A bad week for Democrats compounded by an awful moment for Barack Obama.
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?
THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody have a seat. Let me first of all just thank Ken and the entire Department of the Interior staff for organizing just an extraordinary conference. I want to thank my Cabinet members and senior administration officials who participated today. I hear that Dr. Joe Medicine Crow was around, and so I want to give a shout-out to that Congressional Medal of Honor** winner. It’s good to see you. (Applause.)
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.
I have to agree, it was very odd when Shep cut to the press conference to cover the President's remarks on the shooting, and he started talking about some conference, and giving shout outs to his homies....
*The phrase obama's pet goat moment is popping up all over the internet...
**He was awarded the Medal of Freedom, not Medal of Honor.
For full coverage of the shooting tragedy, check out memorandum. They have links to hundreds of stories.
I too was shocked at the comments The Prez made to the Country. There was no leadership. No feeling. No hope.
ReplyDeleteMr. GW Bush was (and wasn't) many things, but one thing you could count on was how he would address the Nation. If Mr. Obama keeps this routine, will history regard GWB as the second "Great Communicator?"
Just a thought...
ReplyDeleteThis is what Obama said on the recent Fort Hood shooting: " "We don't know all the answers yet, and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts."
This is what he said on the Gates issue (without knowing the facts): "I don’t know – not having been there and not seeing all the facts – what role race played in that, but I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two that the Cambridge police acted stupidly..."First, he didn't know the facts and yet accused the officer of acting stupidly, yet now, regarding Hasan, he "cautions" us against "jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts"... Fishy?
typical...
ReplyDelete