I'm sure that many of us have received emails from our angry friends on the other side of the aisle about the disrespect President Obama has shown the troops who prevailed at Normandy 70 years ago. The most common form of the rant looks something like this. Ironically, President Obama has observed the Anniversary of D-Day at the Memorial in Normandy more often than any other President since the practice began in 1984. While there is no possible way to completely eradicate this untruth, I've compiled the daily schedules for June 6th for all the Presidents we've had since the memorial was first observed in 1984 to demonstrate that not only is Obama in line with precedent, he is ahead of the curve. Not that it's going to matter at all. But it makes me feel better at least.
Presidential D-Day (June 6th) Activities from 1984-
Ronald Reagan (Reagan Foundation White House Diary)
1981: Day off at Camp David
1982: Middle of tour of Europe, attended Versailles economic conference. Did not visit Normandy.
1983: Normal work day at Oval Office, Washington D.C.
1984: Attended D-Day memorial celebrations at Normandy (40th Anniversary)
1985: Toured High School in Atlanta in the morning, attendended fund raiser in Alabama for lunch.
1986: Normal work day at Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
1987: In Italy, part of multi-day European tour (did not visit France)
1988: Normal work day at Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
George H. W. Bush
1989: Normal work day, Oval Office, Washington D.C. hosted Pakistani PM Bhutto
1990: Normal Work day, Oval Office, Washington D.C.
1991: Attended Homecoming parade for Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf, Washington, D.C.
1992: Multi-day European Tour, Munich Economic Summit, did not visit France
Bill Clinton
1993:25th Anniversary Memorial Mass for JFK, Arlington National Cemetery
1994: Attended D-Day memorial Celebrations at Normandy (50th Anniversary)
1995: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D. C.
1996: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
1997:Family Day, Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C.
1998: Day Off, Camp David
1999: Day Off, Camp David
2000: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Hosted King Abdullah, Jordan
George W. Bush
2001: Attended dedication of D-Day memorial in Bedford City, VA
2002: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
2003: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
2004: Attended D-Day Memorial Celebrations at Normandy, France (60th Anniversary)
2005: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
2006: Travel to Desert Southwest (Laredo, TX & Artesia NM) along the US Mexico Border
2007: Multi-Country tour of Europe, G8 Summit (does not visit France)
2008: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
Barak Obama
2009: Attended D-Day Memorial Celebrations at Normandy, France (65th Anniversary)
2010: Day Off
2011: Normal Work Day, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
2012: Attended Campaign events in CA
2013: Travelled to North Carolina (Spoke at School), California (DSCC Event)
2014: Attended D-Day Memorial Celebrations at Normandy, France (70th Anniversary)