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Julie Hirschfeld Davis: Long And Genuine’ Hugs: Shooting Victims’ Relatives Recall Obama’s Empathy
The wrenching ritual has become all too familiar to President Obama. His armored limousine deposits him at a nondescript building big enough to hold a large number of families whose loved ones have died in a mass shooting somewhere in America. Away from the news cameras that normally track his every interaction, he enters rooms thick with grief and the hushed voices of people in shock. He grasps for words of sympathy, comfort and condolence and offers long, tight embraces that the mourners will remember far more vividly than his words. Mr. Obama will travel to Orlando, Fla., on Thursday for the latest round of mass consoling, four days after a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in the deadliest mass shooting in American history. “He hugged each one of us individually — and I mean hug, so that I was able to smell his cologne,” said Sharon Risher, 57, who lost her mother,
****
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Ethel Lance, and two cousins in the shooting in Charleston, S.C., last year, and met privately with Mr. Obama the next week. “It was not a little pat on the back. The intimacy of that hug is what I’ll always remember.” Roxanna Green — whose 9-year-old daughter, Christina-Taylor Green, was one of six people killed in a 2011 shooting in a supermarket parking lot in Tuscon, Ariz., where Representative Gabrielle Giffords was holding an event — said she had campaigned for Mr. Obama with her daughter and mother and had often dreamed of meeting him. “But you never want to receive a visit like that from anybody,” Ms. Green, 50, said in an interview. “Their hugs were just long and genuine, like something you receive from a family member,” she said of Mr. and Mrs. Obama. “He said she was a beautiful girl, and he’s so sorry, and it was just a horrible loss and his girls are about the same age,” she recalled. “They were both very, very emotional. It was like it happened to someone in their family.”
More here
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White House.gov
Grateful for this man, in ANY time, but most especially THIS time in our history.
Just want to say thank you to all the BT’s that have helped Chips keep our home humming….even before the sad news about Mama Chips passing, all of you have stepped up to help her when she needed to take care of life. So grateful to all of you. Many thanks.
Beautifully said, df. This place is alive with good works and good times, even sad times. Mahalo nui loa❤
YES, thanks to all the BTs for everything. We love you.
Perfection, df. Thank you for expressing so eloquently the gratitude to the BT’s we all share.
Co-sign.
I want to add my thanks to yours, DF, to all the BT’s that have helped Chips keep this place running.
x 100%
Yes, with you - to all the BTs and most especially we may want to think about carrying NW above our heads down the street in some form of gratitude parade for holding TOD together!
It grows from love, Chips. You planted the seed.
DF, thank you for precisely expressing our collective feelings about our BT’s. So grateful to all of you - indeed❤
Agree 100% DF, thanks so much to Nerdy & our other BT’s for being brilliant and taking over while our Ms Chips is dealing with the loss of her Mom. I don’t post much, but love to browse through TOD as often as possible. Thanks again, and love to you all. ❤️❤️❤️
Well said DF! I share your thanks and gratitude to all the BTs who have kept TOD going full speed. Let me add my thanks to you and other posters who share with us important news and information in your posts.
I agree as well! Thanks to Nerdy and the others that have kept the home fires burning while Chips is away. You all have done a tremendous job!!
Thanks NW. Thanks to you and all the rest to holding TOD down in Chips’ absence.
How I wish our Chips could receive that healing hug! With so many tragic, heart rending frightening things happening each day, we have to take the time to hug those we love and any one we know who is in pain or feeling lost. From the time Barack Obama stepped on the national stage, he has served as a role model for all of us. His accomplishments have been astonishing, but perhaps his greatest legacy will be his ability to experience and share his bottomless compassion and love for his fellow human beings. Think how the world would be transformed if we could all express that level of love to each other.
HUGGING IS SUCH AN AWESOME SHOW OF COMPASSION..WE HAVE HUGGING TIME AT OUR CHURCH AND I LOVE IT!..GOD IS LOVE AND OUR ENERGIZER PRESIDENT ISN’T AFRAID TO SHOW HIS LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE IN A WORLD THAT IS FRANKLY BECOMMING QUITE STERILE AND INSENSITIVE TO VIOLENCE…IT’S A FRIGHTENING STATE OF AFFAIRS WE ARE IN…………………
Go Simone
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnbcolympics%2Fvideos%2F10154775019040329%2F&display=popup&ref=plugin&src=video
She is fantastic! You Go Girl!!!!!
she is electric!
