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Beth Robinson had a tough act to follow Wednesday night.
Just before she stepped onto the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, former President Bill Clinton had thousands in the Pepsi Center on their feet cheering his speech lauding Barack Obama and attacking the Bush administration.
As the two-term ex-president walked off the stage shaking hands, Robinson, a stay-at-home mom from Chesapeake, walked up to the podium, seemingly undeterred as the announcer spoke her name.
"Good evening. I speak tonight as the wife of a United States Marine. Oorah!" she said loudly, drawing a cheer from the crowd. "I am an advocate for military families, a college graduate, a Colorado native, a community volunteer, and a disabled person living with multiple sclerosis.
"Most of all, I am a proud American. And I see in Sen. Obama the leadership, judgment and knowledge that will bring the change that we desperately need to the United States."
Robinson, who until last week didn't know she was going to be standing in front of a national audience, told the convention delegates that military families are grateful for medical benefits but that she was "appalled by the state of the health care system in this country."
"I know that President Obama will make health care available and accessible to all Americans," she said.
As Robinson spoke, Michelle Obama, the candidate's wife, applauded and smiled.
It was during Michelle Obama's visit to Norfolk on Aug. 5 that Robinson's strong advocacy for military families was noticed by the campaign. Robinson's husband, Matt, has served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The 33-year-old's comments during a forum with Michelle Obama at Old Dominion University in Norfolk prompted campaign officials to ask her to speak at the convention. Robinson's husband, Matt, has been deployed - though not for long periods - to Afghanistan once and Iraq twice.
Robinson told the convention audience that providing proper education, health care and compensation for military families was necessary.
"Equitable pay and retirement benefits, access to quality housing, health care and counseling, consistent availability of on-base child care and schools, accessible referral and support services for active-duty troops, reserve, veterans and their families are not negotiable," she said. "These will be Barack Obama's priorities as president."
Barack Obama, who was given the party's presidential nomination earlier in the evening, understood those needs, she said.
The candidate "will restore America's role as the world's moral leader," she said.
"Barack Obama is the commander in chief we've been waiting for."
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Let's see
"Equitable pay and retirement benefits"
This is already in place. It is by rank and if you serve 20 years you know what you will get.
"access to quality housing"
On base housing is not always available. So will BO spend the billions needed to have housing available on each base? That will throw out the plan already in place to subsisize housing out in town.
"health care and counseling"
Already in place and it's free
"consistent availability of on-base child care and schools"
Most bases have Child Day Care. Some have schools. Again, BO going to spend billions for DoDEA to build schools on each base?
"accessible referral and support services for active-duty troops, reserve, veterans and their families"
Already in place.
Seems to me she's griping about having to do some leg work as a spouse. I know, I'm a husband of a Navy QM2. And yes, sometimes you have to do some work to get what you want.
Dont bite the hand that feeds you...
I'm disgusted by what I heard and read. Someone is a tool. The poor husband must be furious. You can always work at Subway maybe she can get better benefits there!
Military Spouse does not equal Second Class Citizen!
I was a Navy Wife for 20 years, my husband retired a couple of years ago and I am supporting the family while he is in an Advanced Professional School starting a second career.
We are partners. When I was an outspoken advocate of medical care for Navy dependents in the 1980s and took on an Admiral and more than one Captain...and my husband was an E4...he backed me up...even when they told him to "put a muzzle on his wife."
And, for the record, it didn't hurt his career one bit...and he was proud of me, not embarrassed.
Military wives are not second class citizens and military members are not sheep. God gave us brains and it is up to us to use them to think for ourselves.
Embarrassed
I have been a military wife for 15 years and I am more than entitled to my opinion, just ask me I will tell ya!! However, I would never embarrass my husband in this manner. As we were watching the news tonight and this story came on TV my husband turned to me and said if you ever mentioned my name or my command affiliation or for that matter my service in that manner you can pack your bags. It isnt his job to agree or disagree with the way the military is run as that went out the window when he signed on that dotted line 18 years ago, he is just supposed to do it. You can grumble about your boss behind their back but NEVER to their face and that is what she has done, very publicly I might add. It is as if she is saying he husbands boss is worthless. Wow that wouldnt get me fired!!!! Say your peace but dont drag your husband down with you.
You must be kidding!.
I can't believe this spouse took it upon herself to represent my VIEWS! I am a proud active duty spouse who works full time and volunteer's for her Navy community. I am offened that she has spoke for me/us who hired her??? When was that job posted?? Who interviewed her?? Maybe, she doesn't remember what Carter, Clinton did for us NOTHING. How dumb to be used like that. Oh, who paid for her trip?? Did the Navy or Barrack??
I think she should join up and go to IRAQ and see what life is really life or deploy on a ship for 6mos. Thanks to all the American hero's out there who give their lives every day!! NO THANKS TO THIS SPOUSE!!
Dont care about the candidates
But I do know her hubby's career (if he was planning on one) is now shot. No military command will leave this alone and anyone who was ever in the military knows it. Just like in the wives clubs, it's all political and if your "better half" makes waves you are all done.
Drink the Koolade
Ever observe a colony of ants? They mindlessly go about there business and their jobs building, maintaining the colony. We as cognitive organism have the ability to be individual, singular if we chose.
The veil of blind servitude is only rewarded w/ mass deception dressed in sometimes patriot clothing.
The young wife is trying to awaken those in a this hypnotic like trance. Like that proverbial ant colony and for very different reasons. After 7 plus years of the historically great deception of a noble people I find it hard to fathom these type of responses
Please, I beg you you all before it's to late to unplug your TV's and observe your world. Read alternative and international news sources (BBC, Financial Times).
Always remember the phrase "come, drink the koolade children".
Opinion
For nebaden2000
The “opinions” of which you speak is defined as “a personal view, attitude, or appraisal”. So it is my personal appraisal based on over 20+ years of military service that I provide my opinion. Most people are smart enough to find out where to go to get action/results accomplished instead of being used in a political campaign which probably will have no positive results anyway. If a spouse has problems, they have established channels and programs they can readily go through to get probelms rectified. A spouse has rights to do what is correct and not cause embarrassment to the armed services or to the service member. If it were my spouse I would have been embarrassed. Now I might ask which end were you speaking from to voice your opinion?
Military Does Not Serve Democratic National Convention
The Junior Senator Barack Hussein Obama,has said " we do not have the resources to finish what we started in Iraq". Do we have the infinite resources to jump into a prolonged 15,30 or 50 year war in Afghanistan?
Ask the Junior Senator and his fellow Democrats, what their time frame and exit strategy is for getting American troops out of Afghanistan? He and the dems Do Not have one.
Why Democrats not ready to finish the job and assist Iraq in rebuilding a democratic society and set up bases there just like was done in Germany, South Korea and Japan when we assisted those countries in protecting our democracy and theirs?
Does the military think that this is the time for another equal opportunity on the job training program? Keep smiling
Shocker!
I'd like to say I'm shocked b most of the comments, but I'm not. After spending 27 years on active duty I've come to expect most service members to keep repeating what they've heard about how much the Republicans love you and Democrats hate you. Your perception has been expertly managed. Pay attention to what people do for a change. A little research will show you that while Republicans tend to support huge defense budgets, that doesn't mean they want to fund programs to take care of you and your families. On top of that, no mater how big the budget is, plenty of it will continue to be wasted on crap programs because you have to use it or lose it.
Pro-defense industry does not equal pro-military.