Limbaugh: Obama Visit to Dover Base a 'Photo Op'

Rush Limbaugh appears on Fox News Sunday.

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh accused President Obama of seeking a "photo op" when he traveled to Dover Air Force Base last week to witness the remains of fallen soldiers being returned from Afghanistan.

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday," the conservative host suggested Obama scheduled the trip in order to dampen criticism over the amount of time it's taken him to overhaul the Afghanistan war strategy.

"It was a photo op. It was a photo op precisely because he's having big-time trouble on this whole Afghanistan dithering situation," Limbaugh said.

Obama traveled to the Delaware military base in the middle of the night last week to see the flag-covered cases unloaded. The trip was made at the end of the deadliest month to date for U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod rejected Limbaugh's criticism Sunday, telling CBS' "Face the Nation" it was "appropriate" for Obama to head to Dover.

"My reaction is that I think that the president of the United States went to Dover to represent the American people and pay his respects to the families who had made so much of a sacrifice, to those brave service people who made the ultimate sacrifice," he said.

On the same show, Independent Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman said he disagreed with Limbaugh as well.

"I think he was there as commander-in-chief for all Americans. And I don't fault him or question his motives at all. I was proud that my president was there," he said.

White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett also defended Obama's trip.

“Well, he wouldn't have done it in public if the families had objected,” Jarrett said on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “So the first and foremost thing is what is important to the families. And I think that it's important for us all to recognize what is at stake…I think it's a reminder about how deep the sacrifice is,” she added.

But even though former President George W. Bush never traveled to Dover to witness the remains being returned, Limbaugh suggested Obama has less respect for the troops than his predecessor.

"I have the benefit of knowing George Bush a little bit, and I've seen him cry talking about missions that he's ordered. I think he has a great, profound, deep respect for the families of all military personnel, and those who have died," Limbaugh said. "I hate to be honest with you here, but I do question (Democrats') commitment to national security. I question their commitment to the U.S. military. They'll put their political survival and their political power being gained over anything else. They'll use anybody and throw anybody away in order to achieve it."

Fox News' Kimberly Schwandt contributed to this report.