LEADERSHIP 101

They don't get it.

That's the problem with these presidential photo stunts. Eventually, the facts have a way of catching up with them. Today's rave review is tomorrow's dangling embarrassment - and then where are you? - symbolizing something very different from what was intended.

Presidential photo stunts? Hardly. But then, seems folks have a way of forgetting we are at war.

And they forget we are asking our Soldiers to fight that war.

But the President doesn't forget. And he doesn't forget that he is the Commander in Chief of every one of our Soldiers.

Military leaders have a long tradition of serving their Soldiers on Thanksgiving Day. It is a symbolic gesture that reminds all involved, Soldiers and leaders, that true leadership is all about serving those under your command.

Re-read that please...it is a point that many do not get. Leadership is about service to those under your command.

Now I realize that many don't see it that way. Many so-called leaders think their time in command is somehow about them and what all these Soldiers can do for them.

But they get it wrong.

And Mr. Bush got it exactly right on Thanksgiving day. Those who call this a photo op do not understand the nature of Soldiers, the responsibilities of leadership and the awesome duties of the Commander in Chief.

It was about the Soldiers. It was about Soldiers seeing their leaders do more than simply order Soldiers into unpleasant places to do unpleasant things. It was about a leader who climbed down from his place of comfort to walk a brief hundred yards in the Soldiers' boots. It was about boosting morale.

And it worked. It worked in spades.

The Soldiers know. They know the enormous risk the President took. They know he didn't have to. Not a single one among them would have blamed the President for spending Thanksgiving day in Texas, or DC or anywhere else there are Americans. But the President chose to spend the time with Soldiers.

And that little gesture recharged Soldiers who have been on the job without a break for over 200 days.

Photo op? No...it is called leadership. It is called service.