Pope to speak of religion

I ran into the thoroughly unexpected headline "Obama to speak of hope" tonight on the San Francisco Chronicle's web site.  Man, I'm sure no one saw that coming.  As His Hopiness explained:

"It's going to be important, I think, for the country as a whole, as well as the people of Arizona, to feel as if we are speaking directly to our sense of loss, but also speaking to our hopes for the future and how out of this tragedy we can come together as a stronger nation," the president said Tuesday.

Or in other words, he'll spin out a few pro forma platitudes about the murders and then take this exceedingly convenient opportunity to see if, while their defenses are still down, he can re-bamboozle some of the people who've finally started to see through his song and dance.

In Obama's defense, though, this is actually one of the least odious ways in which he exploits human death and suffering for political advantage.

(White House sources report that upon first being told of the killings Obama snorted and said, "Amateur.")

Comments

[QuizmasterChris]

Among other things I wonder who exactly he wants his voters to "come together" with. Presumably the people who are "reloading" and have been driving them into the ground for 30+ years, the people for whom stealing a presidential election is no biggie and who question Obama's citizenship.

I say "his voters" because his political enemies aren't listening and there isn't anything he could say that would make them. So it's a message to his voters to just generally give up. This is what "hope" means apparently... find 'common ground' with the people working to ruin you, on their terms.

Why don't we just "come together" with al Qaeda while we're at it? Wouldn't want to make waves, wouldn't want to appear, y'know, partisan...

[Rosemary Molloy]

It's the damned cliche talk that drives me crazy. They all say the same things and always and forever, tack on "my thoughts and prayers are with...." Would be refreshing to hear "Geez, this is a shame, especially the nine-year-old, but hey, it happens and we have no right to comment, especially since we're engaged in killing kids overseas ourselves. Pray? Nah, I don't believe in that stuff."

[Catherine]

Nice comment, Rosemary.

John, do I hear some anger in your post? Especially the "Amateur" comment, which is right on point.

[mistah charley, ph.d.]

I think the suffering of the parents of the murderer might be greater than that of the parents of the little girl. The little girl's parents don't have the torment of thinking that they did something wrong, whereas the killer's parents are thinking that - and they might even be right. But the boy made his own choices - evil choices. The compassion showed to the killer's parents by their neighbor is inspiring. In a world of sorrow, we should love one another as best we can.

[John Caruso]

mistah charley, you are an inspiration.

...find 'common ground' with the people working to ruin you, on their terms.

Yes, just as both sides really need to tone down their violent rhetoric.

Catherine, I wouldn't say I'm any more angry than usual, though when you stop to consider the full measure of the Killer-in-Chief's hypocrisy here it truly is breathtaking.

[Duncan]

Well, if he had just said, "Hey, fuck that, we're gonna put this muthafucka under the jail, niggaz," Obama would have dispelled the notion that he's a shrinking violet and shown us his working-class roots. Then only his hairdresser would know for sure.

[Happy Jack]

Yes, just as both sides really need to tone down their violent rhetoric.

That's why I look to our rulers like Officer Obie to set an example. You've never heard him say he wants to vaporize a million innocents. No, he speaks in measured tones, all options are on the table.

[NotErrolFlynn]

@Catherine

Yes indeedy, I did an old sharp intake of breath - something I rarely do.

Amateur... Ballsy. Hats off.

[Gnome Chomsky]

Also.