Chuck Todd jumped into an unnecessary posture after President Obama's calm, measured statement concerning the Baton Rouge shooting and violence against police in general, suggesting that the President was somehow being mean to America.
"It felt like almost at the end there, a plea -- some might call it a lecture," Todd opined. "It seems as if he's worried about a cycle of violence here."
Gosh, you think? The second fatal police shooting in less than ten days? Yes, there is a cycle of violence here, and leaders should lead. The President's remarks were aimed at Trump first and foremost, I'd guess.
But watch Donald Trump's response. He doesn't lead; he incites.
President Obama just had a news conference, but he doesn't have a clue. Our country is a divided crime scene, and it will only get worse!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2016
Our country is totally divided and our enemies are watching. We are not looking good, we are not looking smart, we are not looking tough!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2016
Here is President Obama's statement in full. You tell me. Does it seem like a lecture to you?
Some of the transcript:
And that is why it is so important that everyone, regardless of race or political party, or profession; regardless of what organization you are a part of; everyone right now focus on words and actions that can unite this country rather than divide it further.
We don’t need inflammatory rhetoric. We don’t need careless accusations thrown around to score political points or advance an agenda. We need to need to temper our words and open our hearts. All of us.
We need what we saw in Dallas this week as a community came together to restore order and deepen unity and understanding.
We need the kind of efforts we saw this week in meetings between community leaders and police, some of which I participated in, where I saw people of good will pledge to work together to reduce violence throughout all of our communities.
That’s what’s needed right now. And it’s up to all of us to make sure that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem.
As someone once wrote, a bullet need happen only once, but for peace to work, we need to be reminded of its existence, again and again and again.
That was no lecture. That was a responsible call for responsibility. Take a hint, Chuck.
