Apr 03 2008
McHenry’s “Two Bit Security Guard” Comment NOT Directed Towards American Soldier
It was a poor choice of words to describe the foreign contractor, but anyone who was there knows that I delivered a speech praising the heroism and sacrifice of those who are serving our country in harm’s way.
It’s still certainly debatable as to whether or not his comments towards the man were any less inappropriate, but the issue at hand seems resolved and the story of McHenry’s alleged disrespect to our armed forces is not true.
The comment is about 40 seconds into the video. Lance Sigmon, McHenry’s primary challenger, had released the following press release:
LINCOLNTON- In a moment eerily akin to a Hillary Clinton “misspeak,” 10th District Rep. Patrick McHenry called a sentry protecting U.S. personnel in Iraq a “two-bit security guard” in a brief appearance Saturday night at a Lincoln County Republican Party event.
McHenry’s gaffe occurred in his telling of a story about his recent two-day visit to Iraq. He said he was stopped by a military guard in the area known as the Green Zone, when he was going “to the gym” in the early morning hours on Easter after being unable to sleep.
The congressman belittled the sentry- referring to him as a “two-bit security guard”- for following his orders by not allowing him to enter the gym without “proper credentials,” according to McHenry’s own telling of the story to an audience of some 160 Republicans.Even after demanding to see the guard’s superiors, by McHenry’s own account, he still was refused entry into the gym and was told he had to return to his room, in a pool house at one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces in the Baghdad area.
McHenry’s tale at the Lincoln County GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner also included a death that supposedly occurred during insurgent rocket attacks, which did occur in the Green Zone shortly after he returned to his quarters.
However, official U.S. Embassy spokesman Philip T. Reeker said the facts were somewhat different, emphasizing that there were no fatalities from that rocket attack.
Similarly, Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is under fire from the media and political opponents for her gaffe regarding her now-famous 1996 visit to Bosnia as First Lady. Contrary to her account, TV video showed Mrs. Clinton was never in any danger.
“The more McHenry talks, the more I like it,” said Sigmon, McHenry’s opponent in the May 6 Republican primary for Congress. “When he belittles others publicly and attempts to bolster his image through these kinds of exaggerations, voters can see his true character.”
“Besides his obvious contempt for a guard’s assigned duties, his belief that being a congressman makes him immune to the rules and his exaggerated claim of exposure to hostile fire, what really bothers me is the Iraq trip itself,” Sigmon added.
“According to McHenry’s own quotes in the media,” the challenger observed, “he only spent a few hours with the soldiers and, suddenly, he now understands their deep commitment to their mission.”
“I don’t have to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars traveling to Iraq to understand our troops’ sacrifice and commitment. I spent 21 years on active-duty; I know from personal experience the sacrifices my comrades-in-arms and their families make both at home and abroad.”
“This level of understanding cannot be acquired while staying in Saddam’s former palace within a fortified 10-square mile area during a two day ‘photo-op’ tour,” he said.
Sigmon missed the Lincoln County GOP event, instead speaking at both the Catawba County Reagan Day Dinner in Hickory and the Caldwell County Republican Party’s Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner in Lenoir.
At both events, the candidate’s remarks focused on the problem of illegal aliens committing serious crimes in America, as well as illegal immigration itself. Sigmon’s wife, Melissa, spoke on his behalf at the Lincoln County dinner, receiving applause several times.
[...] to the gym because he was missing the proper credentials. McHenry referred to the guard as a “two-bit security guard“: We spent the night in the Green Zone, in the poolhouse of one of Saddam’s palaces. A [...]
[...] let McHenry go to the gym without the proper credentials. McHenry referred to the guard as a “two-bit security guard“: We spent the night in the Green Zone, in the poolhouse of one of Saddam’s palaces. A little [...]
[...] Think Progress, Republican North Carolina Representative Patrick McHenry shows us the true meaning of supporting our troops: We spent the night in the Green Zone, in the poolhouse of one of Saddam’s palaces. A little [...]
[...] 4, 2008 in White Rose Republican Congress-animal calls US Soldier ‘two-bit security guard’. [...]
[...] » McHenry Refers to Soldier as “Two Bit Security Guard†[...]
