Have you noticed a difference in the salute given by our military men
and
women as President Bush walks by? Most folks would not notice
anything, but
military people see it right away. Watch: When President Bush
leaves his
helicopter or Air Force One, the honor guards salute and face him as he
disembarks, then turn their faces towards him as he passes by. They
continue to salute his back as he walks away. This kind of salute has not
been seen in the previous eight years, though it is customary courtesy to
the Commander-in-Chief. You see, soldiers aren't required to turn
and face
the President as they salute. They are not required to salute his
back.
They are only required to salute. They can remain face-forward
the entire
time.
And that is what they did during Bill Clinton's entire
Presidency. Our
soldiers were forced to obey
respect him. From their salutes, we can surmise that they did not.
Why is such respect afforded to President Bush? He doesn't even
know how to
bite his lower lip and not get teary-eyed whenever he speaks!
The following incident from Major General Van Antwerp may give us an
insight. Gen. Antwerp is President of the Officers' Christian
Fellowship.
He lost nearly all his staff when the Pentagon was attacked Sept.
11. His
executive officer LTC Brian Birdwell was badly burned and in the hospital
when President Bush visited him. Our President spent time and prayed
with
Brian. As he was getting ready to leave, he went to the foot of
Brian's bed
and saluted. He held his salute until Brian was able to raise his
burned
and bandaged arm, ever so slowly, in return. The Commander-in-Chief
never
initiates a salute, except in the case of a Congressional Medal of Honor
winner. The injured soldier did not have to return the salute.
But he did,
out of respect to his President - a Soldiers' President. Congressman
JC
looking." The nation and world learned some of what our last President
did
when nobody was looking. That President has been disbarred this week
- the
worst disgrace (other than imprisonment) to a lawyer. CNN will have a
difficult time shining his or his wife's tarnished images. In this time of
war and danger, I am so grateful to have a President whom the soldiers
salute - fully.
On Special Report with Brit Hume, (hosted by Jim Angle this evening),
at the
close of the show when they normally have some funny video clip, they showed
President Bush and the First Lady on their way to Marine One to leave
for
the way into the helicopter with the spaniel dog on the leash, and the
President is right behind her with the Scotty on the leash. As
the First
Lady entered the chopper, the Marine at the gangway saluted and held
his
salute. The Scottie the President was walking decided it wanted
to squat
right when he got to steps. The President pulled on its' leash, but
the
stubborn Scottie persisted in squatting. The President bent down and
scooped up the pooch and entered Marine One. After he entered, the
Marine
cut his salute and returned to the position of attention. Moments
later the
President reemerged from the helicopter and out onto the steps.
The Marine
was standing at attention, head and eyes straight ahead. The President
leaned over and tapped him on the left arm. The startled Marine turned
his
body toward the President and received his returned salute! I was so
impressed by this true act of respect for our military people by our
President! He really does get it. Most any other person of
his stature
would have just continued his journey, disregarding the neglected return
salute. Not George W. Bush. He is earning the respect of the
military
community, not expecting it-as most have and would.
Subj: Our President George W. Bush The man
who admitted to having a
drinking problem in younger years, and whose happy-go-lucky lifestyle led
him to mediocre grades in college and an ill-fated oil venture. Who
mangled
syntax, and whose speaking mis-steps became known
as "Bushisms." He came
within a hair's breadth of losing the election in November. While votes
were counted and re-counted, Bush quietly but confidently waited at his
ranch. Make no mistake, his orders were carried out, but he stayed in
the
background, faithful and confident. Bush named Jesus Christ as Lord of his
life on public TV. Not an oblique reference to being
"born-again" or having
a "life change." He actually said the un-PC-like phrase,
"Jesus Christ!"
On September 11, he was thrust into a position only known by
Churchill, Lincoln, and Washington. The weight of the world was on his
shoulders, and the responsibility of a generation was on his soul.
So President George W. Bush walked to his seat at the front of the
National
Cathedral just three days after two of the most impressive symbols of
American capitalism and prosperity virtually evaporated. When the
history
of this time is written, it will be acknowledged by friend and foe alike
that President George W. Bush came of age in that cathedral and lifted a
nation off its knees. In what was one of the most impressive
exhibitions of
self-control in Presidential history, President George W. Bush was able to
deliver his remarks without losing his resolve, focus, or confidence. God's
hand, which guided him through that sliver-thin election, now rested fully
on him.
As he walked back to his seat, the camera angle was appropriate.
He was
virtually alone in the scene, alone in that massive place with God, just him
and the Lord. Back at his seat, George H. Bush reached over and took
his
son's hand. In that gesture his father seemed to say, "I wish I
could do
this for you, son, but I can't. You have to do this on your
own."
President George W. Bush squeezed back and gave him a look of peace
that
said, "I don't have to do it alone, Dad. I've got help."
What a blessing to
have a professing Christian as President.
Please take a moment after you read this to "pray for him".
He truly does have the weight of the world on his shoulders. Pray that
God
will sustain him and give him wisdom and discernment in his decisions. Pray
for his protection and that of his family. After you have prayed, send
this
to everyone on your e-mail list. Our President needs Christians around
the
world to be praying for him. As this makes the e-mail rounds, eventually
there could literally be millions of people praying for him.