Two weeks ago on October 29 President Obama made a middle-of-the-night visit to Dover Air Force base to greet the caskets of America’s most recent war dead returning from Afghanistan. The president’s visit, recorded on news video and by press photographers, thrust the sadness of the war onto the front page and reminded the public of the sacrifices made by so many.
Today, on Veterans’ Day, the president stepped away from the official events in Arlington Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater to walk with the First Lady among the rows of graves in Section 60.
Section 60 is the area reserved at Arlington as the final resting place for many soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are often family members visiting graves or holding their own vigil. Some have called it the “saddest acre in America.”
The president, walking in the light rain without an umbrella, informally greeted family members or veterans who were making their own visit. Once again the news photographers clicked and the video rolled. And just as he did two weeks ago, Barack Obama guaranteed that those two wars, thousands of miles away, end up in the news again as a reminder to all the American people.
The president of the United States is followed everywhere by a press corps who are taking constant photos, videos and writing down notes about the Commander-in-Chief’s every comment, nod and tremble. And he knows that.
President Obama could’ve played the role simply—stayed at the Amphitheater behind a podium and away from the crowd. It is an easier role—much more presidential in the view of those who think leaders should be slightly distant. But Obama chose instead to take the constant and continuous coverage of him and use it to spotlight the ultimate sacrifice that so many of America’s servicemen and women have made—and the military families who carry those sacrifices as well.
This visit to Arlington, just like his visit to Dover earlier, will be an iconic image of Barack Obama’s presidency no matter his decision about the next steps in Afghanistan. These visits also offer a dramatic contrast with the president’s predecessor.
These moments when President Obama spotlights the war dead show us that somewhere the president is trying to not just change polices and laws, but to change a consciousness. It is almost like the president is saying, “we must all know about these sacrifices.” And if he is thinking that, he is right. No matter our views on the wars we must remember those who make these sacrifices.
But I have to wonder, does support for the military escalation in Afghanistan rise or fall when the president puts the war dead front and center in the media?
For me, it doesn’t matter. The president is right to spotlight these sacrifices no matter the impact on public perceptions.
President Obama was right to go to Dover and he was right to visit Section 60.
Thank you, again, Mr. President.
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Rep. Joe Sestak: Our Veterans Deserve Our Thanks and Our Service
The way we care for our veterans is a reflection of our society. We cannot neglect them in their own time of need, as we did following the Vietnam War.
