Obama Begins His 2012 Campaign in Tucson Arizona on Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Passing out t-shirts and displaying banners emblazoned with the words "Together We Thrive", what was billed as a memorial for the Tucson massacre victims took on the look and feel of a campaign event for Barack Obama.  Michelle Malkin calls it a "bizarre pep rally" a "branding of the Tucson massacre" a "sea of white and blue [no red]".

President Obama used to preach that there was no “Red America” and no “Blue America,” just one America.

But tonight at the memorial for the Tucson massacre victims, it will be was a sea of blue as the White House unveils the “Together We Thrive” logo and slogan.

The tone for the evening was set prior to anyone stepping foot on the stage or at the podium.  The Democrat political stage managers, as Malkin calls them, set the mood as they approached attendees, passing out t-shirts.  T-shirts!  Who ever heard of t-shirts being passed out at a memorial service?  

Listening to Obama use, and I do mean use, little 9 year-old Christina-Taylor Green's death in the manner he did was simply repulsive.  See and watch the speech here.

As to some in the crowd, the shouting and whistling, it sounded like a "hope and change" rally from early 2008, not a time or mourning and remembering those whose lives were cut short or changed forever.  

There were 'cheers and whoops' all night, similar to a rock band playing and the drunk crowd whistling and cheering them.  Or maybe it was more like a sporting event.  I have seen funerals and memorials that were celebrations of life, but this was very strange. 

The New York Times offers this: Obama Calls for New Era of Civility in U.S. Politics.  Isn't that what he preached during his 2008 campaign?  Seems to me civility has gone downhill fast under Obama and his media.

The use of references to God, and Heaven, and the many scriptures quoted from the Holy Bible, coming from so many Democrats, was out of character.

It was all rather odd.  Very odd.  But the mood set by the Obama front men and organizers seems clear:  "Let the campaigning begin!"

Update: Ace of Spades seems to agree with me:

Question: Why did he stage this yet again at a college? I know that's where he prefers to campaign, but, um, this wasn't supposed to be a campaign event.

Why was the audience filled with people entirely unconnected to the victims? Was it an accident these people were college students? I.e., Obama fans?

 

Comments

[Lee]

I think if this is true, then it is true obama..
Never let a good crisis go... without making work for you..
So sad. I thought he did a good job at the memorial... But it was just an act.. nothing new.. God help us.. and God bless those that passed away, and their families that will never see them again.. not here on earth anyway.. And may God comfort those that are in the hospital with their healing.

[R.J. Godlewski]

I turned the TV off when I heard that Indian dude do his 'thing' at the beginning. I also heard quite a bit of collegiate hooplah.

[Debbie]

Lee: it was just odd. And the way he told everyone that when he walked into the hospital room Gabby opened her eyes. It's a MIRACLE. He can not only walk on water, curb the rise of the oceans, but now he heals the sick.

R.J.: I was upstairs watching something else on TV and when I went back to Fox, there was the indian and witch doctor, whatever. It was sort of a momentary shock. But then I remembered it was Arizona, so that's probably natural for them.

I had no problem with that.

[Roxanna Mayo]

So his next campaign is going to promise a 'new civility' ...? Gee, I wonder if it will pan out like the 'new level of transparency' that he promised in the last campaign.

How inconsiderate of the grieving family members to capitalize on this MEMORIAL SERVICE for his own political gain. My heart goes out to the parents of Christina Taylor-Green ...and to all the parents. Each and every one of those people injured or killed by that wingnut is/was someone's beloved child. It doesn't matter how old your 'child' is ...if they die before you do, the wound never heals.

[R.J. Godlewski]

I spent a lot of time in Arizona over the years and have many family and friends living there (including several gun stores deeply indebted to me ;o) ). Perhaps I missed something.

That said, the whole 'memorial' seemed a bit creepy. Again, perhaps I missed something. I'm used to Catholic funerals where life is celebrated...without groupies in attendance.

[R.J. Godlewski]

P.S.

I believe that Indian witch doctor of yours was a professor at UofA. OMG, he was a witch doctor! ;o)

[Debbie]

I don't know what he was, an Indian I presume. I missed the introduction.

There were elements of the memorial that I thought were fine. The intern who is credited with helping to save Giffords' life gave a fine talk without any notes, from his heart. I like him even if he is an Obama supporter.

Roxanna: As I said from the moment of the shootings, our prayers go out to every person involved, to the families of those killed and injures and to the entire community.

We never know when something like this can happen. As always though, brave souls stepped up and put themselves in the line of fire, brought the shooter down, before he could reload. Those are heroes.

[ron]

Just the left haveing their last curtain call I think.

[JON A. UNDERWOOD]

Does anyone else remember when the TV media used to call the democrat states "red" and the republican state "Blue"?

I was looking at some democrat party political race signs that used to use the red color far more than what they do now.

I may have just dated myself, but I seem to remember that.

Jon

[Mystical Time Traveler]

If this was a memorial then I'm a The Pope. This was a political rally with a football game mixed in.

The parents of those scumbags, sorry students should be ashamed of themselves. For their offspring are nothing more than the lowest form of human life.

[MFS001]

Hi.
The whole "Show" made me sick to my stomach i couldn't even go on watching it.DISGUSTING
to see how the left is milking this shooting.A bit of info on what Obama was doing at Valerie Jarret's house for 5 hours after the shooting would be nice.Was he watching the games?The shooting did not cut their "Appetite" it seems?5 HOURS OF DINING !

[afticker]

When has he ever stopped campaigning?

[R.J. Godlewski]

I remember when the then-unknown soldier of Vietnam's casket was brought into Pearl Harbor aboard a frigate. None of the tugboats tooted their horns and none of the base's loud speakers were permitted to be used.

When Capt. Coffee? came to the Pearl Harbor chapel to speak of his days in a North Vietnamese prison, 850 sailors from my ship entered the chapel in utter silence and respect.

There was a certain level of dignity during those days...and it should not go unnoticed that Reagan was president.

Today, people make a mockery out of EVERYTHING. Those students at UofA definitely got placed on my crap list. Had this not been a "memorial" service, their actions vis a vis the president, in my opinion, still would have dishonored the office.

A POTUS is NOT a rock star. He or she represents the nation's foremost public servant and should be guided accordingly.

[Debbie]

Jon A Underwood, no I don't remember that.

Mystical Time Traveler, MFS001, afticker, it was a sight to behold, that's for sure. What amazes me is all the Republicans that are praising the event and Obama's speech. They must have had blinders on.

R.J.: As I said at first, I missed the very beginning and most of the Indian/professor's talk.

I saw the rerun of it on Fox and I was completely turned off. He was dressed and acted like an indian, but he kept talking about being from Mexico, his relatives from Mexico, and I know his comments were meant to be pro-illegal alien/amnesty. The reactions from the crowd were scary. He was scary.

As Monkey in the Middle points out in her blog:

QUOTE
From the Concession Stands and T-Shirts (Hat Tip to Adrienne's Corner), to the White Sweater a la June Cleaver and the Klingon War Belt worn by Michelle Obama, to the Indian Medicine Man giving a Pagan blessing to the Christian dead. This so-called Memorial was anything but a memorial. END QUOTE

http://findalismonkeyinthemiddle.blogspot.com/2011/01/america-where-is-your-shame.html