3:15 PM EDT: President Obama Speaks at the Baylor University Memorial Service for the victims of the West, TX plant explosion
160 Responses to “President Obama speaks at memorial service for West, TX victims”
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The Obama Diary 
Thanks, Chips.
Truly is the presidents club.
All of those visiting gentlemen did a fine job, especially President Obama.
Hot diggity dog, I made top ten!
On yer birthday, Sailor!
Yup!
Happy Birthday Yardarm. Enjoy your day.
Yardarm, I sure hope you have celebrated your birthday in style!
It was awesome. Finally got to see one of the grands that I’ve never seen. Am celebrating with a tot. š
Bill Clinton attention whore, Chips am I allowed to say that. I can’t stand him, he is acting as if he is the President when President Obama is fixing Bush mess as well as Clinton mess (DADT, DOMA, etc) and the liberal left fawning over him make me sick when President Obama is actually the one accomplishing most of the goals they all wanted but they are not giving him the credit for doing so. All I keep hearing is Bill this Hillary that I can’t take it
You can say what you like about BC, Mellesia.
See my take on his awful presentation today last entry on the thread just before this one.
I’m with you, Mellesia!
I wonder if Hillary and Bill will be just as proud to attend the international war crimes tribunal for Bush & Cheney & gang at the Hague – if they ever happen. I hope history records these crimes accurately, for the sake of all those who lost their lives and limbs.
Not to be too disrespectful to the event, but somebody oughta tell Bill Clinton to close his mouth for the photos. Not a good look. Ha!
I see Clinton & GWB both have mouth open – talking. PBO is listening. Listening is what smart people do.
Love that. It sure is, and he sure does. Always!
It will be a somber service.
C-SPAN already has live coverage. (scroll down)
http://www.c-span.org
Here’s a local link to watch the memorial service. Live feed has already begun.
http://www.kvue.com/news/West-to-honor-those-killed-in-explosion-204695261.html
Also streaming here: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/live-video/
Happy Birthday Yardarm!!!
Happy Birthday, indeed, Yardarm! Hope you’re doing something special today.
Sure am not until this weekend. It was enough to wake up. Know what I mean? š
I know exactly what you mean! It’s my birthday on Tuesday, so I’ll drink a toast to both of us this weekend, too. š
HERE! HERE!
Wow! All these fabulous Taureans! My birthday is on the 15th, so we can all toast each other for a few weekends to come!
Just the way I like it! Surrounded by the best people!! I’ll lift a glass for you, too, Dakota – happy pre-birthday! š
Thanks theo!
Does having a Taurus ascendant count as honorary? ( fingers crossed – hold the rhum)
Mmmhh – this is a tough one. Taurus certification is very strict, being such a rare being that is always right, often misunderstood as being “stubborn”, and endowed with a beautiful voice. Since your online voice is often found making profound statements, I think you would qualify as an honorary Taurus, given your illustrious ascendant. Congratulations! š
My birthday is May 7th. A whole bunch of Taureans here!
Might as well start celebrating now and through the month of May.
All yardarm’s fault – talking about rum and birthdays………
Happy early birthday to all of ya! Is it a rule to drink rum if you’re a Taurus? Who knew. š
Yardarm has brought to my attention an age-old tradition in this regard. I think it began sometime last night.
Ha! Gotta follow tradition!
Happy Birthday Yardarm!
Thanks donna.
I know he won’t do it here, because it would be inappropriate, but I hope he follows this up with a major talk about the need for not only regulation but sufficient funding for inspections and enforcement.
I’ve been somewhat surprised to hear the feedback from the Texas folks saying they believe this was just an accident, and they don’t want to assign blame. Can this be true? Is it just the media trying to provide cover for the state’s lackluster enforcement of regulations and the many violations and negligence that ultimately cost so many lives? The plant housed much more explosives than they were allowed, they had no sprinklers installed, they were in a residential and school district. The fire fighters were mostly volunteers – who probably had no insurance. The whole thing is bad. I just can’t believe that the citizens there are willing to give the plant owners and their governor a pass on their roles in this major disaster.
