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| Obama's Frightening Insensitivity Following Shooting |
| 2009-11-06 |
| President Obama didn't wait long after Tuesday's devastating elections to give critics another reason to question his leadership, but this time the subject matter was more grim than a pair of governorships. After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. The White House was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective. But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a "shout-out" to "Dr. Joe Medicine Crow -- that Congressional Medal of Honor winner." Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him? Anyone at home aware of the major news story of the previous hours had to have been stunned. An incident like this requires a scrapping of the early light banter. The president should apologize for the tone of his remarks, explain what has happened, express sympathy for those slain and appeal for calm and patience until all the facts are in. That's the least that should occur. Indeed, an argument could be made that Obama should have canceled the Indian event, out of respect for people having been murdered at an Army post a few hours before. That would have prevented any sort of jarring emotional switch at the event. Did the president's team not realize what sort of image they were presenting to the country at this moment? The disconnect between what Americans at home knew had been going on -- and the initial words coming out of their president's mouth was jolting, if not disturbing. It must have been disappointing for many politically aware Democrats, still reeling from the election two days before. The New Jersey gubernatorial vote had already demonstrated that the president and his political team couldn't produce a winning outcome in a state very friendly to Democrats (and where the president won by 15 points one year ago). And now this? Congressional Democrats must wonder if a White House that has burdened them with a too-heavy policy agenda over the last year has a strong enough political operation to help push that agenda through. If the president's communications apparatus can't inform -- and protect -- their boss during tense moments when the country needs to see a focused commander-in-chief and a compassionate head of state, it has disastrous consequences for that president's party and supporters. All the president's men (and women) fell down on the job Thursday. And Democrats across the country have real reason to panic. |
| Posted by: |
| #17 Maybe we should start making 'PTSD' excuses for Bambi, too. |
| Posted by: Woozle Uneter9007 2009-11-06 23:24 |
| #16 The Emperor has no clothes ! but being the true politician he continues dithering oblivious to those pointing their finger back at his. |
| Posted by: Dale 2009-11-06 21:01 |
| #15 "I wanna give a shout out..." classless asshole |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-11-06 20:30 |
| #14 Obama's Pet Teleprompter. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2009-11-06 19:36 |
| #13 Barry didn't look to ... 'with it' during his TV appearance following the incident. Maybe he had some sort of a connection to the SOB. Something that needs looking into. Just say'n. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-11-06 19:28 |
| #12 He also managed to turn it around to be all about him, don't forget that. “I want all of you to know that as commander in chief, that there's no greater honor but also no greater responsibility for me than to make sure that the extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for and that their safety and security when they are at home is provided for us.” Class act....not. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-11-06 18:37 |
| #11 Frightening, but not actually surprising. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2009-11-06 18:00 |
| #10 the president thanked various staffers and offered a "shout-out" to "Dr. Joe Medicine Crow -- that Congressional Medal of Honor winner." Everyone here probably already knows this, but the doctor is NOT a CMOH recipient. He was awarded the PMoF in 2009... by Obama. I. am. aghast. I would think that Dr. Medicine Crow is too. |
| Posted by: Free Radical 2009-11-06 17:31 |
| #9 We are governed by a three-year-old. How very, very frightening. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-11-06 17:24 |
| #8 Obumble 'nuff siad. (BTW: I originally picked that name from a posting at Jawa...) |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-11-06 14:31 |
| #7 Noticed that didja? Obama does not know what the hell he is doing. I disagree. He just doesn't give a damn. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-11-06 14:15 |
| #6 There's a description of Obama that's become a catchphrase of sorts on the Brothers Judd site. I kind of like it: "The clothes have no emperor." I respectfully submit that this should become a meme. Help support this effort by using it everywhere you can. |
| Posted by: Mike 2009-11-06 14:10 |
| #5 The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective. I'm so f*&#ing sick of hearing this sort of lame line. I have yet to see evidence of any REAL eloquence from this emptiest of empty suits. Smoove banality: yes, too much - eloquence: not a whiff. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2009-11-06 11:44 |
| #4 Keep this principle in mind - it's all about him. Then everything starts to make sense. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-11-06 11:42 |
| #3 Obama is all about Obama. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2009-11-06 11:42 |
| #2 I don't think it's hostility to the military, though he certainly has some of that. It's far simpler than that. Obama does not know what the hell he is doing. On anything. |
| Posted by: Mike 2009-11-06 11:12 |
| #1 I saw this live yesterday. It's true - the guy was completely disconnected from all that was going on at Ft Hood, 'cause we all know he doesn't give a rats ass about our service personnel. Stunning. My jaw hit the floor so hard I'm still stepping on teeth. Hey Obambi, how's that Afghanistan dither going for ya? |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2009-11-06 10:21 |