Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

babylonsister

(170,958 posts)
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 05:57 PM Apr 2013

Jonathan Capehart: How much grief can we and Obama take?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/04/18/how-much-grief-can-we-and-obama-take/


How much grief can we and Obama take?

Posted by Jonathan Capehart on April 18, 2013 at 5:40 pm


President Obama in Boston. (Charles Krupa/Associated Press)


How many times has President Obama had to do this? How many times has he had to console a grieving community and a shocked nation? How many times has he had to use his way with words to make sense of tragedy? How many times have we watched a man who keeps his emotions firmly in check be unable to hold back his anger and sadness over the loss of life and injury with each incident? And how many times has his raw expression of empathy or outrage or both tapped into the nation’s mood and spirit?

snip//

April. 15, 2013. Boston. Three were killed and 183 were wounded when two pressure-cooker bombs explode seconds apart near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Your resolve is the greatest rebuke to whoever committed this heinous act. If they sought to intimidate us, to terrorize us, to shake us from those values that [Gov.] Deval [Patrick] described, the values that make us who we are, as Americans — well, it should be pretty clear by now that they picked the wrong city to do it. …

In the words of Dick Hoyt, who’s pushed his disabled son, Rick, in 31 Boston Marathons — “We can’t let something like this stop us.”… And that’s what the perpetrators of such senseless violence — these small, stunted individuals who would destroy instead of build, and think somehow that makes them important — that’s what they don’t understand. Our faith in each other, our love for each other, our love for country, our common creed that cuts across whatever superficial differences there may be — that is our power. That’s our strength. That’s why a bomb can’t beat us. –Obama in Boston on April 18, 2013

Of course, it is the president’s job to be consoler in chief during times of crisis. But for Obama — and the nation — the searing crises never seem to stop.
8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Jonathan Capehart: How much grief can we and Obama take? (Original Post) babylonsister Apr 2013 OP
Thanks Jonathan Capehart OKNancy Apr 2013 #1
The gates of hell have been opened against this president and our people. We're blessed to have him. freshwest Apr 2013 #2
"In the face of cruelty, we will choose compassion"- President Obama, April 2013 Sunlei Apr 2013 #3
He is sincere and good at being consoler treestar Apr 2013 #4
That is why I will NEVER turn my back on this president. The amount of shit thrown Liberal_Stalwart71 Apr 2013 #5
The question I have is: Proud Liberal Dem Apr 2013 #6
thanks babylonsistah Cha Apr 2013 #7
About 15,000 Americans die every day. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2013 #8

OKNancy

(41,832 posts)
1. Thanks Jonathan Capehart
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:06 PM
Apr 2013

The list at the link is a good reminder. I'm glad Obama is the one to be the "consoler".

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
2. The gates of hell have been opened against this president and our people. We're blessed to have him.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 06:20 PM
Apr 2013

Thanks for posting it, babylonsister as these were my thoughts as well.

 

Liberal_Stalwart71

(20,450 posts)
5. That is why I will NEVER turn my back on this president. The amount of shit thrown
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 11:41 AM
Apr 2013

at him is unprecedented. No president has ever had to deal with all of this.

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
6. The question I have is:
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 01:25 PM
Apr 2013

how much more grief can Republicans and their NRA masters take before they finally decide that they care about something more than their next election and that something sensible has to be done? But no, all we get are excuses ("it wouldn't have prevented what's already happened anyway&quot and defeatism ("criminals are just going to break the law anyway&quot from them when pressed to act. Talk about pathetic.

Donald Ian Rankin

(13,598 posts)
8. About 15,000 Americans die every day.
Sat Apr 20, 2013, 10:29 AM
Apr 2013

Non-publicised deaths are no less tragic than ones that make the headlines.

Obama regularly display emotion on camera. I don't know if that emotion is genuine or not. But my guess, I'm afraid, is that at the least it is often deliberate, even if it's not altogether feigned.

Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»2016 Postmortem»Jonathan Capehart: How m...