The Texas education system is one of a kind is my answer to your query.
It’s pretty scary! And sad.
That it is. The tribe is huddled in their cave mourning their lost to the neighborhood dinosaurs.
Sadder yet is that I think the textbooks for most of the country still come via the Texas school board geniuses.
Future generations are going to have it very hard on the world stage. They won’t recognize facts when they see them, won’t realize the world is more than 4000 years old, will be entitled and bitter when they realize they voted to abolish a minimum wage and now have bosses who make 10 figure salaries and were all born overseas because there were no educated people to run companies in country…
I saw a few people interviewed in Arkansas with the oil spill. they didn’t know a pipeline was going through their homes. It wasn’t clear they knew what a pipeline was.
So, ‘accidents’ that decimate entire towns are fine, as long as they get a low-paying job. But they’re gonna vote to protect themselves from the ‘death tax’ which will take away their TV’s with rabbit ears, and vote in favor of all the guns they want so they can take over the government.
And do exactly what? When a progressive, decent government would have protected lives and property and supplied them with a middle class wage.
Unbelievable.
OT — sorry for my long silence, though I’ve been reading when I can. Broke my hip in three places in mid December. two rods in my hip.
Love to you all especially the blessed Chipsticks.
Joan Shaw
Hi Joan! So great to see you again, but sorry to hear about your broken hip – how terrible (and painful)! Rest up, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Glad to see you back. Take good care of yourself.
Thanks Theo and Japa — what an occasion to make my first comment in four months, the opening of the Bush library!! I’ve been wondering what is going in there, in any residential library, in fact. And if it’s just official papers how much of it will be open to public scrutiny
Apparently, the blow horn from Ground Zero will be on featured display in the library. The hubris seems appropriate…
Joan! We’ve been worried about you!
So glad to see you here. I pray that you are recovering well. Take Care!
Now if only we can find Dudette?????
Sorry to hear that joan. Ya gotta quit running away from them young dudes. All they want is a “little conversation”. š
I hope you see improvement every day, Joan! Glad you let us know.
Best wishes Joan. Take good care.
All I can say, friends, is thank heavens for pain pills
{{{Joan S}}} Joan, all I will say is ‘It is beyond great to see you and hear that you are healing!’
Joan it is lovely to see you. I hope your hip mends quickly and that you are soon restored to full health. My mom had her hip operated on last Feb and is a different person since it mended and she is in her mid to late 80’s. I understand how painful it must be for you. Sending healing thoughts your way.
I have been quiet here for a while and hadn’t realized that you were not here but I am so glad to see you again.
God bless you.
Oh, joan — how horrible. Be well.
Joan so sorry to hear this. {{{{{{{{{{{ Lots of loving healing thoughts coming into your space.}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}HZ
Oh Joan! My word…. Thoughts, prayers and candles for you.
Oh Joan, I’ve only just seen your comment, you have NOOOOO idea how wonderful it is to hear from you, we were so worried about you. I knew you’d had an accident a few months ago, but didn’t know it was that serious – what a complete horror. I hope your recovery is going well and getting your strength back. Again, just a joy to hear from you, endless love to you!
So glad to see you are back. May you continue to heal perfectly.
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is asking the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court decision that found the president’s recess appointments to a labor agency unconstitutional.
The government argues that the decision undermines a key presidential power that has been used for more than a century to appoint hundreds of government officials while the Senate is out of town.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in January that President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate to fill three vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board. Since then, Republicans have claimed the board lacks any legitimacy to act.
The case is unlikely to be argued before the Supreme Court begins its new term in October.
—
Good News…
Let’s see if the Court thinks that gaveling in and out in under one minute is really a session or just am abuse of the rules.
