Medal of Honor recipient declines invitation to State of the Union
(CNN) - The former Army staff sergeant who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama Monday is declining the first lady's invitation to be her guest at Tuesday's State of the Union address.
Clint Romesha, who was awarded the prestigious medal for uncommon valor in Afghanistan, told CNN that he has decided to spend the evening with friends from his former unit, Black Knight Troop, 3-61 CAV, his wife Tammy - with whom he celebrates a wedding anniversary Tuesday - and their families.
Watch CNN's comprehensive coverage of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address starting Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET on CNN TV and follow online at CNN.com or via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Follow our real-time State of the Union live blog at cnn.com/conversation.
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FINALLY, one person who refuses to be used as a cheap prop by the Obama administration! Truly a man to be honored, even more than he already has been.
Congratulations to this brave man of integrity.
He declined because it's his anniversary. Way to make a mountain out of a nonstory CNN.
I admire his decison...if it were me I would have done the same thing. Thank you for your service.
Will someone forward this article onto Warren Buffet's Secretary
Improper use of english word. Decline means refuse. He hasn't refused. He has excused himself with a reason.
@ Donna.....
so a medal of honor is a "cheap prop"? Well a real cheap prop is how your party treats women and sad enough to see that many GOP women don't realize it.
@Donna
FINALLY, one person who refuses to be used as a cheap prop by the Obama administration! Truly a man to be honored, even more than he already has been.
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He needed his friends and his family. Don't worry. Ted "Mr. Crappy-Pants" Nugent will be there to serve a a "cheap prop" for chicken-hawks and right-wing bigots. I'd hate to be the one who has to shake him down... Ugh!
@Donna – Did you hear Nugent is attending the SOTU tonight? I wonder what your intelligent and without-hypocrisy thoughts are on him being there as a guest of Stockman?
Were you this offended when Clint and his chair were out there at the RC?
"FINALLY, one person who refuses to be used as a cheap prop by the Obama administration! Truly a man to be honored, even more than he already has been."
Enjoy the fallout from Ted Nugent appearing at the SOTU.
praise men like him....
the reason he decline is because he would feel to out of place,this is not the type of peoples he is comfortable
around.
You don't turn down an invitation from the President of the United States (your commander-in-chief, btw), or the First Lady, unless you don't agree with the President's policies and/or administration. So this soldier must be very unhappy, or just politically partisan. If he wanted to turn down an invitation, it should have been from the administration who got us into the wars in Afghanistan, and Irag to begin with. And as far as Obama and cheap props are concerned, all the Presidents have their 'cheap' props. Again, a perfect example of partisanship in our government, and society.
The guy is tough but too shy!
"the reason he decline is because he would feel to out of place,this is not the type of peoples he is comfortable
around."
BAM! Voice of reason. Occam would be proud.
I don't blame him. I would not wanted to be used as a stage prop. He does not need to have his photo taken with a bunch of politicians. We need to let this young man have his space. We will never know the horrible things he has seen. This is not a pep rally and he does not need cheerleaders.
A close family friend of ours was the recipient of a Medal of Honor during Viet Nam. He was gracious enough to let us kids see the medal. It was not like he was showing off a Super Bowl ring. He seemed to reflect a combination of quiet pride and a little bit of sadness about the whole thing.
@Facts don't lie
The first African American female was appointed as Secretary of State by a GOP president, Geoge W. Bush. Her name is Condoleeza Rice. Also, there are more republican female governors than there are democrat female governors. Republican women also don't need a trashy woman like Sandra Fluke to help get them contraceptives. They work and buy their own. The cheap prop that Donna referred to was sitting next the first lady as a prop for the political agenda of Obama. One such "prop" is speaking out about it from the last SOTU – she is a police officer from the Fort Hood shooting. She said the president has not helped any of the vicitms from that shooting – no insurance – no anything. Prop.
Oh, for God sakes, must everything be turned into cheap politics. I would rather leave the whole matter as BOTH parties use whatever and whomever they can for cheap props to honor the MIC.Maybe there is a genuine impulse to honor the man, but singling out one among many smack more of theater. Will we ever get sick of glorifying the military. How about honoring peacemaker. Oh, my bad, the government doesn't believe in peace anymore, just perpetual war.
Have a happy anniversary.