McCain and Obama at Ground Zero
I was true to my word yesterday, and made no posts other than the one reminding everyone that it was the seventh anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. But, now, it is a new day.
Take a look at this short video clip from yesterday at Ground Zero and see if anything strikes you as peculiar about what takes place. Pay close attention to Cindy and Sen. John McCain, as well as Sen. Barack Obma and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Did you notice any difference in what they did? Cindy and John McCain took time to kneel and place their roses on the memorial. Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg tossed their roses onto the memorial. Maybe it’s just me but Obama’s and Bloomberg’s gesture seemed a little crass, maybe even awkward and uncomfortable, for such a somber event memorializing the loss of thousands of innocent lives on 9/11/01. They looked like they were tossing horseshoes or pennies or flowers. I don’t think it was actually a “diss” by Obama, just more like a big “Barzini-like” gaffe.
You had to be really looking for Bloomberg at the far right of the screen in the video above. Here is another one, if you want to see his rose toss more clearly.
Of course, some people may believe the difference in placing the roses on the memorial is ”a cultural and generational distinction.” Some may think the issue “bone-headed” or maybe “dumb.”
It’s not a major policy issue, I don’t suppose. But, to be so flippant with etiquette and decorum at an event for our own gives me pause as to how Obama might blunder abroad in foriegn countries/cultures. Then again, maybe American culture is more foreign to him than others.
This entry was posted on September 12, 2008 at 8:27 am and is filed under National Politics, President. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: 9/11, Barack Obama, Cindy McCain, Election '08, Ground Zero, John McCain, Michael Bloomberg
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September 13, 2008 at 3:26 am
Seriously, this is the kind of ‘conspiracy-theory’ nuance detecting that makes your brain hurt doesn’t it? New York City IS Bloombergs life so to speak and he’s certainly not ‘dissing’ his place or his people and neither is Barack. Take a deep breath and remember when it’s real- you don’t have to waste so much time attempting to get others to “see it your way”. Take care.
September 13, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Scott, before you take off on a tangent, you may want to read what was typed again. I said, “I don’t think it was actually a ‘diss’ by Obama.” However, I do think it a distinction in personalities and nuances between generations. And, it doesn’t comfort me as to how Obama might handle himself abroad on diplomatic trips.