Radio Host Neal Boortz's attempt to compare President Obama's presidency to the tragedy of September 11 drew harsh criticism from several relatives of people who died on that day.
Boortz, appearing on Fox News' Hannity program Thursday night, stated: “Barack Obama is a bigger disaster to this country than 9-11.”
For some of those who lost loved ones that day, the comparison is an insult.
“One of the most unsettling aspects of the aftermath of 9-11 has been the politicization of it,” said Donald Goodrich, whose son, Peter, died in the attacks.
“It is a sad commentary on our democracy that the loss of nearly 3,000 innocent civilians of every political persuasion and religious conviction is used to demonize a president of this great country.”
Timothy Sumner, whose brother-in-law was a firefighter killed on September 11, said he is no fan of Obama. But he criticized Boortz's comparison
“I think it's a ridiculous comment, it is so far off the topic, how can you emote from that?” Sumner said. “It is not even related to 9/11.
”I have issues with Barack Obama. But when you make comments like that, it is so over the top and out of context it is hard to do anything but laugh at the comment, it seems idiotic."
For Nancy Aronson, whose sister-in-law, Myra, was killed on September 11, the response was shock.
“Oh my God!” she said. “That's just ridiculous. It's politicizing an international tragedy. People from 53 countries died on September 11. Even linking Obama with that, it's just a non sequitur.”
Herb Ouida's son, Todd, was killed in the North Tower on September 11. Ouida said the comparison to and criticism of Obama are both wrong.
“I could not disagree more with that,” he said after hearing Boortz's views. “First of all, I think that the president is on track with the jobs that he saved in the auto industry, the fact that he saved the banks from going down the tubes.
”Number two, using September 11 is becoming almost a joke and a farce for some people. If you want to talk about an issue, September 11 is its own tragedy, it is a special tragedy. It doesn't need to be brought up to make a point that is not relevant to September 11.
“I just wish that people would understand that there is a lot of pain involved in bringing up September 11 for purposes that really have no relevance to September 11. I wish the lessons of September 11 could be peace. ”
Timothy Barr is on the Board of Directors of FamiliesofSeptember11.org and also disagreed with the Boortz comparison.
“For anybody to compare the leader of the free world to the type of devastating tragedy that happened on 9/11 is way out of bounds from my thinking,” said Barr, whose wife was in the World Trade Center when the planes hit, but survived. “Based on that comment, I can't see where any rational person could equate and believe those two things to be congruent.”