President Obama got the loudest applause for saying he would raise military pay.
Speaking at the Camp Lejeune Marine base today, the president received tentative, but growing applause when he pledged to remove combat brigades from Iraq in 2010 and all U.S. troops by 2011.
When his speech turned away from foreign policy and onto military policy, almost every sentence became an applause line.
The crowd of Marines and select family members clapped when Obama said that they had volunteered "when so many people and institutions have acted irresponsibly."
They applauded when he said he would make military families "a top priority," provide child care and new hospital facilities and implement a "21st Century G.I. Bill."
But they went wild when he said he would raise their pay.
"I figured that'd be an applause line," Obama ad-libbed afterward.
As he was closing, Obama received applause for one other line that touched on both foreign and military policy.
"As long as I am your Commander-in-Chief, I promise you that I will only send you into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary, and provide you with the equipment and support you need to get the job done," he said.
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