Conservatives are quick to claim that President Obama politicizes tragedy. When shootings occur and President Obama discusses the need to address gun reform, conservatives are tripping over themselves to dismiss such notions as Obama simply wanting to take away guns and exploiting an issue. When President Obama speaks with victims of such tragedy though, it’s clear he does not politicize things.
Take the example of Eric Dietz, who recently spoke with President Obama.
From his interview with People:
“What do I tell the president?” he wondered aloud Friday morning, a couple of hours before Air Force One landed at the airport in nearby Eugene. He would express his thanks for coming, to be sure. But he also wanted to say something else.
“The mental health system in this country was dismantled back in the 80s, and it’s never been put back together,” Dietz said. “Situations like this are part of that.”
Dietz described that Obama, despite what many conservatives would think, was personable and kind in his encounter with those grieving from the tragedy.
“A lot of people can seem larger than life. Especially somebody on TV all the time, big important people like that. Certainly all the security pressence is impressive. But he’s a very personable man.
“Have you ever had encounters where there was a lot more feeling involved than the words that were said? That’s the kind of meeting this was. He’s the president of the United States, but he was very there in the moment with us. It was a good feeling.”
For more on this, read the article from Addicting Info titled: “This Is What REALLY Happened When The President Visited With UCC Victims’ Families.“
