Video and transcript below the fold.
It's been five days since the terrible events in Tucson, Arizona. And last night, the President of the United States paid his respects, speaking to an audience of thousands at the University of Arizona, the President played the role of Mourner-in-Chief.
BARACK OBAMA (1/12/2011): Our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. Our hearts are broken.
The President played the role of Consoler-in-Chief.
BARACK OBAMA: Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. Gabby opened her eyes for the first time.
And the President played the role of Inspirer-in-Chief.
BARACK OBAMA: If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let's make sure it's worthy of those we have lost. ... Let's make sure it's not on the usual plane of politics and point-scoring and pettiness that drifts away in the next news cycle.
It was a message not lost on the purveyors of the next news cycle, who across all political lines, roundly praised the President's speech for nearly two to three minutes, before allowing politics, point-scoring, and pettiness to kick off its reunion tour.
1/12/2011:
CORNELL BELCHER: We saw Barack Obama at his finest in that....
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY: President Obama did a wonderful job this evening....
MARC THIESSEN: I thought that speech was particularly courageous....
MICHELLE MALKIN: You do have to question the timing of it....
No. No! You DON'T have to. You're not a primitive nematode, capable only of autonomic nervous response to outside stimuli. You have a choice. You went to Oberlin. Yes, once it had been established that the President had successfully delivered a healthy infusion of support, inspiration, and comfort to a community in dire need, there was really nothing left to do, but just to really wonder about the seating arrangement.
1/13/2011:
BRIAN KILMEADE: I thought it was kind of strange that they didn't put the people that tackled the shooter and that knocked away the... Ms. Maisch, why weren't they in the first two rows?
STEVE DOOCY: Absolutely would've been better if they had a camera there or had them up in the front row.
Yeah, yeah, that would've made it much better. That would've made it a better show. But you know, it's a memorial service, not the Emmys. Even the blessing by Dr. Carlos Gonzales, a member of the UofA faculty and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, came under scrutiny.
CARLOS GONZALES: O creator, I come to give a blessing.
BRIAN KILMEADE: The Native American who opened up the show, which I found very strange....
IT'S NOT A SHOW!!! HE DIDN'T OPEN UP A "SHOW"!!! It's mourning, with a "u". You're confusing a morning show, which you are on, with a show of mourning, which this what this is. Didn't you wonder why no one threw to commercial? Veteran journalist Brit Hume was even more perplexed.
BRIT HUME: Gonzales, who by the time it was over, had blessed, you know, the reptiles of the sea, and he prayed to the four doors of the building, and while I'm sure that's all an honorable tradition with his people, it was most peculiar.
Yeah, yeah, I like my benediction like I like my coffee... CHRISTIAN!! (in Brit Hume voice) "Yeah, yeah, I gotta say, I also think the people of Arizona made a dire mistake by afterwards eating sandwiches in a corn pancake instead of on a more American slice of bread."
But if there was one thing everyone agreed on, it was that the memorial service audience fucked it up for everyone.
ALISYN CAMEROTA (1/13/2011): The students at the University of Arizona didn't get the message, and they thought they were at a pep rally.
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER (1/12/2011): The audience, mostly students, was reacting with a lot of cheers and yells in what was supposed to be, intended to be, a very solemn memorial.
DAVID GERGEN (1/12/2011): ...but instead it turned into much more of a pep rally...
MICHAEL GERSON (1/12/2011): You can either have a pep rally or a memorial service, you can't have both at the same time.
You ever been to an Irish wake? I've never been sadder and laughed harder in my life. And I got news for you guys, "Amen!" ain't that far from "Woo-hoo!"
JON STEWART: For more on the Tucson memorial service, we're joined by Samantha Bee and John Oliver. You guys, thanks so much for being here, really appreciate it. Boy, I just... I was moved last night, I was touched, it seemed just what this community needed. What do you make of the criticism of the crowd at a memorial service?
JOHN OLIVER: I think it was absolutely appropriate, Jon. We entrusted Tucson with giving a voice to our nation's grief, and boy, did they let us down.
SAMANTHA BEE: John Oliver is right. The crowd absolutely ruined the memorial service.
OLIVER: They were terrible. I personally was offended.
BEE: But you know what, brow-beating them isn't the answer. What they need is constructive criticism.
STEWART: You're... you're giving notes to mourners. That's....
BEE: Well, in my business, we say we're helping them with the optics. May I? Why don't we start with that stupid orange flag on the stage. Um, hello? Tacky. No, no.
OLIVER: Good point.
STEWART: That's the state flag of Arizona.
BEE: Well, OK, but it's inappropriate for a national audience.
OLIVER: Absolutely. Absolutely, Sam. Tucsonians made last night's memorial all about themselves, instead of about how this tragedy affects those who aren't directly affected. Now, I haven't checked Tucson's approval numbers today, but I bet their negatives are way up, Jon. Way up.
BEE: But you know what? It's an easy fix. Next time you suffer a shocking unexpected tragedy, remember just a few festoons of black crepe change the whole mood.
OLIVER: Sam, can I just say, that is absolutely beautiful.
STEWART: I'm sorry, wait, what's this over here? What is this?
BEE: Oh, none other than Sir Elton John.
OLIVER: Right. Excellent choice.
BEE: No one personalizes a sad song to your tragic event like this 70s hitmaker.
OLIVER: It's true. It's true. Same, those are all great fixes, but it doesn't change the fact that the people of Tucson didn't seem to know how to publically grieve to our expectations.
BEE: Well, that's a great question, John. That's why I've taken the liberty of replacing the people of Tucson with some Italian widows.
OLIVER: Great choice. Such a great choice, Sam. Such a great choice. Those women really know how to wail.
STEWART: Look, this is all wrong, this is terrible! We weren't there! We don't know the context in which this event took place. The grief and catharsis that they experienced are not universal in how they are expressed. You're focusing on the wrong things. I am appalled. I'm appalled at you, I'm appalled at the way this has been dissected, I'm sorry. It's very upsetting to see this....
OLIVER: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. OK, OK, he's made his point. Maybe you're right, all right? Maybe you're right, and instead of talking about the optics and the superficialities, we should really be focusing on... how this affects the 2012 elections.
BEE: Oh my God, this has to give a huge boost to Huckabee's chances in New Hampshire.
STEWART: All right, thank you very much. Samantha Bee and John Oliver. This is... no... this is unacceptable.
BTW, I do think it's hilarious Jon compared Michelle Malkin to a nematode. Given her reflexive reactions to anything from the Democratic side, perhaps it's an appropriate description. Maybe we should all adopt that as her nickname now? As in, when she next writes something inflammatory, just say, "Typical, the nematode's at it again." :-) Or to be nice, refer to her as a "wannabe nematode", since that is what she seems to strive for.
