Obama's Frightening Insensitivity Following Shooting

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

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.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/A-...-President.html

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[_Simpson_ 250]

I seen the last half of his speech and it seemed just fine to me.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

hehehe...teleprompter...hehehe.

[SunDrop 59]

If your take on Obama's response is motivated in part by non-democratic political beliefs, it's only fair to look at the most recent republican president's reaction to shocking events:

“It was an interesting day.”—President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]

Authorities knew when the planes deviated off course, that they'd been hijacked. The first plane crashed in the WTC at 8.43am. The President sat down in a classroom full of children at 9.03am.

When Hurricane Katerina struck New Orleans and the levees broke on the Monday, he was on vacation. He stayed on vacation for 3 days Monday through Wednesday, while VP Cheney spent 4 days on vacation from Monday to Thursday. Sec. of State Rice started her vacation of 3 days on the Tuesday.

Quoting the NY Times editorial, when President Bush finally made a speech:

"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end."

Whatever your politics, and whatever the politics of the President in question, they're capable of erring on the side of poor judgment. I personally don't think that dismissing the Tribal Nations Conference would have been at all advisable. Yes, a US Army Major went 'postal' and killed 13 recruits. It is appalling. But really, what was the President going to do? Hop on a chopper and fly out to meet the relatives and offer personal condolences. I'd honestly want to kick him in the nuts if I were the relative of one of the deceased and he showed up in the minutes of my initial trauma. Clinton had the tact to wait a month before visiting the Columbine community after its shooting tragedy. This recent event is not a civil matter and won't be handled in civil courts.

It should also be noted that Bush and his aides hardly passed any comment on the Red Lake, Minnesota shootings, that were the worst event of its kind following Columbine. According to the LA Times, when "asked why the president had not commented on the shootings ... White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Bush's priority was to ensure that the FBI and Department of Justice provided support to the community."

*shrugs*

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Hey but Bush responded so well to Katrina. That was gold standard stuff. Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!

[SMR 368]

If your take on Obama's response is motivated in part by non-democratic political beliefs, it's only fair to look at the most recent republican president's reaction to shocking events:

“It was an interesting day.”—President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]

Authorities knew when the planes deviated off course, that they'd been hijacked. The first plane crashed in the WTC at 8.43am. The President sat down in a classroom full of children at 9.03am.

When Hurricane Katerina struck New Orleans and the levees broke on the Monday, he was on vacation. He stayed on vacation for 3 days Monday through Wednesday, while VP Cheney spent 4 days on vacation from Monday to Thursday. Sec. of State Rice started her vacation of 3 days on the Tuesday.

Quoting the NY Times editorial, when President Bush finally made a speech:

"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end."

Whatever your politics, and whatever the politics of the President in question, they're capable of erring on the side of poor judgment. I personally don't think that dismissing the Tribal Nations Conference would have been at all advisable. Yes, a US Army Major went 'postal' and killed 13 recruits. It is appalling. But really, what was the President going to do? Hop on a chopper and fly out to meet the relatives and offer personal condolences. I'd honestly want to kick him in the nuts if I were the relative of one of the deceased and he showed up in the minutes of my initial trauma. Clinton had the tact to wait a month before visiting the Columbine community after its shooting tragedy. This recent event is not a civil matter and won't be handled in civil courts.

It should also be noted that Bush and his aides hardly passed any comment on the Red Lake, Minnesota shootings, that were the worst event of its kind following Columbine. According to the LA Times, when "asked why the president had not commented on the shootings ... White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Bush's priority was to ensure that the FBI and Department of Justice provided support to the community."

*shrugs*

So, you assume that all Obama critics think Bush did a good job? The "blame Bush" and "Bush did it, too" responses are getting kind of old. If the only redeeming quality for Obama is that he isn't Bush, it's hard to understand why he was elected president, when there are hundreds of millions of Americans that also aren't Bush.

