West Point Cadets Give Obama ‘Icy’ Reception At West Point Address

West Point Cadets Give Obama ‘Icy’ Reception At West Point Address

May 28, 2014 by Personal Liberty News Desk

President Obama delivered the commencement speech to graduates at the United States Military Academy at West Point today, but he enjoyed a decidedly tepid response from cadets.
According to multiple media outlets covering the President’s address, which offered a muddled foreign policy message mixed with a dollop of global warming caution, only about one-fourth of the seated cadets rose to greet Obama with a standing ovation when he was introduced.
“[It was] a speech that, probably, was not really a great speech to give at the U.S. Military Academy,” said CNN international correspondent Jim Clancy. “It was a philosophical speech. It was not a Commander-in-Chief speaking to his troops. And you heard the reception. I mean, it was pretty icy.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...;v=YqEJ9U86Ae4

Obama recast the doctrine of American exceptionalism in terms of global teamwork. “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being,” he said. “But what makes us exceptional is not our ability to flout international norms and the rule of law; it’s our willingness to affirm them through our actions.”


http://personalliberty.com/west-poin...point-address/

Krauthammer SLAMS Obama For His “Pointless” West Point Speech

By Steve Straub On May 28, 2014 · 16 Comments · In US, Video

http://thefederalistpapers.integrate...8-20.31.43.jpg

Strong words on the President’s West Point speech from the normally reserved Charles Krauthammer.

Via Washington Free Beacon:

Columnist Charles Krauthammer called President Obama’s foreign policy address at West Point Wednesday “literally pointless,” calling it “weak and defensive” and questioning using the platform of the U.S. Military Academy’s graduation to answer his critics.
“I think the speech was literally pointless,” he said on Special Report. “It was a defensive speech. It was an answer to the chorus of criticism, even from his side of the aisle, that it’s been a weak, leaderless, rudderless foreign policy, which it has been … He set out this ridiculous contrast between extreme isolationism on the one hand and almost a caricature of intervention on the other … There’s not a person in American who’s asking for boots on the ground in Syria or in Ukraine … I think it was a very weak and defensive speech and there was no response from any of the cadets. It was quiet as a mouse.”
Krauthammer said a congressional source who served in the armed forces thought there was a “real pettiness and personalization” to Obama’s address, which drew bipartisan disdain. One CNN reporter even said the response by the cadets to Obama was “pretty icy.”

Do you agree with Krauthammer that the President’s speech at West Point was pretty pointless and petty?

http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/u...t-point-speech

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

Obama recast the doctrine of American exceptionalism in terms of global teamwork. “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being,” he said. “But what makes us exceptional is not our ability to flout international norms and the rule of law; it’s our willingness to affirm them through our actions.”

---

Once again, 'Bama finds a way to thumb his nose at Americans. "[N]ot our ability to flout international norms..." Yikes. This is the guy who's threatening to impose amnesty for illegal aliens by decree!!

Well, polls show that young voters no longer trust 'Bama. The cadets showed their contempt by not standing for their commander in chief. I don't think I've ever even heard about something like this happening before. I wonder if the cadets contempt results from their knowing that when they muster out, they'll be facing unemployment.
******************************
Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for American workers

Fair trade, not free trade

West Point Grads Give Obama Tepid Welcome – Most Refuse To Stand For President

UlstermanBooks.com > Politics > West Point Grads Give Obama Tepid Welcome – Most Refuse To Stand For President

An often rambling, excuse-laden speech appeared to hold little interest to West Point military grads today. According to media sources, Barack Obama found himself greeted with a decidedly less than enthusiastic crowd, one that remained quiet throughout his many “not my fault” talking points.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...01_638x380.jpg
President Obama tried repeatedly to assure the military audience that he believed in American exceptionalism. This comes after several years of the president downplaying, and at times, apologizing for America’s influence throughout the world.

The current Commander in Chief went on to demand the United States work with the United Nations, that such a relationship will be the hallmark of future U.S. foreign policy. The West Point grads appeared less than enthusiastic about such a goal, perhaps noting the inherent contradiction of a president trying to convince them he believes in American power, while at the same time, demanding that power play a secondary role behind working with such entities as the United Nations.

The Daily Mail described the president’s reception with the following: Receiving tepid applause and a short standing ovation from less than one-quarter of the audience upon his introduction, Obama argued for a contradictory foreign policy that relies on NATO and the United Nations while insisting that ‘America must always lead on the world stage.’

