Tonight, I toasted Senator Frank Lautenberg when I learned that he had sent President Barack Obama a letter asking that the media no longer be blocked from greeting, reporting on, and photographing the returning flag-draped caskets of American service men and women killed in combat abroad. (here is pdf of letter)
The Bush administration, trying to control the temperature of public reaction to caskets arriving at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware cut off media access.
Lautenberg, who deserves our thanks for this, wrote to Obama:
I respectfully urge you to work to bring an end to the misguided policies of the past that seek to hide the sacrifice of our soldiers and the public recognition and pride that should accompany it.
We agree.
— Steve Clemons
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