thedrifter
07-01-07, 06:18 AM
06/30/2007
White House turns back on local Gold Star mom
By: J.D. Prose - Times Staff
As if the embattled White House didn't have enough problems, it's apparently decided to follow a policy that insults the families of Marines killed in Vietnam.
Christina Stacey, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, D-4, McCandless Township, called to tell us about the saga of Ellwood City resident Allys Boyer, 84, and her two daughters, Sandra Lee Boyer of Zelienople and Beverly Boyer of Arizona.
Allys Boyer's 22-year-old son, Cpl. Larry Boyer, was killed in May 1969 while on patrol.
The Boyer family wanted to visit the Vietnam Memorial to see Larry's name and tour the White House on Thursday, so they asked Altmire's office for help after they were told they needed to make tour arrangements months in advance, Stacey said.
Stacey said Altmire's office told the White House of Boyer's status as a Gold Star mother and got her in for a tour.
Incredibly, after finding out that Boyer's son was killed in Vietnam, the White House rescinded its permission, saying that the preferential treatment was only for families of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
An angry Altmire then pulled some rank to schedule his own tour of the White House, accompanied by the Boyers, of course.
"It seems outrageous to implement a policy that values one service member's family's sacrifices over others," Altmire wrote to President Bush. "At the very least, mothers such as Ms. Boyer deserve the opportunity to visit the White House, one of the symbols of the freedom and democracy which her son lost his life defending."
Considering that Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and several other administration chicken-hawks did everything short of marrying their dogs to get out of serving in Vietnam, does it really surprise anyone that their minions would have no respect for the families of those killed there?
Wait a minute. Could it be that they actually feel guilty about their service dodging and don't want any reminders so close to home?
Nahhh. Silly us. That would require having a conscience.
ET TU, BRUTE?
Imagine our surprise last week when we learned that none other than state Sen. Gerald LaValle, D-47, Rochester Township, was voted Best Local Politician by readers for The Times' Best of the Valley awards.
We're demanding that the FBI launch an immediate investigation into the matter, although we've got no proof of any wrongdoing other than the fact that LaValle won.
What more evidence do you need?
(Sigh.) Now we know how Luke Skywalker felt when Darth Vader said, "No, Luke, I am your father."
Luke's response was much like ours. "No. No. That's not true!" he screamed. "That's impossible!"
BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Ever wonder what it's like to cover a presidential contender? Well, it ain't all it's cracked up to be, we'll tell you that.
On Thursday, Republican hopeful Mitt Romney came to town and had a brief press conference at Atlantic Aviation in Moon Township after arriving in a private jet. Here are the exclusive behind-the-scene lowlights:
While the assembled media horde waits for Romney's entrance, an AP photographer decides that his observation that the room reserved for the press conference looks like a funeral parlor is so witty that it must be shared with everyone that shows up. (We heard it at least four times. Ugh.)
A Romney staffer tries to make small talk by asking us what's going on in Pittsburgh. Our reply? "Ask the guy from the Trib. I'm from Beaver County." (We really do need a better attitude.)
The ever-helpful and tan Romney, who looks taller on TV, enters the room and asks the cameramen and photographers whether they need any white paper to check their equipment's color balance. (Think Hillary Clinton does that?)
Reporter Ari Hait from WTAE-TV (Channel 4) asks Romney about the "Internet buzz" over allegations that he put the family dog in a carrier on top of the family's station wagon in 1983.
Yes, 1983. We looked at our shoes and waited for the painful moment to pass.
A confused Romney looked at his staff members and stammered that he really wasn't sure what the heck Hait was talking about. Hait, though, plowed on, clarifying his question about DogGate, after which Romney said he remembered putting the family dog on top of the car because the canine liked riding up there.
Romney said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals weren't happy when he backed a rodeo and went quail hunting, "and they're not happy with my dog liking fresh air."
(PETA actually has made a big deal out of this 24-year-old "incident." Those folks really need to cut back on the soy.)
LEFTOVERS
Former state Rep. Mike Veon, D-Lobbyist, Harrisburg, still has his West Mayfield house up for sale, according to the Web site for Northwood Realty Services. The asking price remains $170,000.
J.D. Prose can be reached online at jprose@timesonline.com.
