Obama Eulogizes Fallen Dallas Police Officers Killed In Dallas, “Seeks To Console And Reassure”

President Obama: Shootings Were A “Hate Crime,” Americans Must “Reject … Despair” After Dallas Attack. The New York Times reported that President Obama appeared in Dallas, Texas alongside former president George W. Bush, to eulogize fallen Dallas police officers killed on July 7. Obama characterized the killings as “an act not just of demented violence but of racial hatred,” stating Americans “are not so divided as we seem”:

President Obama said on Tuesday that the nation mourned along with Dallas for five police officers gunned down by a black Army veteran, but he implored Americans not to give in to despair or the fear that “the center might not hold.”



“I’m here to say that we must reject such despair,” Mr. Obama said at a memorial service for the officers in Dallas. “I’m here to insist that we are not so divided as we seem. I say that because I know America. I know how far we’ve come against impossible odds. I know we’ll make it because of what I’ve experienced in my own life.”



Mr. Obama acknowledged that the killings — “an act not just of demented violence but of racial hatred” — had exposed a “fault line” in American democracy. He said he understood if Americans questioned whether the racial divide would ever be bridged.



[…]



Mr. Obama, as he has before, balanced praise for the heroism of police officers with a blunt acknowledgment of racial bias in the criminal justice system. “We can’t simply dismiss it as a symptom of political correctness or reverse racism,” he said.



Behind him, a row of police officers did not clap. But when Mr. Obama added, “We ask the police to do too much, and we ask too little of ourselves,” the officers behind him applauded. The president appealed for an honest debate over the tensions inherent in policing and the nation’s legacy of racism. “It is forging consensus, and fighting cynicism, and finding the will to make change,” he said. [New York Times, 7/12/16]

Right-Wing Media Call Obama’s Speech “Bullshit”

Ben Shapiro: Obama Is A “Pathetically Self-Absorbed Asshat [Who] Hijacks A Memorial For Cops … To Lecture Cops On Racism”:

What kind of pathetically self-absorbed asshat hijacks a memorial for cops murdered by a racist to lecture cops on racism?

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Fox Business’ Charles Payne: “Police Need To Be Cradled And Applauded W/out Critic For One Day”:

...sadly golden opportunity has brought same speech- police need to be cradled & applauded w/out critic for one day https://t.co/hQijQOPsOn

— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Media Research Center’s Dan Gainor: Obama “Never Cared For This Nation And Never Will”:

Obama has never stopped being Bill Ayers' acolyte. He never cared for this nation and never will.

— Dan Gainor (@dangainor) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft: “Probably His MOST OFFENSIVE SPEECH Ever - What A Jerk!”:

Obama turns #DallasPoliceMemorial into lecture on race - SO DISGUSTING - Probably his MOST OFFENSIVE SPEECH Ever - What a jerk!

— Jim Hoft (@gatewaypundit) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Fox Contributor Katie Pavlich: “Black Lives Matter Is A Fraud And Based On Lies … Unreal Obama Would Credit Them At This Memorial”:

Black Lives Matter is a fraud and based on lies. They also promote cop killers. Unreal Obama would credit them at this memorial.

— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Conservative Columnist Michelle Malkin: Obama’s Speech Is “Bullshit”:

The bullshit. It smolders. #dallasmemorial https://t.co/6fjShrjEYZ

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Michelle Malkin: “Divider-In-Chief Exploits #dallasmemorial For 5 Gunned-Down Cops To Bash Police Depts. Go Home”:

Of course: Divider-in-chief exploits #dallasmemorial for 5 gunned-down cops to bash police depts. Go home. https://t.co/JEXYubaBNj

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



Conservative Writer Matthew Vadum: “Obama Emphasizes & Exaggerates Bigotry Among Police,” Giving “A Middle Finger To Cops”:

At funeral for 5 Dallas cops killed by #BlackLivesMatter Obama emphasizes & exaggerates bigotry among police. A middle finger to cops. #tcot

— Matthew Vadum (@vadum) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]



The Blaze’s Dana Loesch: Obama Turned His Speech “Into A Partisan Political Lecture On Gun Control, Race, And Policing.”

Obama was actually giving a great speech before he turned it into a partisan political lecture on gun control, race, and policing.

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) July 12, 2016

[Twitter, 7/12/16]