Obama Finally Lowers White House Flags to Half Staff 5 Days After 4 US Marines & 1 Navy Sailor Murdered in Terror Attack in Tennessee

IT TOOK LESS THAN 5 HOURS FOR THE OBAMA TO COLOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN RAINBOW COLORS, BUT 5 DAYS TO LOWER THE FLAGS IN HONOR OF THE US MILITARY FALLEN IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE. 

File this one under, the its about time file. Well America, you voted for a president, not once, but twice, who said he would fundamentally change America. How’s that working out for you? Yesterday, Barack Obama finally ordered the lowering of the American flag to half-staff at the White House and other public buildings. Of course it was only after pressure mounted against him to do so as the president finally ordered the lowering of the flag some 5 days after the terror attack in Chattanooga, TN where 4 US Marines and one Navy sailor was killed. Critics argued that Obama lowered the flag immediately following other mass shootings like Sandy Hook and it was mere hours after the SCOTUS ruled on same sex marriage that Obama had the White House showered in rainbow colors.

President Obama has ordered flags at the White House and other public buildings to fly at half-staff after mounting criticism over the delay in honoring five armed forces members killed last week by a gunman.

Obama’s proclamation calls for the flags to remain at half-mast through Saturday “as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on July 16.”

“Our thoughts and prayers as a Nation are with the service members killed last week in Chattanooga. We honor their service. We offer our gratitude to the police officers and first responders who stopped the rampage and saved lives,” Obama said in a presidential proclamation released Tuesday.

“We draw strength from yet another American community that has come together with an unmistakable message to those who would try to do us harm: We do not give into fear. You cannot divide us. And you will not change our way of life.”

Obama announced his decision hours after Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at half-staff.

Ahead of Obama’s decision, conservatives lined up to pan the president for failing to lower the flag. They noted that various governors around the country have done so and that the White House had lowered its flag after other mass shootings.

It is disgraceful that a Commander in Chief would wait this long to honor fallen military heroes. And only because he was pressured to.

Donald Trump Doubles Down, Says He Does Not Owe Sen. John McCain an Apology for his War Hero Comment, “I Like People that Weren’t Captured”

DONALD TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON NO APOLOGY TO SEN. JOHN MCCAIN …

During an interview on  ABC’s “This Week” this morning, host Martha Raddatz asked GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump whether he owed John McCain an apology for his comments over the weekend in Iowa when he questioned whether McCain was a war hero because he had been captured. Trump doubles down and said, “No, not at all.” Trump went on to say that reporter Sharyl Attkisson defended his comments after the media onslaught and establishment Republicans. Trump said to Raddatz, “When people attack me, I let them have it back,” he said. “People are constantly attacking my hair. I don’t see you coming to my defense.” No double standard there.

Isn’t it something that a RINO like McCain could be the undoing of the GOP? Get the facts correct everyone, McCain fired the first shot calling American citizens who went to Trump’s speech crazies. Where is his apology to them? Oh, but that is different, because the liberal media loves McCain and thinks it is perfectly OK in their bias reporting to call Republicans crazies.

Lets get things straight, does Trump owe McCain an apology, YES. Is John McCain a war hero, YES. However, that does not mean that some one can also not call him a dummy and make comments against him. His job as US Senator is completely different than his military service. That would be like saying that if you criticize a black president for his policies, you are a racist. Oh wait, that is what the MSM does do. GET THE POINT! And just because one has military service does not mean that an individual like John McCain has the right to call people who went to a Trump speech “crazies”.  Of course Trump should apologize and just say that all who serve in the military honorably are heroes. Everyone should think that. All veterans are heroes, they have sacrificed their lives in defense of the United States. All Trump would have to say in an apology is that he believes all veterans who serve honorably, whether they came home, were POW’s or paid the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives are heroes. However, whether you are a war hero or not does not give you the right to make fun of Americans and call them “crazies”. But of course the liberal MSM will never even discuss that and shame on FOX News for going along with the pack.

ABC US News | World News

The Politico:

BREAKING: Trump tells ABC’s “This Week” in a phone interview that he doesn’t owe Senator McCain an apology for saying on-stage in Iowa yesterday that the former POW “is not a war hero … I like people that weren’t captured, OK?”

MARTHA RADDATZ: “Do you owe John McCain an apology?”

TRUMP: “No, not at all. … [V]ery importantly, I got a standing ovation, the biggest ovation they had all weekend, by far. When I left the room, it was a total standing ovation. It was wonderful to see. Nobody was insulted. … I’m very disappointed in John McCain because the vets are horribly treated in this country.” …

RADDATZ: “What did you mean you prefer those who aren’t captured?”

TRUMP: “I want to give them credit because, frankly, they don’t get the credit. John McCain gets credit. He was elected a senator, etc, etc, and we’ll give him all the credit.” …

RADDATZ: “Have you ever said anything you regret?”

TRUMP: “Yes, I have, on many occasions.”

RADDATZ: “So let me just get this clear. You are not apologizing. And you are certainly not pulling out of the race, as some of your opponents have suggested.”

