GOP recognition of SEALs broke deal with Navy

GOP recognition of SEALs broke deal with Navy
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 5, 2008 6:50:17 EDT

A Republican speaker broke a deal between the GOP and the Navy when he publicly recognized a pair of Navy special operators at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, a Navy spokesman said, causing the sailors to violate regulations against active-duty service members participating in politics.

The speaker, Orson Swindle, pointed out two Navy SEALs in the audience wearing civilian clothes at the convention in St. Paul, Minn., as part of a salute to the fallen SEAL Master at Arms 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in April. The two SEALs, Lt. Leif Babin and Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Tom Deshazo, rose when Swindle pointed them out and asked them to stand.

But the Republicans had agreed not to identify the special operators as a condition for their being able to attend the convention, said Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Davis. Babin and Deshazo had asked for permission to accompany Monsoor’s sister, Sara, who was at the GOP convention to see her brother’s recognition. The Navy agreed, but imposed several conditions, including that they only attend the convention that one night, not speak to the news media, wear civilian clothes and not appear on stage.

Swindle, a former Marine prisoner of war, deviated from the script on his TelePrompTer when he pointed out the two SEALs, Davis said, in an apparent ad-lib. Election-year rules forbid active-duty service members from appearing to support or oppose political candidates, and the Navy wanted an “abundance of caution” to ensure it didn’t appear the SEALs were backing the Republicans, Davis said.

There will probably be no repercussions for the SEALs or the GOP, he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/09/navy_gop_seals_090408w/%2e

Imagine if this happened at the Democratic convention.

as opposed to actors they outfitted from the Army Surplus store ...

Did they agree not to stand up?

Oh, that's just great. More rules that are selectively ignored to suit the repuke's master plan.