NBC: Obama's Frightening Insensitivity Following Shooting
NBC TV News of Chicago is saying '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?" says NBC TV News of Chicago.
Public Advocate President Eugene Delgaudio said "This Obama appearance was hours after the incident was being reported. Here we have a major incident involving the loss of life of American soldiers and I hear the President squeezing in a brief mention during another event which he should have cancelled and not appeared at in the first place. It was horrible."
Good job for NBC news. The rest of us were just stunned to see a President basically dismiss a mass shooting in this manner.