"I have a bracelet too," says Obama.

Tagged:

Obama stated, "Well, you know what? I have a bracelet too." during the first Presidential Debate this Friday (September 26 2008). The bracelet belonged to Ryan D. Jopek, a Sergeant that died overseas in Iraq in 2007., whose family had asked Obama not to wear the bracelet at anymore of his public appearances. Nevertheless, he kept it on. Why would he do this?

I'm the kind of person who takes everything with a grain of salt. I give people the benefit of the doubt as much as I can. Nevertheless, I can't think of very many reasons that Obama would still wear the bracelet.

Maybe -- just maybe -- he had thought that, even though the Jopek family didn't want him to wear it, Ryan D. Jopek did.

I was pretty unhappy that it took Senator Obama a minute to even remember Ryan's name while it took Senator McCain no time at all to remember Matthew Stanely's name. I thought, why couldn't you remember the name of the guy on the bracelet you're wearing? Why'd you have to look at it? Honestly, I was upset.

But I slept on it.

And now I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming that, when he said he had a bracelet just like McCain did, it was an accidental blurt out in an attempt to counter McCain's heartwarming story and he was internally kicking himself for it (maybe not for saying that he had the bracelet, but for forgetting the soldier's name for that brief moment).

But that isn't what this is about. I'm wondering, why do you think Obama choose to wear the bracelet to public events even though he was told not to by Jopek's family? 

blackout's picture
Volunteer for the Progressive U Alumni Association

...and find out what she thinks...

Tracy Jopek of Merrill told The Associated Press on Sunday she was honored that Obama remembered Sgt. Ryan David Jopek, who was killed in 2006 by a roadside bomb.

Jopek criticized Internet reports suggesting Obama, D-Ill., exploited her son for political purposes.

"I don't understand how people can take that and turn it into some garbage on the Internet," she said.
...
Jopek acknowledged e-mailing the Obama campaign in February asking that the presidential candidate not mention her son in speeches or debates. But she said Obama's mention on Friday was appropriate because he was responding after Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, said a soldier's mother gave him a bracelet.
...
Jopek says Obama's comment rightfully suggested there's more than one viewpoint on the war.

TTFN,
Blackout

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Yes, I've changed my username from "percivale" to "Blackout." Go here if you want to know why.

ediblewoman's picture
Volunteer for the Progressive U Alumni Association

Here's a link to the full AP article, in which Jopek's mother makes it clear that she did not ask him not to wear the bracelet, but not to use it as a campaign tool, which he didn't in any way.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-obama-bracelet,0,6413408.st...

"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman

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