Obama to give Joplin Graduation Commencement

So, I saw this first on my family's Facebook pages. The Joplin High School is still conducting classes from their local shopping mall. The High School is not rebuilt yet. The city is well into recovery though, and the economy is booming from the rebuilding efforts.

So, what better place for Obama to speak from? Of course, as with all politicians, this is just opportunistic in nature. Joplin has persevered, they are an icon of Midwestern Values, tenacity, resilience, and with the influx of FEMA money, insurance money, outpouring of charity and donations from as far away as Saudi Arabia, they are a vision of economic prosperity and growth at the moment. What politician wouldn't want to be seen in that light during an election year?

I know some will say he is sincere. It's possible I suppose.

Here's the ABC news snippet....

President Barack Obama will speak at Joplin High School's commencement, a year after a tornado struck just after the ceremony, killing more than 160 people and destroying much of the city.

The high school was among the thousands of homes and buildings destroyed, and students have been attending classes in a nearby mall this year. Word traveled quickly through the student body Monday after the White House announced the president would speak at the May 21 graduation. He'll also deliver remarks at Barnard College's May 14 commencement and the Air Force Academy's May 23 graduation.

ABC News

He has nerve. After what happened when he popped up to speak in the midst of ongoing search and rescue operations...I'll give him points for that. I'm not sure how many I know in Joplin will give him points for much, but nerve is something he's not short on. I doubt popping up a second time will get him much in the way of additional votes. At least in this area.

There is one good thing about the Campaigner in Chief showing up for a photo op. He won't be there long....and more importantly, the White House people will want everything to look nice and pretty and perfect. That should leave at least some improvements for the kids after he jets off to his next campaign stop.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Yep, I don't think there are many Obama votes to be had in Joplin, MO, but the MSM will paint a pretty picture of him there in the midst of their newfound prosperity and resilience, and it will win him votes across the country, while the people in Joplin just roll their eyes and cringe.

The comments on Facebook from folks in Joplin are not too positive so far.

He does have nerve though!

reply to post by getreadyalready


I find myself scratching my head over this thread.

I can't wait for the thread where Obama takes a dump and someone takes offense to it.

He's coming to my state too but I'm not paying anything to go see him.

reply to post by The Sword


Well, if you were from Joplin, it might make more sense.

The first time he visited it delayed rescue efforts a full day, pulled 90% of the resources from the rescue, and made traversing an already tornado ravaged town impossible. Even W. was smart enough to only fly over NOLA, he didn't waste resources by touching down there.

Joplin, MO is about 95% white, Conservative, religious in nature. It is low to lower-middle class in income. It has a small University, and even the University is conservative in nature. There is not a lot of secondary education level in Joplin, except for the Medical Profession, but the majority of the Medical Profession left after the largest hospital was destroyed by the tornado.

In short, Obama is not looking to win votes in Joplin, and he knows this, so the appearance is simply a publicity stunt for the rest of the country.

Don't get me wrong though, if I were a student at the High School, I would be VERY excited about having the sitting president speak at my commencement. I'm happy for the high school kids and their parents, and I don't fault Obama for the savvy marketing of himself during this election year, but to most of the residents in Joplin, there was already a very bad taste left from his last visit, and this is just making it worse.

reply to post by getreadyalready

Very well put in explaining why this isn't just another thing to make hay over Obama about because it's Obama. He really did deeply offend and upset a good % of the community in that visit. That is really the only thing Bush could have done worse himself for Katrina. Funny as it sounds. Landing for a photo op would have been a real slap.

.....and it was.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Actually the senior class sent a letter to the white house inviting Obama. They did not think it would actually result in him coming to graduation so this was a somewhat pleasant surprise. Ceremonies are going to be held at MSSU's campus.

Had he invited himself I would think it were a campaign stunt. Since he did not, and as much as he annoys me, im willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Respect the office, not the person.

reply to post by Xcathdra


It is great for the Sr. class, no doubt about that. And Joplin has been on the map before. Bush Sr. spoke at the college there when I was in high school. I got to meet him and shake his hand.

Still, it seems awfully convenient for Obama to be appearing at one of the few places in the country with extreme economic growth and very low unemployment at the moment. I have been saying Obama would be a genius at painting a picture for this election cycle. By the end of the summer he will have a lot of people believing the economy is in full recovery and unemployment is down, and he will have the stats to back it up, and he will campaign from places like Joplin where there is recent upswing and success.

I work in government, and just yesterday I took a call from a citizen that was extremely upset with my department, but they were convinced that because of Obama, their street had been paved this year, and their mail was running on time lately. Not making that up, it is 100% true! Obama will have people believing every good thing that has happened is because of him and every bad thing is because of the Republicans. He is an excellent speaker and an excellent campaigner, and he plans to raise the first $1B ever for a campaign!

Maybe his visit to Joplin is sincere, and even if it isn't, it is still a nice thing for the Sr. Class, but to me it seems like the first of many campaign stops.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I didnt think about the Joplin economy hopping view point. I keep forgetting that Joplin is a bit better off than the other parts of the country because of the damage the tornado did, and the building / business boom as a result.