Ouch.

http://ulstermanbooks.com/west-point...for-president/

Ouch: Less Than 25% of West Point Cadets Stood Up For Obama After He Was Introduced…

http://static.squarespace.com/static.../?format=1000w
H/T Weasel Zippers

Update to this story.

President Obama was welcomed by the Black Knight of the Hudson for his speech at West Point on Wednesday, but less than 25 percent of the cadets gave him a standing ovation upon his introduction, the Daily Mail reported.
“Receiving tepid applause and a short standing ovation from less than one-quarter of the audience upon his introduction, Obama argued for a contradictory foreign policy that relies on NATO and the United Nations while insisting that ‘America must always lead on the world stage,’ the paper reported.
During his speech, which the Wall Street Journal called “consistent with that of every post-Cold War administration,” the president also took a swipe at critics, saying: “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being. But what makes us exceptional is not our ability to flout international norms and the rule of law; it’s our willingness to affirm them through our actions.”


Keep reading…

http://www.redflagnews.com/headlines...was-introduced

See the Reception Obama Received From the U.S. Military Academy That CNN Anchor Says Is ‘Pretty Icy’

May. 28, 2014 4:15pm Jason Howerton

President Barack Obama addressed 2014 West Point graduates on Wednesday — and he received a reception that CNN international anchor correspondent Jim Clancy described as “pretty icy.”
Watch the video via Reuters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g0C_FvDymfc

Obama’s approval rating among those serving in the military is only 32 percent. The ongoing VA scandal likely won’t result in that number going up.

Clancy argued Obama’s speech was “not really a great speech to give at the U.S. Military Academy.” He called it a “philosophical speech,” not a “commander-in-chief speaking to his troops.”

“And you heard the reception. I mean, it was pretty icy.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YqEJ9U86Ae4

For more on Obama’s speech, click here.

(H/T: Weasel Zippers)

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014...is-pretty-icy/

https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net...76497368_n.jpgConservative Daily

Their reactions speak volumes...

https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/sa...w=2500&sh=1309

Watch How Vastly Different West Point Cadets React Between Hearing Presidents Obama and Bush

Can you spot the differences?
ijreview.com

Watch How Vastly Different West Point Cadets React Between Hearing Presidents Obama and Bush

By Caroline Schaeffer 2 hours ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g0C_FvDymfc

Even the pundits at CNN had to agree – President Obama’s reception at West Point was nothing short of “icy.” His graduation speech has been slammed as being less “Commander in Chief” and more “policy wonk playing defense.” And the way the audience reacted supports it.
He receives a standing ovation from about a fourth of the audience who has come to see the the West Point class of 2014 graduate and commission as 2nd Lieutenants, and throughout his speech, he receives only mild applause from the graduates and their friends and families.
Compare that to the speech President George W. Bush gave to the corps of cadets in 2008 in his last military academy speech as President:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0TgLYLuDjlY

Do the two seem a little different to you?
President Bush says, “There are many honors that come with the Presidency, but none higher than serving as Commander in Chief in the greatest Armed Forces on Earth.” If President Obama believed and lived by that truth, he would be having a very different presidency.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/05/1424...ts-obama-bush/

Lt. Col. Ralph Peters: Obama's West Point Speech Was "An Exercise In Self-Adoration"

Video at the Page Link:

BILL O'REILLY: I thought the speech was a little slow. It wasn't -- he didn't seem to be fully engaged with the cadets, the graduating West Pointers, and your assessment?

LT. COL. RALPH PETERS: He seemed to be having trouble with his teleprompter. It was an absolute exercise in self-adoration. The bit you just played about America's most -- in most respects, America has been relatively strong, blah, blah, blah. Look, America is perceived as weaker because of Obama's lack of leadership. And then when he said well, we will take unilateral military action, he immediately qualified it by saying, 'but we must be nearly certain that there will be no civilian casualties.'

O'REILLY: He doesn't have the heart for it, obviously. Now, you said we are perceived to be weaker around the world. And I agree with you 100% on that. But we're not really weaker. We still have a massive military machine, our nuclear arsenal, and there is nobody really on earth who can really compete with us militarily, is there?

PETERS: Well, no, but, when you are weakly led you are weaker. And, Bill, you know, I just found some of the claims in this speech absolutely fantastic. First of all yesterday and today, Obama keeps saying I have ended two wars. Well, that's great. You know, we could have ended the Second World War in 1942 by surrendering to the Japanese and Germans. It's how you end the wars.