A virtual one for ((((((((((((((((((Chips))))))))))))))))))))
Like a Bridge over Trouble Waters….I will Ease your mind….
Ty to Amk…for the special Thread…ty to NW for keeping this sacred place….
i have no words to express my heartfelt gratitude and affection to the men and women of TheObamaDiary….
and much love to MsChips…much love….praying for you
If you need a Friend…i’m sailing right behind…Like a Bridge over Troubled Waters, I will Ease your Mind …like a Bridge over Troubled Waters…i will Ease your Mind!!
All of you here at TOD are incredibly lovely people. Thank you for making this community so strong and thoughtful and loving.
THIS!!!!!
True meta❤
Heart-wrenching post seems especially appropriate today as we all wish we could wrap Chips in a TOD group hug. Thanks so much to Nerdy Wonka for stepping up and too AMK and LL and anyone else I missed acknowledging for keeping the blog going.
One of the most amazing qualities of President Obama is that while he is facing vicious hatred, complete obstruction and national and global events that require him to be strong, presenting no chinks in his armor, he is capable of opening his heart to share our griefs and joys. And his vulnerability demonstrates his strength more clearly.
The last part “his vulnerability demonstrates his strength more clearly.” How true. Only the internally strong can be vulnerable. This is part of his strength.
The loudmouths don’t understand this at all.
AMEN
Just because we need some life-affirming news.
I and the Mrs. received our official marriage license in the mail this weekend. We are officially hitched.
Yahoo!!
Congrats to both of you:) Now the fun…
Congratulations! Getting married is an act of Faith and Hope. I’ve been happily married 46 years. It can and does work.
Congratsssssssssssssss!!!!!
Congratulations to both of you.
Well, here’s an official offer of Best Wishes for both of you, then!
Have you written about it, yet, if I may be so bold as to ask?
No, not yet. I have a plan to write about it on awritingcorner.com to reboot the blog. But I’m minding the store at TPV, so hopefully this week I can squeeze it in.
No rush! (I’ve just been thinking of that for a while. Sometimes it’s hard to write about life, when you’re joyously living it!)
Well done, LL and Mrs. Hope your marriage brings you lasting joy and contentment.
Congratulations to you and your wife, LL
Congratulations LL. Much love and happiness to you and your missus.
Congrats to Mrs LL and to you.
Now, take her to a sweet & memorable honeymoon.
Congratulations!
Yeah.
Congratulations 😃
Congrats LL! Now live long together and love strong.
No matter how much they tell you Hillary is ahead, do NOT allow that be the reason to not use your voice!!! Go Vote this November and EVERY SINGLE ELECTION THEREAFTER!
I always order an absentee ballot, so there is NEVER a reason not to vote - like not being able to get to the polls or something!
I work every election so I make sure everyone I know is ready to vote.
Thanks to you and everybody who works on the ground! Love it. #YesWeCan
LIVE NOW: Conversation with Hillary Clinton in Cincinnati, Ohio
I only now realized I haven’t thought of the campaign all day! Way to rest the mind from it.
mayors stand for infrastructure!
gm from my world - thank you so much amk for thread for our Ms Chips and her Mother - and thank you to NW for keeping us all together during the last many weeks.
I did not realise, until I read the recent post at BJ as to how devastating are the floods in WV. Thoughts to all those involved. Are there other states under water? Is this a regular happening (where I am has regular floods, but they don’s usually get anywhere like the level of what is happening in WV). Keep safe any TODers in the area
https://www.balloon-juice.com/2016/06/26/thanks-for-your-help/
GM 99ts.
Haven’t kept abreast of the horrific flooding in West Virginia, but devastating to hear on the radio from people whose spouses were in houses that were swept away with their loved ones inside.
Heard on the radio that WV received 1/4 of their annual rainfall in the past couple of days — the power of water cannot be underestimated. When I was in Eagle AK (a teeny community on the Yukon River which serves as the border between US and Canada in that region) they have contests to guess when the river breaks (that is, becomes water from its ice-state) — even 17 years ago, the river breaking was occurring earlier every year.
