While Hoosiers Bid Emotional Farewell for Troops Bound for Iraq, Baron Hill Enjoys Junket on Tropical Pacific Island

Wednesday morning, I blogged about Baron Hill's vacation to the tropical Pacific island of Guam this week, all as a part of a taxpayer-financed Congressional junket for the New Years holiday.

Wednesday afternoon, twenty thousand Hoosiers gathered in the RCA Dome to bid farewell to 3,400 men and women of the Indiana National Guard that are being deployed to Iraq.

At this ceremony, they were joined by the Governor, the new Mayor of Indianapolis, a United States Senator, and six of Indiana's eight Congressmen.

It was a bipartisan affair.

Republicans Mitch Daniels, Greg Ballard, and Dick Lugar were there, but so were Democratic freshmen Congressmen Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth, standing alongside Republicans Mark Souder, Steve Buyer, Dan Burton, and Mike Pence.

Politics stopped at the door to the stadium, and the Colts weren't even playing.

But Baron Hill, who voted for the war in the first place, couldn't be bothered to be there.

And it wasn't as if there might have been some minor scheduling difficulty.

His vacation to someplace warm, sunny, and tropical was clearly too important to attend a send-off that has been over six months in the making (Guard deployment notices first went out way back during the summer).

Baron's junket, funded by taxpayer dollars (probably with family along), was apparently a better use of his time from his perspective.

90 of Indiana's 92 counties sent 3,400 of their sons and daughters, their brothers and sisters, their mothers and fathers, their friends and family off to fight in Iraq.

To fight in a war that Baron Hill voted to start, and that he has repeatedly changed positions on it whenever the winds have changed, even at the expense of the troops.

Hundreds of the soldiers that shipped out today, perhaps even a plurality, are from the 9th Congressional District.

Baron Hill couldn't be bothered to see them off.

He should just stay on that Pacific island he wanted so much to visit for his vacation.

"Whether we're Bears or Browns or Colts, we're all Americans."
- Bill Polian, President of the Indianapolis Colts

"It's not clear exactly in which week, month or even year it will occur, but this [while you are there] is the critical year."
- Dick Lugar, United States Senator from Indiana

"May the hand of the Lord be upon you ... and may you return our soldiers home to us."
- Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana

"You truly represent the best of America. Thank you."
- Greg Ballard, United States Marine Corps (Retired) & Mayor of Indianapolis

"Help win this war... You are the very best the state of Indiana and the United States of America have to offer."
- Joe Donnelly, United States Congressman from Indiana

"Will Daddy come home with us today?"
"No, not today."
"Is he going to be here a long time?"
- Lilly Halsey and her mother

"I love him and I'll miss him. I'm proud of him. Come home safe."
- David L. McMillen, Vietnam Vet & Father

They said it all.

And so, by not being there, did Baron Hill.