Originally posted by vor78
I thought the whole episode was really in bad taste, considering the gravity of the situation.

What was in bad taste? I don't understand...

i don't think it was wrong for him to give a shout out. maybe in bad form before talking about ft hood..but i dont think its too big of a deal. he couldve waited till after and been criticized for jumping off it too quick.

i think what is odd is that the media will not bring this up, where if this was during the election, and mccain, or especially palin made this mistake, they'd be ripped apart for making a small mistake. and if bush was president, he'd get that treatment too.

it shows the leaning of the media.

I do not care for bush or obama, but if this was bush, the daily show would be laughing its socks off.

Hypocrites, and do not say this is a right left rubbish statement. Its a fact you people are hypocrites towards obama.

I just wonder if obama can fill a whole dvd of blunders liek bush can, and will the media feed that into your psyche, i doubt it.

I was waiting for the President to speak about what had just taken place at Ft. Hood..He finally comes on, and I'm listening thinking.."Did they not go live, and accidently put up an earlier taped speech" Then almost 3 minutes into his "Shout outs" and laughing, with a smile on his face..I realize it is in fact live...I was thinking.."What the hell is wrong with this man" Loved ones of those just shot are sitting at home, glued to the tv waiting for any word on what just took place, and Obama comes on joking, laughing, giving his shout outs..
I was completely floored, and disgusted with his lack of caring, his lack of sympathy... This man is a complete EGO MANIAC, who should not be able to run a meeting, much less our country. He is a DISGRACE to OUR United States of America. If that's the Change everyone voted for, wanted, and accept, then I am NOT living in the America I once knew, and by God with all I have, all that I am, I will do everything in my power to help take back our country and restore it to what it once was...
For those posting, who say that they don't see his shout outs, or joking, as a big deal, or dont understand why it's become a big deal, maybe you should step back away from your damn party, and see the coldness of his actions..Maybe you should step into the shoes of the loved ones at home, gathered around the tv waiting for word on thier son or daughter..Instead they got 3 min. of "Shout outs" and jokes from our leader of "Change"

Originally posted by MissysWorld
Maybe you should step into the shoes of the loved ones at home, gathered around the tv waiting for word on thier son or daughter..Instead they got 3 min. of "Shout outs" and jokes from our leader of "Change"

Looking at the incident from afar, as I said before, I found it 'distasteful'. But now that you've put it in that context, which is something I hadn't really even considered before now, you're right...its actually infuriating.

He did seem entirely to cavalier before his statements on Fort Hood. It isn't the worst thing a president can do, but I think it shows his true nature. In a moment like that I want my president to march up to the microphone and deliver something reassuring or poignant. I don't want him swaggering to the lectern, joking, smiling, and giving shout outs.

To me it was very disrespectful to the families, the wounded, and the slain. It shows that their suffering does not affect him in the least. It also makes me wonder how much he really cares about the average citizen. If he doesn’t care about the people that have sacrificed day in and day out for centuries, to ensure that we have a president instead of a king, what makes me important enough for him to care?

I, too, was waiting for him to get to the point I had tuned in for - The President of the United States was supposed to be addressing the nation about the current ongoing tragedy at Ft. Hood.
I waited while he joked and talked about something else entirely, and left us wondering what giant piece of the puzzle we had missed. What was he talking about?!
Then came the "shout out", like he finally got his chance to be on tv or something!
We all noticed and thought it was incredibly disrespectful. Just not the right time or place for such a comment.

So our benevolent leader was giving a shout out prior to his statement on Ft. Hood. So was he at a pep rally? That strikes me as unprofessional. Given what he was supposed to comment on that was tasteless. No matter where he was prior to hearing about the shooting he should have put on his potus shoes and acted like the leader of this country Instead we get shout out's? Obama is not a leader and he just showed what he really is

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Oh! OK. I see what you're saying. But look. Your video clip was at the Department of the Interior. He was there to speak at the Tribal Nations Conference. He gave the opening and closing statements. He just heard about the shooting and announced his feelings on it there. This was NOT a press conference for the shooting despite what FOX news splayed across their screen. Notice the flags in the background. But if y'all need something else to be outraged at him about, carry on.

[edit on 6-11-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

For 8 years Bush got butchered for less, MUCH less and was regularly skewered on television. I recall hearing all of the MSM and news shows railing on him for reading a children's book during 9/11. To use your reasoning, that was NOT a press conference for 9/11 despite what CNN and MSNBC splayed, REPEATEDLY, across their screen. He had just learned of the attacks and responded the best way he knew how at that moment.

Now, I'm not defending Bush - I thought the guy was a baffoon. But I feel it is safe to say that Obama is as big a buffoon but in a much more dangerous way - because he is a narcicist!

I think what people are referring to is that REGARDLESS of the occassion, or his reason for being there, he IS the POTUS - first and foremost. When a tragedy of this magnitude occurs it is his OBLIGATION to address the bigger audience first. That audience being ALL OF THE CITIZENS of the US. In summary, regardless of the event at hand it should have been handled like it was a press conference! For Christ's sake - you cannot excuse the POTUS for shirking his responsibilites because he was busy giving a different speech! We already know that the left and the MSM wouldn't allow it under Bush - so why the excuse making now??? It reeks of self-rightousness under the best of circumstances and hypocrisy under the worst.