Ellie
White House turns back on local Gold Star mom
By: J.D. Prose - Times Staff
As if the embattled White House didn't have enough problems, it's apparently decided to follow a policy that insults the families of Marines killed in Vietnam.
Christina Stacey, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, D-4, McCandless Township, called to tell us about the saga of Ellwood City resident Allys Boyer, 84, and her two daughters, Sandra Lee Boyer of Zelienople and Beverly Boyer of Arizona.
Allys Boyer's 22-year-old son, Cpl. Larry Boyer, was killed in May 1969 while on patrol.
The Boyer family wanted to visit the Vietnam Memorial to see Larry's name and tour the White House on Thursday, so they asked Altmire's office for help after they were told they needed to make tour arrangements months in advance, Stacey said.
Stacey said Altmire's office told the White House of Boyer's status as a Gold Star mother and got her in for a tour.
Incredibly, after finding out that Boyer's son was killed in Vietnam, the White House rescinded its permission, saying that the preferential treatment was only for families of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
An angry Altmire then pulled some rank to schedule his own tour of the White House, accompanied by the Boyers, of course.
"It seems outrageous to implement a policy that values one service member's family's sacrifices over others," Altmire wrote to President Bush. "At the very least, mothers such as Ms. Boyer deserve the opportunity to visit the White House, one of the symbols of the freedom and democracy which her son lost his life defending."
Considering that Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and several other administration chicken-hawks did everything short of marrying their dogs to get out of serving in Vietnam, does it really surprise anyone that their minions would have no respect for the families of those killed there?
Wait a minute. Could it be that they actually feel guilty about their service dodging and don't want any reminders so close to home?
Nahhh. Silly us. That would require having a conscience.
ET TU, BRUTE?
Imagine our surprise last week when we learned that none other than state Sen. Gerald LaValle, D-47, Rochester Township, was voted Best Local Politician by readers for The Times' Best of the Valley awards.
We're demanding that the FBI launch an immediate investigation into the matter, although we've got no proof of any wrongdoing other than the fact that LaValle won.
What more evidence do you need?
(Sigh.) Now we know how Luke Skywalker felt when Darth Vader said, "No, Luke, I am your father."
Luke's response was much like ours. "No. No. That's not true!" he screamed. "That's impossible!"
BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Ever wonder what it's like to cover a presidential contender? Well, it ain't all it's cracked up to be, we'll tell you that.
On Thursday, Republican hopeful Mitt Romney came to town and had a brief press conference at Atlantic Aviation in Moon Township after arriving in a private jet. Here are the exclusive behind-the-scene lowlights:
While the assembled media horde waits for Romney's entrance, an AP photographer decides that his observation that the room reserved for the press conference looks like a funeral parlor is so witty that it must be shared with everyone that shows up. (We heard it at least four times. Ugh.)
A Romney staffer tries to make small talk by asking us what's going on in Pittsburgh. Our reply? "Ask the guy from the Trib. I'm from Beaver County." (We really do need a better attitude.)
The ever-helpful and tan Romney, who looks taller on TV, enters the room and asks the cameramen and photographers whether they need any white paper to check their equipment's color balance. (Think Hillary Clinton does that?)
Reporter Ari Hait from WTAE-TV (Channel 4) asks Romney about the "Internet buzz" over allegations that he put the family dog in a carrier on top of the family's station wagon in 1983.
Yes, 1983. We looked at our shoes and waited for the painful moment to pass.
A confused Romney looked at his staff members and stammered that he really wasn't sure what the heck Hait was talking about. Hait, though, plowed on, clarifying his question about DogGate, after which Romney said he remembered putting the family dog on top of the car because the canine liked riding up there.
Romney said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals weren't happy when he backed a rodeo and went quail hunting, "and they're not happy with my dog liking fresh air."
(PETA actually has made a big deal out of this 24-year-old "incident." Those folks really need to cut back on the soy.)
LEFTOVERS
Former state Rep. Mike Veon, D-Lobbyist, Harrisburg, still has his West Mayfield house up for sale, according to the Web site for Northwood Realty Services. The asking price remains $170,000.
J.D. Prose can be reached online at jprose@timesonline.com.
Ellie