By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is back again using a U.S. Navy warship as a vessel of political pandering. At a hurriedly convened Pentagon ceremony Friday, Mr. Mabus announced that the next littoral combat ship, LCS-10, would be named for former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona Democrat. Mrs. Giffords recently resigned her congressional seat to focus on recovering from wounds she received in a tragic January 2011 shooting. There are many appropriate ways to honor Mrs. Giffords, but this is not one of them.

It’s obvious that generating election-year headlines is the primary motivator here. Mrs. Giffords was not a noted sponsor or co-sponsor of any major legislation related to the LCS in particular or the sea services generally. The Navy Department said she was known for “advocating for renewable energy and championing border security,” which are not exactly core Navy missions.

Mr. Mabus said... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/13/obama-hijacks-the-navy/