What does what Hillary said have to do with this insult to an American soldier? She overstated her experiences; he went out of his way to first be rude to the guy by bullying him “Let me talk to your supervisor” and then insulted him, not surprisingly, at a Republican dinner. Republicans support the troops? My ass.
“Two-Bit Security Guard 
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), described by Wikipedia as “a fervent war supporter who has never served in the military”, recently visited the troops in Iraq. From the sounds of it though he was more concerned with his lush lodging at a Sadda…
[...] the limits of stupidity. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) called a soldier pulling guard duty a “two-bit security guard” in a speech after his return from Iraq, which has many progressive bloggers in a lather today [...]
[...] McHenry no better than Calvan If true, this story about a Republican Congressman reveals behavior no better than Bobby Calvan’s: During a public appearance on Saturday, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) belittled a U.S. soldier in Iraq who was following orders and wouldn’t let McHenry go to the gym without the proper credentials. McHenry referred to the guard as a “two-bit security guard.” [...]
Mc Henry is a disgrace…..he is a 2 bit politician.
McHenry’s story now appears to be that the guard wasn’t a soldier, but a private contractor.
Where exactly was all the liberal outrage when Murtha slandered the troops over the Haditha incident?
As his story about the “two-bit security guard” [who in fact was a contractor and not a solider] unfolds we learn that McHenry was denied entrance to the gym and escorted back to his room. Shortly thereafter, the gym was hit in a rocket attack. McHenry then segues to a bit about the bravery of the people serving in Iraq and the YouTube clip stops.
This only goes to show what happens when they don’t show the whole tape.
Support C-SPAN.
[...] political opponent Lance Sigmon is capitalizing on the statement, as he should, but I think those who are claiming that McHenry belittled a soldier are probably not [...]
Where do you Moonbats get the idea that this was a “US soldier?” Where do you get the idea that he was a soldier at all, let alone an American one? Let me guess–you have a template into which you want your narrative to fit, and the hell with the actual facts.
The “speculation” that he was neither a soldier nor an American is looking more and more solid with each passing hour. And it certainly appears that the congressman used the phrase “two-bit” as a setup for his subsequent self-deprecating acknowledgment that the guard may have save his life.
Call that “eerily similar” to a known serial liar’s inventing sniper fire if you wish–but just keep in mind that there are millions of fact-checkers out here who won’t let you get away with it.
As you come to grips with the certainty of the coming McCain presidency, do the best you can to cling to some semblance of integrity.
ahhh . . . another two-bit blog.
Let’s work from the notion that this was a third world security contractor, far from home, working at night, and loyally following his orders.
What’s wrong with that? And McHenry calls an honest working schlub, “two bit”? Like, WTF is his major malfunction?
So, what did hero commando McHenry do? Did he push past? Nope, he turned hissy fit around and went back to his room.
So, McHenry is either a elitist buttwhipe or a sissy man bitcher. Which, by the way, what kind of guy goes to a lonely gym at nite because he is ‘restless’ and needs a ‘good workout’?
Contractor, solider, or not, this was embarassing. McHenry obviously is willing to demean people who work hard and call it a “poor choice of words”.
Long story short? McHenry thinks people CAN be worth two cents. With his blatant abuse of power in other ways and other foolish faux pas all over congress, it’s clear that we need a change.
It’s a damn good thing us republicans in the 10th have a replacement in Lance Sigmon, the man who sent this video out:
http://sigmonforcongress.com/pressrelease/mchenry-calls-sentry-two-bit-lies-about-death.html
[...] security guard” was a foreign contractor, not a member of the military, as both Carolina Politics and Lance Sigmon originally reported. As Ed Morrissey states, “Does this really make it any [...]
[...] McHenry’s “Two Bit Security Guard” Comment Not Directed Towards American Soldier [...]
Just like Bob T. said, this whole thing was started by Sigmon–the primary opponent of Congressman McHenry. Sigmon, whose style of campaigning has been negative from the start, is the one that said the guard was an American soldier.
The foundation of ALL of this though, ties back to the bitter sheriff in Catawba County that lost to McHenry in 2004.
