Presidential Priority

[bigtree]

President Barack Obama, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, during a phone call from the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, immediately after his State of the Union Address, informing John Buchanan that his daughter Jessica was rescued by U.S. Special Operations Forces in Somalia. (AP Photo/Pete Souza, White House)




Secret hostage rescue played out as Obama spoke

WASHINGTON — The secret was still intact when President Barack Obama, entering the House chamber Tuesday evening to deliver his State of the Union speech, pointed at his Pentagon chief and said, "Good job tonight."

Unknown to a global television audience watching the annual Capitol Hill ritual, a bold U.S. raid was still playing out half a world away with an elite Navy SEAL team's rescue of two hostages in Somalia, one of them an American. It was the same unit that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, two U.S. officials said Wednesday.

Publicly, Obama did not tip his hand during his speech, though microphones picked up his congratulation to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as he entered the House chamber. Obama pointed his index finger to Panetta and said, "Good job tonight. Good job." Panetta smiled broadly.

Obama had learned shortly before that American aid worker Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a Dane, were safely in U.S. military hands. Immediately after the speech, Obama telephoned Buchanan's father from the Capitol to tell him that she was safe and "on her way home," according to the White House.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said that although the two hostages were safe by the time Obama gestured to Panetta, the secretive rescue mission had not yet been completed.

read: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_19817976

[seabeyond]

1. good job. nt

[sharp_stick]

2. Someone posted it earlier

but I'll "borrow" it and say.

Bad guys really need to worry whenever Obama gives a major speech.

[bigtree]

3. no drama

. . . President stays in the zone.

[gateley]

4. Wow! nt

[bigtree]

13. her father, John Buchanan, described the call

from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/26/world/africa/somalia-aid-workers/index.html?hpt=hp_t1


President Barack Obama phoned John Buchanan to tell him Jessica had been freed, Buchanan said, adding that the call had left him "flabbergasted."

"He said, 'John, this is Barack Obama. I'm calling because I have great news for you. Your daughter has been rescued by our military,'" Buchanan said.

Buchanan said the operation left him with an overwhelming sense of patriotism.

"I'm extremely proud and glad to be an American," he said. "I didn't know this was going to transpire. I'm glad it did."

He said Jessica was "doing well, under the circumstances."


http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/26/world/africa/somalia-aid-workers/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[gateley]

14. I can't even begin to imagine. What an incredible story and I, too, feel extra patriotic. So proud

and grateful to our President and our military!

Did you see the animation NBC was showing of how it happened? If I got it right, our guys parachuted down and the Samalis were standing around the encampment firing at them as they ran into the lines of fire! Don't know how accurate it was, but boy, the bravery of those men is humbling!

[bigtree]

15. you said it well

. . . dad's happy with the prez, too.

[bigtree]

5. ^

[librechik]

6. few precious moments--this is one n/t

[bigtree]

8. I agree

fascinating window into an important slice of time

[bigtree]

7. .

[FarLeftFist]

9. WOW. This is an instant iconic photo.

[bigtree]

12. Freed Aid Workers Arrive At US Military Base

8:08 am CST January 26, 2012

- Freed hostages Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted arrived at a U.S. base in Sicily Thursday, a day after being rescued in a U.S. military raid in Somalia, a spokesman for the base said.

The pair are now at Naval Air Station Sigonella, said base public affairs officer Lt. Tim Page.

Buchanan's father John said earlier he hopes to be reunited with her Thursday, without saying where.

http://www.channel3000.com/nationalnews/30303409/detail.html

[Tx4obama]

10. The framed wall hanging behind President Obama is an old depiction of The House floor n/t

[bigtree]

11. I could tell it was one of the old sessions

If you look at the photo of the President and First Lady long enough, you can get a sense of that history . . . and, it's pretty awesome.

[bigtree]

16. Referring to Buchanan's father and to his own two girls

. . . Obama told anchor Diane Sawyer, "I cannot imagine what he went through -- given Malia and Sasha -- and for him to be able to stay strong and then for our incredible men and women in uniform to do what they do, it makes you proud about this country."

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpps/news/obama-discusses-somalia-hostage-rescue-dpgonc-km-20120126_17410940

[Scurrilous]

17. K & R

[politicasista]

18. Kick

Nice pic of the First Couple.

[upi402]

19. This President got Osama too.

period

Alert the Supreme Court and have them declare him re-elected!