They're Marines, Mr. President, not Butlers...

Well Obama may have kept his makeup from running, but the public relations hole he's digging for himself just got deeper. Of course, someone else is sure to get the blame for the incomparable insolence demonstrated by this clueless commander-in-chief when he imperiously summoned two young, Marine NCO's to stand in the rain and hold umbrellas over his royal highness and Turkish Premier Erdogan. This pic and this one say it all. The military community, that is all those except the politically-correct, perfumed princes in the Pentagon, are genuinely ticked over this public display of ignorance and contempt for military tradition. It is a particularly egregious offense because, as many veterans are pointing out, male military personnel aren't even supposed to carry umbrellas when in uniform. A partial concession has been made for females, most likely due to the need to protect hair and makeup and thus, their general appearance.

If you want to get a taste of the reaction in the military community, go over to my favorite military blog, This Ain't Hell (but you can see it from here) and read the comments. Warning: strong language. One of the commenters there included a link to the photo page of the 173rd Airborne Brigade which shows how a bunch of battle-hardened paratroopers deals with hard rain during a public ceremony. Notice how soaked those uniforms are. Of course the VIP's and visiting dignitaries are under a roofed pavilion, something the White House staff might have given consideration to in setting up this botched press conference. Our metrosexual commander-in-chief should understand that those Marines are not his butlers. Watch related AT Video: "Violation: Obama Uses Marines to Hold His Umbrella"