With the world in chaos, POTUS is watching the Evening News to obtain facts. He will address the nation after the next commercial break...WH Press Secretary
It's been said people buy into the leader before they buy into the vision. Unfortunately, the leader of the Free Word---this President of the U.S.---has neither. In crisis after crisis, President Obama has embarrassingly failed on all counts.
If you recall, immediately following the attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Pres. Obama felt compelled to attend yet another one of many fundraisers in Las Vegas. He did this as the body of our ambassador was being defiled and four heroic Americans were left slumped over their machine guns on the roof of the CIA annex building after being hit by mortar rounds. To make matters even worse, the administration began to subsequently lie like a rug regarding the exact nature of the attacks.
Immediately after the Ft. Hood shooting in April of 2014, he attended fundraisers.
Last week, the president skipped a visit to the border---in the middle of a border crisis---to attend fundraisers.
And then we have the events that unfolded yesterday. An aircraft appears to have been shot down in the Ukraine by someone---still not clear by whom but circumstantial evidence points to Russian separatists. At approximately the same time, Israel sent some ground troops into Gaza. It was one of the biggest news days of the year. Certainly big enough to warrant the attention of the President of the United States.
And what did President Obama do? He referred to the downing of the plane for a whopping 38 seconds while on a photo op to Delaware at a bridge. That was followed-up at yet another photo-op at well-known burger joint. But the day didn't end there. He had enough time left on his schedule to attend two more fundraisers.
To give you some idea of how a president should respond to a crisis, Ronald Reagan is one of the best examples. In response to the downing of Korea Air 007 in 1983, Reagan went on TV (keep in mind that social media did not exist then) and addressed the world. The following are some excerpts from a speech that took more than 10 minutes. Pay particular attention to Reagan's choice of words:
- "I'm coming to you tonight about the Korean airline massacre (note, he said massacre not tragedy)...
- "The attack by the Soviet Union against 269 innocent men, women and children aboard an unarmed passenger plane...
- "This crime against humanity must never be forgotten, here or throughout the world...
- "Let me state as plainly as I can.: There was absolutely no justification, either legal or moral, for what the Soviets did...
- But despite the savagery of the crime...The Soviets still refuse to tell the truth...
- "Our immediate challenge to this atrocity is to ensure we make the skies safer...
- "Since my return to Washington, we've held long meetings...
- "We stand together and move forward with courage...
- "Thank you. God bless you, and good night."
That's how a leader of the Free World should respond to a major crisis. That's how that leader is expected to respond. Unfortunately, we've yet to see that type of leadership coming out of this White House.