Edited November 6, 2009 by SMR

[sly_wolf 199]

If your take on Obama's response is motivated in part by non-democratic political beliefs, it's only fair to look at the most recent republican president's reaction to shocking events:

“It was an interesting day.”—President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]

Authorities knew when the planes deviated off course, that they'd been hijacked. The first plane crashed in the WTC at 8.43am. The President sat down in a classroom full of children at 9.03am.

When Hurricane Katerina struck New Orleans and the levees broke on the Monday, he was on vacation. He stayed on vacation for 3 days Monday through Wednesday, while VP Cheney spent 4 days on vacation from Monday to Thursday. Sec. of State Rice started her vacation of 3 days on the Tuesday.

Quoting the NY Times editorial, when President Bush finally made a speech:

"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end."

Whatever your politics, and whatever the politics of the President in question, they're capable of erring on the side of poor judgment. I personally don't think that dismissing the Tribal Nations Conference would have been at all advisable. Yes, a US Army Major went 'postal' and killed 13 recruits. It is appalling. But really, what was the President going to do? Hop on a chopper and fly out to meet the relatives and offer personal condolences. I'd honestly want to kick him in the nuts if I were the relative of one of the deceased and he showed up in the minutes of my initial trauma. Clinton had the tact to wait a month before visiting the Columbine community after its shooting tragedy. This recent event is not a civil matter and won't be handled in civil courts.

It should also be noted that Bush and his aides hardly passed any comment on the Red Lake, Minnesota shootings, that were the worst event of its kind following Columbine. According to the LA Times, when "asked why the president had not commented on the shootings ... White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Bush's priority was to ensure that the FBI and Department of Justice provided support to the community."

*shrugs*

Agreed. Unfortunately many people will find that he will never do anything right. Their whining started before he even became president.

[_Simpson_ 250]

If your take on Obama's response is motivated in part by non-democratic political beliefs, it's only fair to look at the most recent republican president's reaction to shocking events:

“It was an interesting day.”—President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]

Authorities knew when the planes deviated off course, that they'd been hijacked. The first plane crashed in the WTC at 8.43am. The President sat down in a classroom full of children at 9.03am.

When Hurricane Katerina struck New Orleans and the levees broke on the Monday, he was on vacation. He stayed on vacation for 3 days Monday through Wednesday, while VP Cheney spent 4 days on vacation from Monday to Thursday. Sec. of State Rice started her vacation of 3 days on the Tuesday.

Quoting the NY Times editorial, when President Bush finally made a speech:

"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end."

Whatever your politics, and whatever the politics of the President in question, they're capable of erring on the side of poor judgment. I personally don't think that dismissing the Tribal Nations Conference would have been at all advisable. Yes, a US Army Major went 'postal' and killed 13 recruits. It is appalling. But really, what was the President going to do? Hop on a chopper and fly out to meet the relatives and offer personal condolences. I'd honestly want to kick him in the nuts if I were the relative of one of the deceased and he showed up in the minutes of my initial trauma. Clinton had the tact to wait a month before visiting the Columbine community after its shooting tragedy. This recent event is not a civil matter and won't be handled in civil courts.

It should also be noted that Bush and his aides hardly passed any comment on the Red Lake, Minnesota shootings, that were the worst event of its kind following Columbine. According to the LA Times, when "asked why the president had not commented on the shootings ... White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Bush's priority was to ensure that the FBI and Department of Justice provided support to the community."

*shrugs*

Who cares, Bush isn't the president anymore.

[chri'stina 190]

If your take on Obama's response is motivated in part by non-democratic political beliefs, it's only fair to look at the most recent republican president's reaction to shocking events:

“It was an interesting day.”—President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]

Authorities knew when the planes deviated off course, that they'd been hijacked. The first plane crashed in the WTC at 8.43am. The President sat down in a classroom full of children at 9.03am.

When Hurricane Katerina struck New Orleans and the levees broke on the Monday, he was on vacation. He stayed on vacation for 3 days Monday through Wednesday, while VP Cheney spent 4 days on vacation from Monday to Thursday. Sec. of State Rice started her vacation of 3 days on the Tuesday.

