by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama, lamenting "a horrific outburst of violence'' in the killings of a dozen soldiers and wounding of 31 more people at Fort Hood Army Base in Texas today, promised to "stay on this.''
"There has been a tragic shooting at the Fort Hood Army base... We don't yet know all the details at this moment,'' Obama told an assembled audience for an event at the White House. "What we do know is that a number of American soldiers have been killed and even more have been wounded in a horrific outburst of violence.
"My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and the families of the fallen,'' the president said. "These are men and women who have made the selfless decision'' to protect the nation. "It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an Army base on American soil.''
Obama, who had been informed of the shootings privately this afternoon, offered his first public remarks at the start of an address to a summit of native American tribal leaders meeting at the White House.
The White House said that the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, FBI and other members of the intelligence community were gathering information and assessing the situation at Fort Hood, where the Army has reported 12 killed and 31 injured today in a series of shootings allegedly started by a soldier.
"I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers,'' the president said. "We will make sure that we get answers to every possible question about this horrible incident....
"There is no greater honor, but also no greater responsibility, than for me to make sure that the extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for,'' Obama said. "We are going to stay on this.''
Obama curtailed his prepared remarks for a tribal assembly that he had addressed in the morning and the returned to this afternoon for closing comments, which offered him the first opportunity to address the Fort Hood shootings in public.
Comments
John McCain says soldiers want to spend more time away from their families in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's good for them he says.
Posted by: Kyle Linkleiter | November 5, 2009 5:23 PM
Mental health treatment for our troops must be a priority. These people deal with things that no human being should ever have to experience. Its no surprise that some have issues, although rarely as dramatic as this.
The military has been deploying back to back to back etc since 2001.
I'm shocked, but then again I'm not.
Posted by: former Republican | November 5, 2009 5:27 PM
That's horrible. Just plain tragic.
Posted by: Very sad. | November 5, 2009 5:56 PM
We need more funding
for the mental health departments for the VA and for current soldiers serving multiple tours under the stop loss program during Bush's admin, not for the bloated Military Industrial Complex budget.
Since FT Hood is the largest military base in the world and I believe, I've heard that over 20,000 soldiers are currently deployed from FT Hood, this could be a PTSD related incident. As we all know, PTSD has not been adequately treated by a long stretch. And even those who have been treated, many have been used as guinea pigs using combinations of psychiatric meds that have never been tested together eg any SSRI combined with Chantix.
Or this could also be soldiers who just had enough of Bushco's never ending wars.
Posted by: J Votto | November 5, 2009 7:17 PM
Turns out the shooter was a shrink, and perhaps had two accomplices.
We need more facts.
Posted by: C.Morrisā§ | November 5, 2009 8:27 PM
As usual the Dingbat Loony Left comments without knowing the facts. The shooter never spent time overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan. He was a shrink. This is not John McCain's fault. It is not George Bush's fault. Nor is it Barack Obama's fault.
Can't you morons on the Left just show sympathy for those who lost loved ones and for those who lost their lives and just leave it at that?
Here, this works fine:
May those who lost loved ones find some kind of understanding and meaning in the sudden and tragic loss of life. My thoughts and prayers are with those grieving tonight and may God bless those who died today.
Posted by: John D, still right, as usual | November 6, 2009 1:11 AM
Unbelievable. Well, no actually considering the sources your comments are typical and the usual liberal BS. Blame it on Bush. OMG!
Posted by: Gary | November 6, 2009 4:03 AM
Really you people need help. Really. Find a mental health clinic and tell them about your unhealthy obsession with politics. American soldiers dead and wounded and you sickos make it a political event.
Posted by: Gary | November 6, 2009 4:07 AM
Watch the actual video of Obama's great concern for the slain soldiers. Note the President takes the time to have a little pep rally and shout out first- before mentioning the deaths as a kind of afterthought. Also note how President Sincerity gives a shout out to Dr.Joseph Medicine Crow as a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. Of course, the good doctor was actually awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom - by none other than President Obama!.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0hiw8iXdMM
Posted by: Sturgis Drain | November 6, 2009 6:14 AM
Definite more facts.
Lets just hope the White House will come forward truthful.
Posted by: inky | November 6, 2009 9:07 AM
After Obama's bungled speech and "shout out"
I was shocked when i read an article from NBC(of all places) about how insensitive the president was about the shooting. Here is part of the article:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/A-Disconnected-President.html
Obama's Frightening Insensitivity Following Shooting
A bad week for Democrats compounded by an awful moment for Barack Obama.
By ROBERT A. GEORGE
President Obama didn't wait long after Tuesday's devastating elections to give critics another reason to question his leadership, but this time the subject matter was more grim than a pair of governorships.
After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. The White House was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective.
But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a "shout-out" to "Dr. Joe Medicine Crow -- that Congressional Medal of Honor winner." Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?
Anyone at home aware of the major news story of the previous hours had to have been stunned. An incident like this requires a scrapping of the early light banter. The president should apologize for the tone of his remarks, explain what has happened, express sympathy for those slain and appeal for calm and patience until all the facts are in. That's the least that should occur.
Posted by: Dave | November 6, 2009 10:56 AM
Gary; your spot on, this is should have nothing to do with politics! However, this tragedy that took place at Ft. Hood was not the fault of any of the political parties. With that said I hope the President will also take time out to mourn all of our troops that are serving over in Iraq and Afghanistan that are dying and being wounded while he drags his feet on further troop deployments.
Posted by: Paul | November 6, 2009 12:29 PM
Seriously?!?!
Obama gives a 'shout-out' and drones on for almost two minutes about the tribal assembly before he actually gets to point of the address in the first place?
This president is the absolutely repulsive.
Hey Obama - you are the freakin COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. START ACTING LIKE IT!
Posted by: Chris | November 6, 2009 1:55 PM
and did you see his shoes? OMG! and then he made it rain OMG! Good God what sad little creatures they are.
Posted by: bill r. | November 7, 2009 7:22 AM
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