Once Sigmon realized that he got the facts wrong, he adjusted his release and the rest is history. The DCCC has targeted McHenry–who has been a consistent thorn in their side since he was elected. He is a true conservative and the liberals want him out. Sigmon appears to be nothing more than a tool for a bitter loser and the liberal blogs in this situation.
http://mchenryrocks.blogspot.com/2008/04/sigmon-has-no-problem-lying-and.html
It doesn’t matter whether McHenry’s comment was directed at a soldier or a private contractor. He behaved like the punk that he is. Please do the country a favor and vote this imbecile out of office.
That should happen right after Murtha is voted out.
[...] security guard” was a foreign contractor, not a member of the military, as both Carolina Politics and Lance Sigmon originally reported. As Ed Morrissey states, “Does this really make it any [...]
I think it is shameful that a primary opponent would distort the truth. I hope he corrects the facts. Sigmon should have tried harder to get his facts straight, and he should have left enough of the video together for context to be ascertained.
http://mchenryrocks.blogspot.com/2008/04/sigmon-has-no-problem-lying-and.html
Soldier, security guard, foreign contractor–it makes little difference in that the incident shows what McHenry is all about.
He behaved like a spoiled little punk when he didn’t get his way. And over what? Not being able to use a damn gym at his convenience in the middle of a place that’s still undergoing periodic attack.
Face the facts: This specimen is a disgusting pig with a monumental sense of entitlement. I’m sure this isn’t the only time he’s acted like such a class act.
Maybe McHenry is a Foley acolyte and just wanted to watch the young soldiers shower. but seriously that is just the Republican view of soldiers fighting for our occupation of Iraq, they are inconsequently collateral and not worthy of McHenrys respect , just because he was doing his job and McHenry is special in his own mind.
South Carolina rules, Lindsy Grahmn for fool of the Century
Going to the gym in the middle of the night because he couldnt sleep. He must have really been working hard while he was there. I wonder if he slept thru anything important the next day.
Where there any republican senators in this tour??
If this security guard was really a contractor to call him 2-bit I find amusing since this guy might have been making more money then the representative.
[...] the “two-bit security guard†was a foreign contractor, not a member of the military, as both Carolina Politics and Lance Sigmon originally reported. As Ed Morrissey states, “Does this really make it any [...]
I’ve watched the video several times and can’t seem to understand how so many people have missed that McHenry seemed to be admitting to being human (and flawed) like most of us and not understanding the seriousness of the situation…because he felt safe. It appeared that he couldn’t think of a reason that the Gym wouldn’t be open to EVERYONE..becasuse it seemed so safe. Later, while in a former Saddam extravogance, explained how wierd it felt to be there, then to be reminded of how dangerous it is because of the “duck and cover” call and learning that it was a rocket attack. He went on to talk about the bravery of the folks there. Sounded like an honest appraisal of the events that occurred, including his admittedly (during the speach)self-important rantings.
I’m sure most of us have had bad days…just that most of us wouldn’t make fun of ourselves publicly for doing it.
Hey North Carolina - Wanna buy a nuclear power plant?
This Presidential election is not about black/white, male/female, Liberal/conservative, Republican/Democrat.
Its about MONEY - Cheney’s NEXT Big Monopoly POWER Energy RIPOFF on behalf of his Corporate masters.
Austan Goolsber, Obama’d Economics advisor is, in my Grandpa’s terminology - an educated idiot.
Goolsbee, who must have several degress in economics, says we must be careful to identify the cause of - the rich getting richer and everybody else getting poorer.
Goolsbee says the cause is: dramatically increased returns to skill i.e. college degrees are paying off better and better all the time.
Uh, huh, yeah but that does nothing to explain the rise of the super rich, nor the increasing poverty of everyone else.
The cause is simple: Reagan cut the top tax rate down from the 70%’s to the low 30%’s AND Corporations all over America trotted out the “Two-Tier Wage Structure” - - right after Reagan was elected. i.e. pay everybody at the top a whole lot MORE, pay everybody else a whole lot LESS.
The rich are getting richer, and have been doing so at a faster & faster rate for the past 30 years -because of RADICALLY INCREASED RETURNS to CAPITAL.
