as long as it takes.

[snakeman]

09:39 AM on 07/05/2011

Finally we have a president that really cares for the troops. Not one who say he cares about the troops , then do nothing for them. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Obama !

[Rory Canfield]

09:59 AM on 07/05/2011

Bush increased funding to the VA to the tune of 27% over Clinton, while Obama is aiming for 11-15%. Sorry, still not seeing what Obama has actually done for the troops as you think.

[snakeman]

10:09 AM on 07/05/2011

Obama has not started a war on lies and killed fourty five hundred soldiers, and wounded eighteen thousand ! As well as costing this country trillions of dollars !

[snakeman]

03:21 PM on 07/05/2011

You miss the point. Fourty four hundred of our troops died , and eighteen thousand wounded in Bushes unjust war ! You call that caring for the troops? I don't think their families will agree with you !

[UtahLiberal45]

10:27 AM on 07/05/2011

If the President really cares for the troops he would end the illegal Bush wars and bring the troops home this year, then he can close most of the overseas military bases.

[snakeman]

03:16 PM on 07/05/2011

I do not disagree with you. I share your opinion. I think that he will bring most of the troops home from Iraq. I also think that Afganistan is not far behind.

[pa30]

09:38 AM on 07/05/2011

Actions speak loader than words, Mr President.Did WJC's anthrax vaccination program cause Guirrie- Barre syndome in our soldiers ?