A note to Donald Trump, apologize and move on. Your gripe is with a weasel like McCain,

Chatanooga, Tennessee Terror Attack Death Toll Rises to 5 … 24 Year Old Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith Has Passed Away From Injuries

Sadly, a 5th military individual has passed away as a result of the Chatanooga, Tennessee terror attack …

24 year old Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith passed away early this morning from injuries he suffered as a result of Thursday’s terror attack on the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Smith has been shot several times with wounds to his right arm, back and abdomen. Smith suffered extensive damage to his colon and liver in the shooting. Petty officer Smith underwent several surgeries and died around 2:17 a.m. Saturday. Smith was from Paulding, Ohio and tragically leaves behind a wife and three young daughters under the age of six (pic of Smith and two of his little girls).

Click HERE to watch VIDEO via FOX News

The Navy said Saturday the sailor shot in Thursday’s attack at a military support center in Chattanooga, Tenn. has died.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith, 24, was one of three people injured when a gunman opened fire at the center, killing four Marines. The shooting is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism.

Fox News spoke to Smith’s step-grandmother Darlene Proxmire who confirmed he died early Saturday.

Smith was shot three times when a gunman opened fire at the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Thursday morning. He was struck in the right arm, back and stomach, family members told a Kansas newspaper, the Salina Journal, according to the Chattanoogan.

He underwent several surgeries and died around 2:17 a.m. Saturday. His wife and other family members were with him at the hospital when he died.

Those brave men we have lost:

The sailor’s death comes in addition to the four U.S. Marines killed at the scene. They have been identified as Lance Cpl. Squire K. Wells, of Cobb, Georgia; Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, of Hampden, Massachusetts; Sgt. Carson Holmquist, of Polk, Wisconsin, and Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, of Burke, North Carolina.

A devastated step-grandmother, Darlene Proxmire, talks about Randall Smith.

Sailor from Paulding one of Chattanooga shooting victims:

His step-grandmother, Darlene Proxmire, told NewsChannel 15 Smith was a great baseball player and even got a scholarship to play in college. She said he hurt his shoulder and joined the Navy shortly after. Proxmire said she first heard about the shooting when a friend left her a voicemail.

“I immediately turned it on CNN and wow it was awful,” Proxmire said.

Smith’s mother is in Chattanooga with him.

“It’s hard to understand how somebody can hurt somebody that’s serving for you. For your freedom, for your safety,” Paula Proxmire said.

Proxmire said she never worried about Smith joining the military.

“Because he was never shipped over there where, you know, the fighting and all that was at,” Proxmire said. “He loved the Navy. He loved it in there.”

It was on U.S. soil when the unthinkable happened.

“It’s terrible,” Proxmire said. “You think oh that’s not going to happen to your family, but by gum it can. It can happen anywhere.”

EXIT QUESTION: How many people must die before we take terrorism seriously in the United States?

One of Victims of Chattanooga Terror Shooting ID’d as 40 Year Old Marine Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan … ‘He was our hero’

A HERO IS IDENTIFIED …

One of the four US Marines that was killed yesterday at a Chattanooga, TN military facility was identified as an Iraqi veteran and Purple Heart recipient Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan. The 40 year old Marine had joined the Marine corps in 1997 and was from Springfield, MA.

Our hearts and prayers go out the to family and friends of Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan … Semper Fi!

Rest in Peace Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan

One of the four U.S. Marines killed by a Muslim extremist in an attack on a Tennessee military facility was identified as an Iraqi veteran and Purple Heart recipient from Springfield, Mass.

Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, 40, a Marine since 1997, was one of those killed Thursday by Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, a Kuwaiti-born Chattanooga resident who was killed near the scene.

Sullivan served in India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines and fought in the 2005 Battle of Abu Ghraib, where he earned a Combat Action medal and Purple Heart.

The Facebook page of a Springfield bar and restaurant owned by one of Sullivan’s two siblings posted a message paying tribute to Sullivan.

“He was our hero and he will never be forgotten,” it read. “Please keep his family & friends in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you Tommy for protecting us.”

Epic Fly-By of Beachgoers Courtesy of the Blue Angels

HOW AWESOME IS THIS … THE BLUE ANGLES BUZZ THE BEACH.

If you have never seen the Blue Angles live and in person, I strongly suggest you put it on your bucket list, you will not be disappointed. And you wondered why the tower did not give Maverick permission for a fly by and buzz the tower. The power of these aircraft are simply unbelievable and need to be seen up close and personal to truly appreciate. ENJOY, THE FOLKS ON THE BEACH DID!

VIDEO via MrJasonmx3

Washington Free Beacon:

During an air show in Pensacola, Fla., on Saturday the Navy’s Blue Angels performed a flyover of the beach that was close enough to blow beach umbrellas out of the sand and into the sky.

The maneuver was performed by Blue Angel No. 5, a F/A-18 Hornet flown by Lt. Cmdr. Mark Tedrow. Tedrow is a Pennsylvania native who has been with the Blue Angels since September 2011, according to his biography on their site. He has 2,200 flight hours and 212 carrier-arrested landings. He has also earned the Strike Flight Air Medal as well as the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal