Nothing was better than coming back the pier after a long deployment (or even a short one). I have no doubt that Lincoln's crew was anxious to get home. I'm sure that some of them were disappointed that they had to wait an extra day. I am also sure that many of them were actually pretty pleased that the president was coming out visit them; recognition is recognition after all. I can tell you that I have been onboard ships that have been delayed getting into port sometimes by a few hours, sometimes by as much as a day. Many times for reasons beyond the control of the Captain, or event the Carrier Task Force commander; just as in the rest of the world, Shit Happens. And a sailor just has to say a cheery "aye aye" and get on with the Plan of the Day, you'll be in port when you get there, and there's no amount of bitching that's going to change it.
So was the whole "Bottom Gun" episode shameless on the part of the 1600 Crew? Yes, I think so. If in fact, Lincoln were scheduled to be in a day earlier, President 1st LT could have ridden out in Marine One and given his little speech as the ship was transiting the channel inbound to the carrier pier at NAS North Island. They could have had the endless horizon of the Pacific in the background pretty much all the way to Pt Loma as he speechified and thanked the men and women of Lincoln, but the choice was made to have a photo -op and that was just wrong if it cost the crew (and the taxpayers) another night at sea.
As an aviator, I usually got to fly off anyhow (like Lincoln's airwing did after the speech) which made up for delayed entries the surface guys/ships company had to endure.
