corrente

Ever wonder why Dear Leader is so often photographed in front of military people who are in full uniform, while JFK's veteran friends have to appear in scruffy old camo jackets? We have all noted Dear Leader's terrified petulance at the prospect of appearing before any audience thought likely to be less than properly reverential (like the NAACP for instance), and the corresponding fondness for "speeches" to groups in uniform. Turns out there are rules for such things.

(via defenselink.mil (note the ".mil" there, this is official):

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2004 -- With election activity steadily picking up, defense officials remind members of the military and Defense Department civilians that they're subject to rules regulating their involvement in political activities....

Steve Epstein, director of the DoD General Counsel's Standards of Conduct Office said two sets of rules help protect the integrity of the political process: a DoD directive for active-duty service members and the Hatch Act for federal civilians. These rules keep the military out of partisan politics and ensure that the workplace remains politically neutral, he said....

Of all DoD employees, the men and women in uniform have the most restrictions regarding political activity, he explained.

For example, service members as well as government civilians can attend political meetings or rallies. Military members can attend only as spectators and not in uniform. They're not permitted to make public political speeches, serve in any official capacity in partisan groups, or participate in partisan political campaigns or conventions.

While the dos and don'ts concerning political activity may vary, Epstein said the basic rules hold true for all DoD workers. They can't use their position to influence or interfere with an election. And they can never engage in political activity on the job, in a government vehicle, or while wearing an official uniform.

Of course these rules don't apply to an "official presidential address," just to a "campaign speech." Since the Dear Leader's words are virtually identical at both, and the SCLM is not scrupulous about clarifying to viewers whether speeches are "official" or "political," some people might get the impression that uniformed service people love Dear Leader.