Thursday, December 31, 2009

A thought on proper attire...

After all the flap about the CIC's spokesperson's inane statements about the system working, Obama had to say something official in the grand tradition of damage control. I won't waste time looking for the photo, but images I saw on the internet showed him in what looked like a studio with an American flag in the background and in a jacket and dress shirt, but no tie. I don't care if an acting CIC is on vacation, if they can get it together enough to put together a studio setting to address our nation, they can by golly locate a tie. Please, no yammering on about him being on vacation-- to wear a ring of power is to have no vacation, or somesuch.

One recalls fondly the early days of air travel in which folks wore their Sunday best, including hats and overcoats. Presumably, they wore clean underwear in case of an accident.

SPeaking of, I always wondered about that: if you're in an accident, isn't it more likely your underwear won't be clean, depending on the severity of the accident?

Anyhoo, I would be bitching about this no matter who was president- the lack of formality bespeaks a casualness toward his duty that is unconscionable.

That is my opinion, and I'm sure it's worth every penny you paid for it. I just wanted to say it.

12 comments:

Zdogk9 said...

You are right.

Vinogirl said...

I agree entirely, but isn't society in general just getting a wee bit too sloppy?
Have a happy New Year Phlemmy!

Sigboy said...

I always travel in decent attire. When I fly, I dress even better. This crap of flying in your pajamas is rediculous. How are people going to take me seriously if I fly in my Fleece Superman pants and matching tshirt?

Don said...

I'm still angry about that video where a group of Barry's friends and/or family were boarding Marine One for the flight to Camp David. Everyone of them, including Barry, was dressed like they were heading out back for a pickup game in the driveway. While some of them were children, I still got the sense that no one was considering, or even cared, how this would look to those of us who would consider a flight aboard Marine One as a special event and dress accordingly.

His lack of a tie doesn't surprise me at this point. He doesn't respect us, the office, or even the nation.

Anonymous said...

Hey, you think Obama is bad, look at Michelle. Try as the media may to make her a 'fashion icon' it just ain't working.
And what is this crap about the White House servants going casual? They represent America in that capacity; they work in the capitol; they need to show pride and dignity-and uniforms.
As I have said before, Ronald Reagan, whether he was a great president or not, so respected the office of President (not himself as President) that he always wore a coat and tie in the Oval Office.
I really dispise 'casual Friday.' You want to be casual? Go home.
Elsewhere PhD

Anonymous said...

Umm...Obama's hardly the first. President Bush didn't have a tie for at his 3/31/07 Camp David press conference (pix at the Life magazine site at http://www.life.com/image/73757543 if you're curious).

MJ (sorry about the anonymous, but I don't have an identity that blogger recognizes). Enjoy your blog very much, BTW.

Crucis said...

Ya know, now that I think on it, the only time your saw GW Bush casual was when he was working on his ranch. All other occasions that I remember, he wore a suit and tie.

(The carrier landing excepted.)

Old NFO said...

Dead on Phlegmmy...

Anonymous said...

Do I hear an AMEN, Sister? AMEN x2.
Show a little r-e-sp-e-c-t for the office, would ya, 'Bama? Oh, sorry, was that a skosh toooo casual for the office? harumph.

Anonymous said...

Amazing as always

East Of The Pecos said...

Ronald Reagan wouldn't even enter the Oval Office without a suit and tie. He said it was out of respect for the office and his predecessors.

To paraphrase Archie and Edith: "Mister, we could use a man like Ronald Reagan again"

(And in 32 years as a volunteer firefighter, I never checked anyone's underwear.)

Catmoves said...

Yeah, well, BO doesn't have to dress to the nines. Any more than he was required to write some kind of paper about the law at Harvard law school (which he never did). After all, didn't he get a Nobel Peace Prize just by thinking about peace being a good subject to address some time in the future?
Just sayin'.