The local library showed a video of the river breaking, and it was amazing — huge chunks of ice the size of houses hurtling down the river.
And I’ve been to Niagara Falls (at night), the sound of the water rushing over the falls is simply terrifying (to me).
hello arapaho - we had one instance in 2010 where one town had a water event through their main street - but it was related to last minute decisions to release dam water - there are now new rules in place for this. WV sounds like it is happening in many places. Truly horrific to hear of houses/cars washing away with people inside!
Sharing this again, because it’s so apropos. Sure hope you all are passing the message along on twitter, facebook or your personal blogs. This is *the* strategy every voter needs to internalize.
Can’t be bothered to mess up HIS future…right?
Former Indiana University student, charged in two rape cases, sentenced to probation
Utterly hideous.
Dad admits he took pregnant 14-year-old daughter to marry her 24-year-old rapist
POSTED 12:29 PM, MAY 25, 2016,
BY CNN WIRE SERVICE
Uh huh
Uh huh
[Boris Johnson] has been out-maneouvered and check-mated.
If he runs for leadership of the party, and then fails to follow through on triggering Article 50, then he is finished. If he does not run and effectively abandons the field, then he is finished. If he runs, wins and pulls the UK out of the EU, then it will all be over – Scotland will break away, there will be upheaval in Ireland, a recession … broken trade agreements. Then he is also finished. Boris Johnson knows all of this. When he acts like the dumb blond it is just that: an act.
Live a life with a healthy balance of hard work and play.
As Michelle would say: MMMmmmmm mmmmm mmmm.
And how different he looks to someone else in the news who was recently seen golfing in a suit. PBO is definitely a man for all seasons.
Pres Obama hours at Woodmont Country Club
@markknoller
❤
Adorable AND hilarious:)
http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/dog-shaming-totally-adorable-pups-who-break-the-rules/
Oh DF that was what we needed. Loved the Great Dane that ate 5 glasses. Love ya!
All is well. Going to see my last surviving aunt and all my female cousins on my mother’s side. Several years ago we started having get togethers over the 4th. Every year we feel it could be our last with my aunt, she is 89. You know family is so important .
Hay NW or JER, do you know what time FLOTUS will arrive in Liberia?
Off line for the remainder of the Sunday evening.
Everyone of you are special and cherished for all that you do - especially for your capacity to love others!
https://www.thenewdawnliberia.com/news/10728/-a-visit-for-a-worthy-course
LOL!!! As if Drumpfs VP pick won’t be newsworthy in a notorious fashion. The RNC could have a PR disaster of it’s own, let alone conspire to attack HRC’s VP pick. These people have lost their minds.
How is it decided which convention - dem or gop - is the last to be held?
By who holds the White House
ty Marilyn - so much about your elections I will never understand
We don’t understand it all either.
We just go vote - it’s compulsory. Saves everyone lots of money.
Gee, YOU THINK!! Disgusting.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/racist-incidents-feared-to-be-linked-to-brexit-result-reported-in-england-and-wales
Meanwhile, the PM has resigned, the labor opposition is in tatters and Boris is playing cricket with the aristocrats. Wonder if royalty will survive this one
And this is a lying pos who campaigned on how politicians are out of touch with the ‘people’.
Well voters, you get what you vote/nonvote for.
Apparently he has a newspaper column where he basically said they will keep free trade and right of free movement with Europe - no idea why RW lies are continually believed.
Reminded me of GWB having birthday cake with Cranky Get Off My Lawn guy…. morons.
THIS
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2008/04/24/22270/flashback-as-katrina-raged-mccain-celebrated-69th-birthday-with-bush/
Just imagine - the media uproar if PBO ever did anything like this df. There seems to be a different set of rules for those with the RW divine right to rule.
And I just read that
“The two posed, holding the cake up for cameras, and within seconds, went their separate ways. The cake, melting in the 110-degree Arizona heat, was left behind, uneaten. ” As Charlie Brown might say - GOOD GRIEF
i downloaded snapchat to follow the First Lady on her Let Girls Learn trip….smilin
How do I do that?
