Cross-posted at THE MOOSE

Last week I attended the Veterans & Military Families for Obama Rally in Fairfax, VA(real). There were many great speakers at this event, including Colin Powell's deputy (COL Wilkerson). You can read more about the event here, and catch a biting indictment of Dick Cheney here. The highlight of the event was when CPT (Ret.) Paul Bucha spoke to the crowd.

I suggest you read the full citation for his Congressional Medal of Honor to get a better appreciation for this American Hero.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Bucha distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer, Company D, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission against enemy forces near Phuoc Vinh.

The company was inserted by helicopter into the suspected enemy stronghold to locate and destroy the enemy. During this period Capt. Bucha aggressively and courageously led his men in the destruction of enemy fortifications and base areas and eliminated scattered resistance impeding the advance of the company.

On 18 March while advancing to contact, the lead elements of the company became engaged by the heavy automatic weapon, heavy machine gun, rocket propelled grenade, claymore mine and small-arms fire of an estimated battalion-size force. Capt. Bucha, with complete disregard for his safety, moved to the threatened area to direct the defense and ordered reinforcements to the aid of the lead element. Seeing that his men were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire from a concealed bunker located some 40 meters to the front of the positions, Capt. Bucha crawled through the hail of fire to singlehandedly destroy the bunker with grenades.

During this heroic action Capt. Bucha received a painful shrapnel wound. Returning to the perimeter, he observed that his unit could not hold its position and repel the human wave assaults launched by the determined enemy. Capt. Bucha ordered the withdrawal of the unit elements and covered the withdrawal to positions of a company perimeter from which he could direct fire upon the charging enemy. When 1 friendly element retrieving casualties was ambushed and cut off from the perimeter, Capt. Bucha ordered them to feign death and he directed artillery fire around them.

During the night Capt. Bucha moved throughout the position, distributing ammunition, providing encouragement and insuring the integrity of the defense. He directed artillery, helicopter gunship and Air Force gunship fire on the enemy strong points and attacking forces, marking the positions with smoke grenades. Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers, he directed the medical evacuation of 3 air-ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel and the helicopter supply of his company. At daybreak Capt. Bucha led a rescue party to recover the dead and wounded members of the ambushed element.

During the period of intensive combat, Capt. Bucha, by his extraordinary heroism, inspirational example, outstanding leadership and professional competence, led his company in the decimation of a superior enemy force which left 156 dead on the battlefield. His bravery and gallantry at the risk of his life are in the highest traditions of the military service, Capt. Bucha has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Video is now available from his speech, and is embedded below the fold.

Cross-posted at THE MOOSE

You may have seen this:

"As a proud resident of Oakton, Virginia, I can tell you that the Democrats have just come in from the District of Columbia and moved into northern Virginia," Nancy Pfotenhauer said, speaking of Democratic gains in that part of the state. "And that's really what you see there.

"But the rest of the state, 'real Virginia,' if you will, I think will be very responsive to Senator McCain's message," she continued. - http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/ 2008/10/mccain-adviser.html

I just attended the Veterans & Military Families for Obama Rally in Fairfax, not 'real Virginia.' Well . . . I guess that is an improvement over Communist Country.

Below is a photo blog in lieu of the video footage, which will be available tomorrow at http://fairfaxdemocrats.org/

Cross-posted at THE MOOSE

I live about a half hour from the Northern Virginia suburbs, and things seem to be going well for Obama in this region. I have actually spent most of my grassroots time up in Pennsylvania's York, Chester, and Delaware Counties. It has just been my hunch that the DEMS could use some more help there, as opposed to NoVA.

I think I have changed my mind, and am now motivated to take a couple days off to help get out the vote in the Arlington, VA area after reading this letter delivered to homes sporting Obama signs/stickers:

Cross-posted at THE MOOSE

In case you slept in . . . John McCain doesn't think citizens should be asking Palin questions, AND that we should ignore her statements that contradict McCain (or agree with Obama).

Let me get this straight . . . McCain surrogates bring up Biden when asked about the Couric interview this AM, and tell us to ignore questions from citizens?!

WASHINGTON (CNN)- Sen. John McCain retracted Sarah Palin's stance on Pakistan Sunday morning, after the Alaska governor appeared to back Sen. Barack Obama's support for unilateral strikes inside Pakistan against terrorists

"She would not...she understands and has stated repeatedly that we're not going to do anything except in America's national security interest," McCain told ABC's George Stephanopoulos of Palin. "In all due respect, people going around and... sticking a microphone while conversations are being held, and then all of a sudden that's-that's a person's position... This is a free country, but I don't think most Americans think that that's a definitve policy statement made by Governor Palin."

Saturday night, while on a stop for cheesesteaks in South Philadelphia, Palin was questioned by a Temple graduate student about whether the U.S. should cross the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan.

"If that's what we have to do stop the terrorists from coming any further in, absolutely, we should," Palin said

OK . . . this diary isn't about that old TV show. It actually should read "Jake and the Old Man" . . . that old TV show just comes to mind any time I visit the blog of ABC's smart-ass, Jake Tapper.

I don't really like the guy (especially after he got all nicotine nazi on Obama), but I have to give him credit for throwing some sarcasm into his political blog. Today was classic:

Dear Senator McCain
                           

September 12, 2008  3:25 PM

                           

Here is Gov. Palin's list of earmark requests from February 2008.

Will you please stop telling the American people that she never asked for or received any pork barrel projects?

Respectfully,

Jake

Cross-posted at the MOOSE

I can understand why many Americans don't want to get lectured by Pamela Anderson about animal cruelty, or Chuckabee Norris about immigration reform. They should stick to saving swimmers caught in TV riptides, and kicking ass in TV Texas.

Tonight I watched a video that, while a little snarky, was actually a refreshing take on the potential Commander-in-Chief from Alaska.

This is short and simple . . . I just finished spending the last few months as a volunteer answering phone calls for a political organization. The majority of those calls this week were complaints among progressives that the Obama campaign needed to improve their response to McCain's recent trend of bashing his opponent.

Update [2008-7-30 19:50:55 by Veteran75]: I think the campaign has responded.

Obama has a new TV AD up that turns around the McCain attacks with the ISSUES!

Here is the response that many were looking for:

Sorry for this diaries brevity, but I really wanted to share this gem from Ambinder:

This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing. Obviously, our national interests aren't equivalent to Iraq's, but... Maliki isn't listening to the generals on the ground...but the "hasn't been to Iraq" line doesn't work here.

. . .

(Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said, simply, "We're fucked." . . . - http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/arch ives/2008/07/mccain_campaign_responds_to _al.php

I just saw CNN report on the White House email "accident" that was mentioned in the rec list, and I thank them for turning this into a story that could dominate news cycles through Monday. Usually weekend stuff can die a quiet death, but this statement by Maliki can really help frame Obama's trip in a positive light, and put McCain on the defensive.