Quoting the NY Times editorial, when President Bush finally made a speech:

"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end."

Whatever your politics, and whatever the politics of the President in question, they're capable of erring on the side of poor judgment. I personally don't think that dismissing the Tribal Nations Conference would have been at all advisable. Yes, a US Army Major went 'postal' and killed 13 recruits. It is appalling. But really, what was the President going to do? Hop on a chopper and fly out to meet the relatives and offer personal condolences. I'd honestly want to kick him in the nuts if I were the relative of one of the deceased and he showed up in the minutes of my initial trauma. Clinton had the tact to wait a month before visiting the Columbine community after its shooting tragedy. This recent event is not a civil matter and won't be handled in civil courts.

It should also be noted that Bush and his aides hardly passed any comment on the Red Lake, Minnesota shootings, that were the worst event of its kind following Columbine. According to the LA Times, when "asked why the president had not commented on the shootings ... White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Bush's priority was to ensure that the FBI and Department of Justice provided support to the community."

*shrugs*

So, you assume that all Obama critics think Bush did a good job? The blame Bush and Bush did it, too responses are getting kind of old. If the only redeeming quality for Obama is that he isn't Bush, it's hard to understand why he was elected president, when there are hundreds of millions of Americans that also aren't Bush.

Hmm true. People can criticize their own party and should, or else you're an ideologue imo.

As for the original post I don't know what to say because I sometimes don't know whether people are posting stuff for real or just for a reaction. I don't see the big deal in what Obama said but I only saw part of it. *shrug*

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Unfortunately many people will find that he [Obama] will never do anything right. Their whining started before he even became president.

[SunDrop 59]

So, you assume that all Obama critics think Bush did a good job? The "blame Bush" and "Bush did it, too" responses are getting kind of old. If the only redeeming quality for Obama is that he isn't Bush, it's hard to understand why he was elected president, when there are hundreds of millions of Americans that also aren't Bush.

Never said that. I stated that I was using the most recent Republican President as a comparative example, if the case was that the OP was being critical of Obama's actions because of his (unknown) political persuasions. I'm certainly not arguing that Obama's only redeeming quality is that he isn't Bush! To the contrary, I went on to say that irrespective of their political affiliation, they can all make "mistakes" if this is what they are perceived to be.

Who cares, Bush isn't the president anymore.

I drew on past Presidents' reactions to shocking events, not just Bush. How can you debate the validity of anyone's behaviour/ reaction unless you examine previous examples of similar situations? It's not about 'caring', but formulating an informed debate...

Apparently, looking at the OP's second post his issues are not related to politics, but race:

"Hey but Bush responded so well to Katrina. That was gold standard stuff. Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!"

This always baffles me. He is genetically as much white as he is black and the product of an inter racial/ cultural relationship. Everyone on this message board is entering into one of these (with the exception of those few petitioning for non-marital relationships) so let's keep racial prejudice out of it, please.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Apparently, looking at the OP's second post his issues are not related to politics, but race:

"Hey but Bush responded so well to Katrina. That was gold standard stuff. Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!"

This always baffles me. He is genetically as much white as he is black and the product of an inter racial/ cultural relationship. Everyone on this message board is entering into one of these (with the exception of those few petitioning for non-marital relationships) so let's keep racial prejudice out of it, please.

You have no idea what "Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!" is a reference to, do you?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Apparently, looking at the OP's second post his issues are not related to politics, but race:

"Hey but Bush responded so well to Katrina. That was gold standard stuff. Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!"

This always baffles me. He is genetically as much white as he is black and the product of an inter racial/ cultural relationship. Everyone on this message board is entering into one of these (with the exception of those few petitioning for non-marital relationships) so let's keep racial prejudice out of it, please.

You have no idea what "Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!" is a reference to, do you?

It sure would appear that he doesn't know who Michael "Heck of a Job" Brown was.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Hey! Bush sucked. Our current President is just following a long established tradition of sucking as President.

Edited November 6, 2009 by Lone Ranger