Obama Administration Knew About WWII Vets Memorial Visit Request; Rejected It (+video)

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Screen shot 2013-10-01 at 5.23.21 PM by Charles C. Johnson – Daily Caller

The White House and the Department of the Interior rejected a request from Rep. Steven Palazzo’s office to have World War II veterans visit the World War II memorial in Washington, the Mississippi Republican told The Daily Caller Tuesday.

Palazzo helped the veterans commit an act of civil disobedience against the Park Service Tuesday, when the heroes stormed through barricades around the closed memorial. (Related: WWII vets storm closed memorial as GOP congressman reportedly distracts cops)

The veterans were visiting the memorial as part of Honor Flight, a non-profit that provides veterans free transport to the nation’s capital to visit the memorials to the wars they fought in…

In a statement, Palazzo noted that he is introducing legislation to ensure that all Honor Flights are granted access this week. “This is an open-air memorial that the public has 24/7 access to under normal circumstances — even when Park Service personnel aren’t present,” Palazzo said in the statement. “It actually requires more effort and expense to shut out these veterans from their Memorial than it would to simply let them through. My office has been in touch with NPS officials and the Administration to try to resolve this issue.”

Read more from this story HERE.

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World War II Veterans Storm Memorial: Pols Help

by Mackenzie Weinger and Jose Delreal – Politico

(Politico) An Honor Flight of almost 100 WWII veterans on the Mississippi Gulf Coast flight didn’t let the barricades set up due to the government shutdown stop them from entering the memorial, according to reports and Tweets from the area. Shortly after, a group of Iowa vets wearing matching yellow shirts also entered the memorial and more visitors poured in….

“We’ll be here every day we’re shut down, until it’s done,” said Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) who was out doing her “usual morning walk” when she received an email from another member of Congress about the veterans. “I ran over here to do what I could,” Bachmann said…

Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert (R) also tweeted a photo of him with a veteran at the memorial, writing, “Proud to stand with #WW2 veterans today in Washington, DC,” and Michigan Rep. Bill Huizenga (R) told his followers, “Amazing grace sounds even more beautiful on bagpipes when I am helping WWII vets tour the monument they risked their lives for. #freedom.” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) were also on hand.

Read more from this story HERE.

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Veterans Break Past World War II Memorial Barricade

By Laura Koran and Ashley Killough — CNN

Busloads of World War II veterans, many in wheelchairs, broke past a barricade Tuesday morning to cross into the World War II Memorial, as onlookers applauded and a man playing the bagpipes led the way.

Moments earlier, a few Republican members of Congress had removed a section of the black gates that surrounded the site, allowing a line of veterans to roll past security officers, who willingly stood aside…

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, called the moment heart-warming, if infuriating that intervention was necessary in the first place. “We don’t have guards around them at any other time,” King said of the monuments in a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon.

He referred to the gating off of the memorial as “a completely spiteful act,” by President Obama, comparing it to the White House canceling school tours in the aftermath of the automatic budget cuts of the sequester. “Perhaps the most bitter, spiteful act ever committed by a commander in chief”…

Carol Johnson, the spokeswoman for the National Mall and Parks, said the memorial hosts Honor Flight visitors every day. “We want to make sure that they have a good time and are enjoying the memorial, but legally, the National Mall and the memorial are closed,” she said. Asked if she was off the clock and volunteering her time, Johnson replied: “Apparently so.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Golden Retrievers Used in Newton to Comfort Massacre Survivors

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A team of golden retrievers made an 800-mile journey from the Chicago area to Newtown, Conn., over the weekend to comfort people affected by the shootings Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Lutheran Church Charities sent about 10 of the dogs for residents who want to pet them while they talk or pray with the dog’s handler, said Tim Hetzner, president of the Addison, Ill., organization.

“Dogs are nonjudgmental. They are loving. They are accepting of anyone,” Hetzner said. “It creates the atmosphere for people to share.”

The dogs often visit people in hospitals, nursing homes and parks. Each dog carries a business card with its name, Facebook page, Twitter account and email address.

“The dogs have become the bridge,” said Lynn Buhrke, 66, who is a dog handler for a female golden retriever named Chewie. “People just sit down and talk to you.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Video: “If We Stay Together They Cannot Defeat Us”

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Have conservatives failed because we have not been compassionate enough, we’ve been too hard core? On abortion and the traditional family, too uncompromising? On the fiscal side, too stingy? This is a growing theme among the RINO establishment.

Absolutely not! We didn’t fail because weren’t compassionate or soft enough. We failed because we offered no real choice to the US electorate.

So how do you motivate the base with a candidate who fails to fight and offer sufficient contrast to the electorate? Obviously, when there’s not enough difference, they stay home just as I predicted earlier this year during an interview with John King. Turn out is not just a function of GOTV, it’s a natural response to an inspiring, principled leader. And a leader who has solutions sufficiently different from the status quo.

So what kind of differences? How about getting back to the constitutional role of states:

This is not an easy fight; it will take extraordinary sacrifice and servant leadership. But if you love your country and wish a secure future for your children, you can’t give up.

And keep faith – there are millions of Americans whose first allegiance is to the Constitution. If we stay together, they cannot defeat us.