I will reserve judgment on this one issue though to see how Obama and his team portray the visit. If he sticks to just the school graduation then I will give him the benefiet of the doubt. If the trip is used as a political backdrop then yeah, im with you lol.

Then of course you have talking heads like Mike Malloy calling the people that died in the whole series of tornadoes throughout the MidWest bible belt "little grease spots on the pavement" and Obama says nothing!!! NOTHING! Yet rebukes Limbaugh for calling a progressive agitator a slut.

The people of Joplin and that entire area affected by these twisters do not need Obama. They will take care of each other. Any gesture beyond the customary financial assistance is just campaign BS from Obama.

reply to post by Xcathdra

Actually the senior class sent a letter to the white house inviting Obama.

As our paths cross again, Once again you misrepresent the truth of what’s really going on here in Joplin.

The senior class did not “write” a letter to Obama inviting him to speak…………..

If you lived here you would know that was not the case and many were very upset because it would limit “who” and how many could attend the event.

WHITE HOUSE CALLING

Huff said White House personnel reached out to him last week about the president speaking at the graduation.

“We got a phone call from the White House about a week ago and started negotiating a time,” Huff said in an interview at the Joplin High School campus at Northpark Mall. He had just come out of a meeting with a few high school seniors and parents where he announced the news.

School board President Ashley Micklethwaite said the president’s planned commencement address is a real honor. She said White House personnel contacted Huff about a week ago with tentative information, but details weren’t firm until the weekend.

Joplin Globe

Anyone who would like to verify my information please just contact the Joplin School Board to verify.

What happened here in Joplin was a tragedy that has changed the people and the landscape of our community forever. And for those who are members here who have come forth with FALSE information concerning the tornado event here in Joplin brings me to a boiling point.

As far as this members comments about Joplin they are FALSE…………Including those that were made in the “Closed” Joplin thread from last year………….

Unfortunately ATS’s new member screening processes cannot screen out those members that come here with an agenda.

I have no problem doing a phone interview to become a member here!

Enough said, you can be the judge……………….

As far as Joplin,

I have not watched his speech which can be found on YouTube I believe. But I did hear he did a “good” job. “They” say it only went political for about 10 seconds………..

It was a good day for those seniors to have a sitting President to be part of their big day……………

Getready………..

As far as the economic situation here…………….Yes, there is a good amount of construction.

Although my company is no longer evolved with FEMA, I do still get email updates.

A couple of weeks ago the occupancy break down for those still in FEMA trailers were around 600 families that were still in trailers. Of those 600 families only 7 were families that were displaced that owned a home. All others were renting a home or apt when the tornado struck.

This speaks volumes about the housing market and the future construction of new homes.

My neighbor jumped on the band wagon last summer and invested his money as a “builder” with plans to build some 200 homes over the next couple of years. He has completed several homes and they are not moving as quickly as he thought they would.

Employment here is crazy, meaning I have been hiring since last May with very few prospects wanting to work.

Most of the calls that I receive are the required job search calls to continue their unemployment benefits.

My company lost 35% of its business that dreadful day last year..........It has taken one year just to get back to where we were in 2011.

There is a HUGE shortage for medical staff here in Joplin. Although the most expensive hospital ever built from ground up in the US is being built here in Joplin, staffing is and will be an issue.

My prediction will be that Freeman Hospital will take a noise dive........

If you have to go to Freeman Hospital, you better plan on spending the night in the ER…………I have had two clients over the past six months who went to the ER and needed to be admitted to a room that ran into a snag…………..

To be admitted into Freeman Hospital and get a room, the family had to “privately” hire a registered CNA to attend to their loved one while they were in the hospital…………

That speaks volumes as well to the available work force here in Joplin. You can go anywhere around town and see “Help Wanted” signs.

For those displaced workers that remained in Joplin, entitlements have replaced their desire to work……….

Overall in Joplin, we are standing on our feet thanks to all the volunteers that swarmed our town.

But we have very difficult times ahead as we all do in the US………..

Thats my quick view..........

reply to post by Cloudsinthesky


Thanks Clouds!

I've heard almost identical sentiments. I've had family members go to the Joplin ER, get triaged, and then they were asked to make an appointment with their primary or go 60 miles to Springfield to get care. The Freeman Hospital is extremely overworked and understaffed at the moment. I have also heard a couple of unfortunate tragedies that have happened as a result of substandard care during this chaotic time, and many of my friends and family are choosing on their own to drive to Springfield or Tulsa for healthcare.

The housing and job market has been a GIANT BOON for some of my friends and family. My ex-wife is making quadruple her normal salary and she has hired 1 full-time assistant and 2 temporary assistants to help her with all the work that is flooding in. At the same time some of builders and investors I know are making 100% to 300% on their investments in tornado damaged properties. Buying homes for $15k to $45k and remodelling and selling for $100k to $150k, and the homes are sold even before the repairs are finished.

I've also heard stories of much fraud and abuse. Money laundering, insurance fraud, federal contract bid-rigging, etc. The stuff I've heard is already 100% confirmed and being prosecuted, but who knows what else is on-going that has never been discovered.

Joplin will come out of this much better than it went in, but it has been a big learning experience for how these "tragedies" are big business for the government and opportunists.