28 September 2008

The Obama Bracelet Scandal

Remember that poignant moment in the first debate when John McCain pointed to the bracelet that had been given to him over a year ago by a fallen soldier's mother? The mother, Lynn Savage, asked the senator to wear the bracelet and to make sure her son's death was not in vain.


That moment was followed by Barack Obama pointing excitedly to his wrist with a "I've got a soldier's bracelet too, see, see" followed by stumbled stuttering until he remembered the soldier's name, Sergeant Ryan David Jopek. It was a proud moment for the junior senator from Illinois. The only problem is, the family of Sergeant Jopek had asked him not to wear the bracelet.
According to a NewsBusters Report:
Radio host Glenn Moberg of the show "Route 51" asked [the soldier's father, Brian] Jopek, a man who believes in the efforts in Iraq and is not in favor of Obama's positions on the war, what he and his ex-wife think of Obama continually using their son's name on the campaign trail.

Jopek began by saying that his ex-wife was taken aback, even upset, that Obama has made the death of her son a campaign issue. Jopek says his wife gave Obama the bracelet because "she just wanted Mr. Obama to know Ryan's name." Jopek went on to say that "she wasn't looking to turn it into a big media event" and "just wanted it to be something between Barack Obama and herself." Apparently, they were all shocked it became such a big deal.

But, he also said that his ex-wife has refused further interviews on the matter and that she wanted Obama to stop wearing the reminder of her son's sacrifice that he keeps turning into a campaign soundbyte.
Ah, but what is the wish of a sacrificed soldier's family compared to the unbridled ambition of Barack Hussein Obama?

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