Everybody else has been getting poorer and poorer over that same time span because its been CORPORATE POLICY to pay everybody else a whole lot less; (not to mention the fact that - everybody else has been Paying a Lot More Taxes - to make up that portion of the Federal Budget no longer being paid by the wealthy - or not currently being “borrowed” from our children and grandchildren.)
My grandpa was a farmer, son of a share cropper. In his later years he worked for an experimental farm operated by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The people who ran the farm had degrees in agriculture. My grandpa had a LIFETIME of EXPERIENCE.
When the …educated idiots… wanted to get some plants to actually GROW & prosper IN THE REAL WORLD they had to have my Grandpa SHOW THEM and TELL THEM
HOW to do it.
Condoleeza Rice & the whole gang of “Vulcans”/ …neocons… are educated idiots, along with Zbigniew Berzinski, one of Obama’s “foreign policy” advisors.
All they’ve ever DONE is … write, postulate & publish their latest hare-brained DRIVEL & …Wait … for applause and compliments from the same “‘highly specialized literary” ilk as themselves.
Paying those at the top a Whole LOT MORE has paid off handsomely for the corporations and politicians…because… those at the top - responsible for things like morals, ethics, obeying the law, are ALREADY Paid off to … look the other way … incentivized … to sell their fellow citizens down the river.
Case in point: Howard Fineman of Time magazine, and an MSNBC “News Analyst” … plaintively whining to Chris Matthews on Hardball last week: They shouldn’t be complaining about US - they shouldn’t be blaming US for our coverage … We’re JOURNALISTS — reporters — we just report the facts.
NO. They are highly paid Propaganda Operatives who would make Goebbels (Hitler’s Propaganda Minister) PROUD.
GE, 2nd largest corporation on the planet, Westinghouse, Excelon Corp of Illinois, Entergy w/utilities in the Southern States have been planning since 2005 - When the Cheney Energy Bill was passed - to build 29 new nuclear power plants. (licensing hearing for the first few have already been scheduled).
GE owns MSNBC & NBC. Westinghouse owns CBS. AND they have Billions of Advertising $$$$ to spread around in all other forms of media. Obama & McCain are PRO-Nuclear. Clinton says nuclear can be considered in the future IF they make it CHEAPER and find a way to SAFELY and PERMANENTLY dispose of the nuke waste.
The Mainstream Media (the most blatant offenders being MSNBC & NBC) are busy selling We the People and Democracy in America … down the river.
The media is holding a lid on all the bad news about Obama … until AFTER he gets the nomination. Then, the full force of their Propaganda BARRAGE will be directed AGAINST him, instead of FOR him.
Thereby, leaving nobody but McCain ACTUALLY running for President.
Starting out the campaign season with the consensus of opinion being that a large majority of voters were all in favor of electing Hillary Clinton President w/Any Republican nominees chances of being elected standing at virtually NIL … what was the nasty party of the rich & super rich TO DO?
Same thing they Always do Pinky … Divide & Conquer! (HOW ELSE can a very small minority CONTROL a much larger majority?)
Can YOU think of anything better to DIVIDE the Democratic Party than … to run a black man Against THAT WOMAN?
Contrary to the Media’s BIG LIES:
Obama started the negative campaigning several months ago during the first Philadelphis debate. He began with NAME-CALLING with him & his wife endlessly repeating … disingenuous…Hillary’s disingenuous … while his campaign staff and surrogates went on TV yelling … She’s a Liar, a Liar, a liar.
Next, the Obama campaign pushed those …totally absurd… accusations of “racism” to the press because they were LOSING the South Carolina primary.
The LYING and Propaganda have continued to this day … Obama’s the negative dirty campaigner; the Media turns it around exactly backwards & Blames Hillary.
Neither one can gain enough delegates to get the nomination ON THE BASIS OF DELEGATES, but DELEGATE COUNT, having FAILED to get the job done … the Media Proclaims that it should be the ONLY criteria to get the job done.
First the Obama camp INSISTS on Playing by the RULES:(FL & MI delegates DON”T COUNT); but, NOT Playing by the RULES: SuperDelegates are ENTITLED to and CHARGED to: SELECT the BEST, most Electable candidate - that’s the RULES - But NO, don’t do THAT!
