In times of national tragedy, Americans expect their president to capture the mood and moment with the right blend of emotion, empathy, and urgency.
It’s a delicate act of timing and tone. And President Obama, despite his eloquence and dignity, has yet to master it, as illustrated by his awkward response to the deadly shootings at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas.
The shooting by Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan (pictured) happened at about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday (Washington time). Obama’s first comments didn’t come until after 5 p.m.
The stage was set for the president to quickly and somberly address the tragedy.
Instead, a serene-looking Obama offered light introductory comments, keyed to those attending a Tribal Nations Conference that was hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. His introduction included a convivial “shout-out’’ to one of the conference attendees.
Several minutes in, Obama finally called the Fort Hood shootings “a horrific outburst of violence.’’ The words he spoke next were respectful and appropriate. But it took him too long to get to the point of delivering them.
When a gunman fired those shots at Fort Hood, the country immediately felt the pain. Obama missed the first moment to show he understood just how much it hurt.
Would Mr. Obama have reacted differently if the shooter was not a Muslim? Some say it was because the Fort Hood killer was a Muslim that Obama cautioned against a ‘rush to judgement.’
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