Two local links for Pres. Obama at the memorial service. Live feed is on.
http://www.kvue.com/news/West-to-honor-those-killed-in-explosion-204695261.html
http://www.kxan.com/generic/news/livestream-simulcast
FLOTUS and POTUS just show up.
West Texas show respect to FLOTUS and POTUS.
Barbara Bush in interview today, about future White Houses: “We’ve had enough Bushes.”
We’ve had too many.
By two.
I’ve always heard Moms were the wise one of the family. Remember the show Eight is Enough. Well I say Two is Enough. We don’t need any more Bushes in the White House. G.W. was there too long.
Exactly!
Please don’t give Barbara Bush too much credit. She showed her true colors during Katrina.
Sho did!
True. Barbara won’t get to much credit, except we have had enough of the Bushes.
weird looking at the photo of all the living presidents together: 3 democrats. the only 2 republicans are father/son and have the exact same name. the “silent majority” is clearly liberals, and why getting people to vote is the key for us to getting the House in 2014!!!
and of course “dim son” wasn’t even actually elected the first time by the will of the people! the corrupted republican supreme court justices put him in place against the people’s will.
Is this memorial just for the first responders? Seems like it.
When Gov. Perry thanked POTUS and FLOTUS for coming the crowd could have applauded. Most of the folks there probably voted for Mitt Romney. I guess I shouldn’t be thinking like that at this time.
Anniebella – I had the exact same thought. I don’t think I can watch the President’s speech, because I don’t want to see him disrespected.
They clapped when they walked in. All 3 speakers so far have acknowledged them and I think it wouldn’t be appropriate to clap every time they are mentioned.
They clapped when they’d been on the stage for several seconds, and while the speakers have acknowledged their presence, the audience has not.
Is this memorial solely for the firefighters who died ? There were other victims, and nobody is speaking about them.. ????
I had the same question. It seems disrespectful to not mention everyone who died.
From what I read, most if not all of the bodies recovered were first responders. Not sure of there are still missing people (who probably will never be found).
yes, 11 of the 14 were firefighters. I guess the families of the other 3 perhaps didn’t want to have this public memorial. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/25/hero-firefighters-west-texas/2112525/
I think it happened overnight, when the shift workers weren’t there, maybe? Not sure beyond that.
Don’t mean anything nasty—–just noting— that this has a bit of a look of another world to me.
My thought exactly.
That’s a tactful way to put it. POTUS has to gracefully participate in some things I’m sure he never imagined. He’s now listening to some weird deer story.
Let’s have compassion for the people who lost their loved ones, even if we don’t get the deer stories.
When will POTUS speak?
It’s coming up, soon, according to Martin Bashir.
ok, that’s not relevant. I’m capable of having compassion and other emotions and commenting on the service.
If you were to visit that place West, Texas, you would see it is another world. And not only that town, but all of west Texas. The people just don’t think like other people do. The South is a whole other country.
People talk about Southern food, and there is a reason the obesity rates are high in the South. A number of years ago, my sister and I drove around east Texas so she could do some geneaological work. The second day we ate lunch at a town called Sulphur Springs. We found a good country cafe with the menu posted on a board on the wall. She read it, and came to the vegetables: “okra, corn, beans, macaroni and cheese….” She started….”Macaroni and cheese is a vegetable?” “Yes, I answered, in the South it is.” I had lived in Oklahoma long enough to have accepted that.
But, when mac and cheese is considered a vegetable, you can understand the obesity problem.
So…….in answer to your observation, it is another world. Not one you’ll want to visit.
I have visited Sulphur Springs Texas.. about 40 years ago… imo a terrible place, with terrible people- mind you it was 40 years ago.
Ok all, I need some advice.
I’m rethinking my personal blog, and coming out of the closet with my real name, posting it on other blogs, so forth and so on. Any thoughts?
Of course, I ask this as I’m about to go off to lunch, so I won’t be able to respond for an hour. But you folks have good heads on your shoulders, so I want to pick your brains.