Bella, it’s an app you download to your phone.
on my phone….was not hard…i used an app…
GN TOD seeya in the morning,,,,((MsChips))
Jesse Williams WOKE AF!!
@TheRoot now8 seconds ago
“If you have no interest in equal rights for Black people then do not make suggestions to those who do. Sit down” @iJesseWilliams #BETAwards
GAVE. ME. LIFE! I was just like that Whitney gif in front of my TV tonight while he was PREACHING!
Oh noes!! The Apricotfaced Hellbeast got it all wrong!!
*Apricotfaced Hellbeast* is as good as Kat’s “Trumpaloons” or anything they called him in Scotland!
I confess…I stole that:) Suited him.
Steal more! (Liberals are so honest. I once credited Meta with “Trumpaloons” and she gave the credit to Kat!)
http://www.barstoolsports.com/boston/donald-trump-was-the-victim-of-some-vicious-british-insults-which-are-incredible-and-my-new-favorite-thing/
Damn! It was “mangled apricot hellbeast”
Oops!
Even better!
Thanks for that link - I’d missed a few!
My pleasure!
O/T - That disgusting Joe Walsh is still around, I see … some of the Trump takedowns from abroad fit him, too. But I love this guy’s response, in particular!
Aaron Edwards ✔ @aaronmedwards
when jesse williams said they are “gentrifying our genius” pic.twitter.com/jdPGOMMlts
HuffPost BlackVoices ✔ @blackvoices
“The burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander.” - @iJesseWilliams PREACH!
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Janelle Monae’s Prince tribute is the best so far.
I listen to Rev. Barber this morning and he talk alot of sense.
@LouBay225 24s24 seconds ago
Samuel Leroy Jackson … blackest name for a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient EVER #BETAwards
When you go vote, take 8 people with you.
Don’t get tricked like they got tricked in England - Samuel L. Jackson
LOL
Usher’s shirt say, “Don’t Trump America”!
Night all…Night Miss Chips. Love you.
Nite df - sleep well
Little one was here saying good nite - I said the old “sleep tite, don’t let the bed bugs bite” & started a long conversation that - no, there are no bugs in your bed at nanna’s place.
Ha! Glad I saw that before signing off for the evening. We have to watch what we say, for sure, with the little ones!
I was reminded earlier in the evening of last summer when I taught my little great grandson to sing this tune along with me, and the funniest was to hear him sing the last part: “In the summertime, when all the trees and leaves are green, and the redbird sings, I’ll be blue - ’cause you don’t want my love.” ❤
They are our delight jacqueline
I’ll just sit this here.
And I’m glad you did
Looks are fine, but the world we live in today we need more then looks. Seven years the one in the middle have prove there is more to him then looks. Kind of like when we only talks about what the First Lady is wearing, how she looks. She is a smart women with degrees from Princeton and Harvard, as accomplish as any man in D.C.
Now don’t get me wrong they are handsome men.
We knew what you meant!
Totally agree with you. Most people, I think, just like to make note of how much they feel - especially our First Family - are beautiful INSIDE and out. Because they are. Luckily, we all “get” their accomplishments in life, most of all. And, yes, those are the most important, lasting qualities - the ones that will be in the history books.
Jesse Williams’ entire speech @ the BET Awards
http://uproxx.com/smokingsection/jessie-williams-speech-bet-awards/
Ms. Chips, I’m just reading about your mom. Please accept my condolences. I hope you find a degree of peace and comfort in the fact that you had your mom with you into your adulthood. Believe me, that is a blessing. But losing your mom at any time in your life is painful and I can only hope you know that people here who may have never seen you are holding you in their hearts.
You better try and download the Jesse Williams speech ASAP, because Viacom is doing the serious clampdown on it on YouTube.
mmmm - do they not want the message heard. Typical media group
Ms Chips,
Just realised that your mom passed . My sincere condolences to you and all the family at this time .
May she rest in peace and rise in glory as the universe allows.
And may you find peace, strength and comfort as you need to, and as I am sure she would want you to do, to continue the caring, helpful and good life you live.
Good morning TOD
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/06/27/early-bird-chat-778/