In Iraq, he threw away the advantage we gained in blood. In Afghanistan, I agree we want a much smaller presence. But you don't tell the Taliban, hey, we'll be all gone in two years. And then the worst part of the speech, the shameless part for me, I couldn't believe it when I heard it. It was when he claimed that American leadership has provided success in Ukraine.

I mean, as he was speaking Putin was pouring special operators, hired mercenaries and weapons across the border into eastern Ukraine which is bloodier than ever. I mean, and by the way, and you know what? All that stuff about, you know, immigration at our southwest border, in that whole speech he did not mention Latin America a single time. I mean it was appalling if you really listened to it.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...adoration.html

Krauthammer: Obama's West Point Speech Was "Pointless," Audience Was "Quiet As A Mouse"

Video at the Page Link:

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: I think his speech was literally pointless. He didn't have a point. It was a defensive speech. It was an answer to the chorus of criticism, even from his side of the aisle, that it's been a weak, leaderless, rudderless foreign policy, which it has been. I spoke to a member of the Congress who was in the armed forces and he said there was a real pettiness and a personalization of this. This is a graduation speech for West Point, it was not a place where you -- you know, you want to be inspiring the future officers -- it isn't a place to answer your critics or go point by point against all the attacks on him.

He set out, as you said, this ridiculous contrast between extreme isolationism on the one hand and extreme, almost a caricature of intervention on the other hand. And as General Keene said, there's not a person in America who is asking for boots on the ground in Syria or in Ukraine. In those places, people said show some rhetorical support, show some serious economic sanctions on Ukraine, and give these people all they're asking for, the weapons to defend themselves, which Obama has denied them and in Syria, it's led to 160,000 dead. So I mean he sets up a straw man, he makes the argument and I think it was a very weak and defensive speech and there was no response from any of the cadets. It was as quiet as a mouse.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...s_a_mouse.html

https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net...83353584_n.pngGlenn Beck

I have never heard anything like this.

https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/sa...&cfs=1&upscale

‘Shocking and dangerous’: Glenn reacts to President Obama’s chilly reception at West Point
"It is extraordinarily dangerous to have our military disconnect and no longer...
Glenn Beck

‘Shocking and dangerous’: Glenn reacts to President Obama’s chilly reception at West Point

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 12:59 PM EST

During his commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Wednesday, President Obama sought to lay out the key components that would define his Administration’s foreign policy goals for the remainder of his presidency. Instead, a large majority of the media coverage surrounding the speech focuses on the less than warm reception he received when taking the stage and throughout the address.
“Let’s go from Snowden to the reception at West Point for the President, which is shocking and tragically sad,” Glenn said on radio this morning. “If you look at the stadium, it is full… There’s a few people that stand up and start to give him a standing ovation – but it’s maybe 5% of the audience – and nobody follows.”
Many have described the reception the President received upon taking the stage at West Point as “icy.” Watch the entrance courtesy of Reuters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g0C_FvDymfc

In terms of audience response, the speech really just went downhill from there. President Obama paused several times during the address at moments that he most likely expected to be applause lines – but those in attendance largely had no response. The few points at which the audience did applaud were lackluster at best.
“He’s giving his speech, and he’s waiting for applause, and it never comes,” Glenn said. “And when it does, [it makes his entrance] seem like an outrageous ovation. It really does.”
On radio this morning, Glenn played some of the most cringe worthy moments of the speech from both a policy and audience response perspective. As Glenn explained, the lack of enthusiasm is both sad and dangerous given this was a situation in which the commander in chief was addressing the U.S. military.

2nd Video at the Page Link:

“We don’t do this with, honestly, any joy because we think this is very dangerous for the United States of America to have its commander in chief so separated from its soldiers, but we are. The soldiers are disconnecting now from the President,” Glenn said. “He didn’t address the VA scandal. He should have. I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m so sick of the teleprompter. Just speak from the heart, man. Can you not just speak from the heart?”
Advertisement

During his speech, President Obama wandered through a weird maze of policy goals that included everything from climate change to the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention center. It was a bizarre subject matter for a speech given in the audience of servicemen and women.
“There you are talking to the military about that,” Pat said disgusted. “Listen to this.”
“It sounds like a Rotary Club meeting,” Glenn concluded. “That is absolutely incredible. I have never heard anything like this. It is extraordinarily dangerous to have our military disconnect and no longer trust and believe in the president of the United States – so sad and so dangerous.”
You can watch the President’s full speech below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fG_hX_XM4Ks

http://www.glennbeck.com/2014/05/29/...at-west-point/