Stay Liberal Librarian — my snap opinion.
Also it would be safer. However Chipsticks would be the authority on this, she’s been through the mill and then some.
Don’t do it. You have your family and your job to think about.
That’s a very good point, including the “job” part. I know teachers who’ve been called into the principal’s office for posting something on social media reported to them (there sometimes is a disgruntled co-worker who suffers from envy), that only very lightly could have affected their roles. Probably the same for librarians and others who represent a larger public entity, no matter how distant the job is from the blog or even its content.
One thing, LL about posting under another name is that your employer and RL associates aren’t associated with your opinions. I would think hard about that if your job is sensitive in that way. Of course, you are a librarian, so freedom of opinion is held especially well in your profession. If you can feel pretty reassured that you will retire from the position you are now, go for it. On the other hand, Liberal Librarian is easy to spell and probably a bit more interesting than a lot of names out there.
Sarah Palin attacked the freedom of librarian’s opinions – and tried to remove their choices from the library shelves
Too many kooks on the intertubes – especially the right wing supporters. Stay as LL – says everything that the intertubes needs to know.
I would stay writing under my Liberal Librarian identify until I have retired and secured my pension. after that, you can then tell the world WHO you really are.
One thing you can think of doing is to trademark Liberal Librarian so that this too belong to you and you can use it for opinion pieces
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) has introduced legislation to try to save the US Postal Service from its incipient bankruptcy, and he is asking for the public to help him pass it.
DeFazioās bill would repeal the needless requirement ā one no other business or entity must face ā that the Postal Service pre-fund 75 yearsā worth of employee health benefits. That requirement has hugely contributed to the USPS defaulting for the first and then second time in its history last year. Analysis from 2012 estimated that the USPS would have a $1.5 billion surplus without the benefit requirement.
But DeFazio recognizes that facts alone will not influence his colleagues to take up and pass the legislation, so he has also turned to the White Houseās petition platform, We The People, to petition President Obama to take a stand against the health benefit requirement.
http://thinkprogress.org/
—-
Petition link.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/save-postal-service-save-american-jobs/drCmyCHZ
Thanks, Linda.
That is one petition I joyfully signed.
I tried to sign, but I have to sign in to my account, and I never can remember my password. I ask to have them email the link to me, and that doesn’t work….so I’ve been stymied. Does anyone have any advice? I do want to sign this petition. I just get in a neverending circle with these.
carolyn – When I went to sign this, I was slightly off in my password and requested they email it. And it worked like a charm. Maybe you gave them an alternate email address?
Thanks, I’ll try another address.
Gladly signed Linda. Had to go through a few hoops re my password but I think this issue is very important, and deserves to be looked at.
Gladly signed as well.
A very worthy endeavor indeed.
http://www.mediaite.com/online/gop-pollster-frank-luntz-limbaugh-levin-and-right-wing-talk-radio-are-problematic/
Cry Me a Freaking River……the little liar, Frank Luntz is.
Low and behold, Jan 20, 2009…..Luntz, Newt Gingrich, Paul Ryan, Tom Coburn, McCarthy, Jim Demint, etc staged a Coup de’tat to undermine a new president while USA was in dire economic crisis. Until Luntz come clean……I am NOT interested in his bat poop Malarky.
Is this the Ken Starr? The one who wasted our tax dollars with that White water investigation.
Yes.
You know that the Republicans spent 10 times as much investigating Bill Clinton’s dalliances than they spent investigating 9/11?
They have probably spent more time on Benghazi than they did on 9/11. On the international scene – ALL of Bill Clinton’s 2nd term was related to the impeachment attempt. Heard nothing else about him. This is the only way GOP Presidents get elected (or appointed when the vote is in doubt). They are trying to do the same thing to PBO
They will NOT succeed.
He is the President of Baylor.
He was a prof at Pepperdine for a while. One of the numerous reasons I was glad I never chose that school.