Obama claims he has special “talents” for working across the aisles, bringing people together to get good new progressive legislation passed - CHANGE -We can Believe In; as EXEMPLIFIED by 26 wonderful Bills he got passed WHILE in the ILLINOIS legislature.
But … according to a hometown Chicago reporter - all 26 Bills were passed in ONE Year because the Democratic legislative leader …. gave Obama …. all the good legislation OTHER Senators had been WRITING, CRAFTING, and WORKING to get passed …. during the DECADES when the Republicans had majority control. One year to get 26 bills passed would leave…suspiciously little TIME for… working across the aisles, bringing people together, & given a Democratic Majority …. how much NEED to “work across the aisles to get the bills passed actually existed? Obama’s claim appears to be FALSE.
He has little to NO experience or accomplishments that would in any way qualify him to be President of anything -or- give him much more than a CLUE about crafting and passing legislation in the U.S. Congress … absent … a party leader willing to Falsely give him credit for other people’s work.
Things that DON’T ADD UP: The Obama campaign has been bragging to the compliant media parrots since January that he has raised 2X, 3X, and now 5X as much money as the Clinton campaign …. from …. we the little people, but if that’s the case then why hasn’t he been getting 2X, 3X, 5X MORE VOTES in the primaries from all those little people who support him to the extent of giving him money?
If, as Obama keeps repeating - Clinton is the “establishment candidate”, the candidate of corporate controlled America, the candidate financed by Washington Lobbyists Then, WHY is Clinton’s campaign chronically running out of money … WHILE …. the Obama Campaign has been wallowing in Big Piles of CASH since January?
Why is it the Clinton campaign that has been financed the past several months by …. WE the People? How come the Corporate Elites aren’t giving her the cash?
The MSM says her wealthy donors are ‘tapped out’;have already reached the legal limit & so, can’t give her any more CASH.
The FACT is tho, the ruling elite corporate power structure, Lobbyists, and Bundlers, have a practically unlimited capactiy to collect myriads of small donations for campaigns - So, IF the corporate elite “establishment” power structure was behind Clinton, rest assured SHE would be Rolling in the CASH.
WHY does the media keep on allowing Obama to tell the BIG LIE that he does not accept money from LOBBYISTS?
He says - I don’t take money from REGISTERED FEDERAL Lobbyists. True. But, he does take money from STATE Lobbyists and the husbands, wives, law partners, aunts, uncles and cousins of REGISTERED FEDERAL LOBBYISTS.
I found that information, including plenty of details, with very little searching on the internet, so you would think the media could, and would, find it too …you would think that… only IF you had not been watching the media very much this campaign season.
For those millions of us who HAVE been watching - the Outright Propaganda and brainwashing put out all day everyday by the MSM — quickly becomes repetitive, boring, DRIVEL. We stopped watching it and went searching the internet for REAL Information.
The MSM sold you Reagan, Bush 1, and Bush 2-TWICE. The MSM sold you the Iraq War. Are you going to just sit there and let them Sell you Obama/McCain/ 29 nuclear power plants? i.e. the NEXT Big Cheney Energy MONOPOLY RIPOFF just waiting in the wings?
Going to let The Media Sell You, Your Children and Grandchildren Down the River? Democracy down the tubes — again?.
Or, are YOU going to get the WORD Out Write …copy paste… & email to everyone on you email list… write & paste into blogs on the internet, newspapers, magazines, radio & TV stations…nationally and locally.
WE the People are in the same situation as the Russians during the days of Samidzat … when they made Xerox copies & passed them around as the only means available to GET THE WORD OUT about their govt & its govt controlled media —- but, we’ve got a LOT BETTER TECHNOLOGY than they had.
In case you don’t know what’s wrong with building more nuclear power plants - GOOGLE Hanford WA nuclear waste dump, Rocky Flats CO, Barnwell South Carolina nuke waste dump & find out why I would not accept an all expenses paid vacation at the best hotel in Devver; would go around the entire state of Colorado rather than drive thru any part of it; Why U would Completely AVOID an entire county in the state of Washington.
[...] Michael Arrington wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptSimilarly, Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is under fire from the media and political opponents for her gaffe regarding her now-famous 1996 visit to Bosnia as First Lady. Contrary to her account, TV video showed Mrs. … [...]