I went to Pepperdine for my MBA. I was upset when I heard he was associated with the institution, and doubly upset when the Chick-Fil-A CEO spoke at our commencement ceremony. I try not to think about it.
I see FLOTUS with something white in her hand, I think it is a handkerchief, because some of the stories told about the one who died are sad stories.
I don’t want to hear anything that Senator Corny has to say.
I can’t understand how these people can speak and vote against everything that help these folks.
I did not listen to that Senator, I turn the volume down.
96th B-Day had she lived.
Ella Fitzgerald
Dancing Cheek to Cheek.
God, this memorial is almost unbearable to watch. Those poor families….
Just tuning in – have I missed POTUS’ speech?
No.
POTUS just finish speaking.
No. he hasn’t spoken yet. BTW,speaking of other victims, only 2 were not firefighters for a total of 14 victims in all. Thanks to the 12 firefighters who died, many more are alive, especially the ones in the apartment complex and the nursing home.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/victims-texas-plant-explosion-19038140
no sheri you haven’t he is speaking now
š
It is a good thing the President pushed his departure later than originally planned. I doubt he has time to talk with people personally after this service. I saw a bit of the streaming…..a young mother on video talking about her son…..if this is a typical southern memorial/funeral, it will be LONG, it will be rambling, it will be super sentimental.
I bet the President will cut his remarks short for the sake of the audience. Southerners love funerals….that sounds mean, but it’s not. I know people who read obituaries and go to funerals just in case nobody else shows up. Everyone counts the number present at a funeral. “That was a good crowd.” Too bad not more people came.” “She would have liked the crowd.”….these are common remarks.
When you grow up in the north and east like I did, this is a real shocker to the system. Everyone now also has a musically dubbed video of some sort depicting the person’s life.
This has been a super tiring day for POTUS and FLOTUS. I sure hope they had a good time at the private gathering last night and raised lots of money. They have great self discipline to sit through these two events.
I’m watching the whole thing and I get what you’re saying.
POTUS can go anywhere and feel the people.. he just has that biggest of hearts and the intellect to express it. He has the gift of helping us to care about others.. beyond our space/ family/ borders. He is not only so gifted but a gift to humanity, imo.
Yes he is. Well said, sheri. I just can’t believe everyone cannot feel his innate goodness. It is so obvious if people will just allow themselves to look.
Not everyone is capable of empathy- but he is an exceptional teacher.
I just told my sister the same thing Sherijr.
I honestly can’t believe this guy ever got elected to anything: ” Mark Sanford publishes phone numbers of people who responded to his invitation to call his cell”
It’s all the sex he’s getting now. It’s making him delirious.
Thanks for your advice, everyone. I think I’ll stay Lib Lib for now, and keep plugging away at the book(s). Eventually I’ll have to come out, but probably now is not the time.
That is Elvis singing that song. I like the song.
Good job Mr. President.
What is going on now?
What happened…where did it go?….Can’t find anywhere….
This is making me nervous
its still on at the whitehouse.gov site.. but its silent.
We lost the connection or something.
oops… I just realized I was sitting here watching a stuck picture lol.. seriously I’ve had it on for 10 minutes, thinking they were all just doing moment of silence thing. Turns out its over apparently.
New post: http://theobamadiary.com/2013/04/25/a-few-toons-for-your-afternoon/
Fox News ignored economic history to forward the absurd claim that former President George W. Bush exercised “fiscal discipline.”
On the April 25 edition of Fox & Friends, former Bush White House Chief of Staff Andy Card claimed that President Bush “probably has the best track record of any modern president in terms of fiscal discipline,” a statement that went unchallenged by the Fox & Friends co-hosts:
—
Andy Card the ” Ear Whisperer “
Margret and Helen have a new post: http://margaretandhelen.com/2013/04/25/nobody-will-ever-need-to-be-shushed-in-the-bush-library/#like-4163