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Obama, Traveling to Dallas, Seeks to Console and Reassure Obama, in Dallas, Seeks to Console and Reassure
(about 17 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama will travel to Dallas on Tuesday to mourn the deaths of five white police officers gunned down by a black Army veteran, his latest effort to help bridge one of the starkest divides in American society. DALLAS — 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.”
He huddled with his speechwriters for much of Monday, hoping to find words that would not only console the officers’ grief-stricken families but also reassure a nation fearful that racial divisions are worsening after the Dallas slaughter and the killing days before of black men by the police in Louisiana and Minnesota. “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 approached the effort with the frustration of a man who has poured his heart and soul into similar speeches, only to later feel that nothing has changed and no one is listening. This will be the 11th time in his presidency that he has sought to comfort a city after a mass killing, and the second time in a month that such a killing grew out of bias. 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.
“I’m not naïve,” he said. “I’ve spoken at too many memorials during the course of this presidency.”
Mr. Obama acknowledged the limitations of his own words, and quoted from the Gospel of John: “Let us love not with words or speech but with action and in truth.”
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.
“I confess that sometimes, too, I experience doubt,” Mr. Obama said. “I’ve been to too many of these things. I’ve seen too many families go through this.”
Former President George W. Bush spoke earlier at the memorial. “Today the nation grieves, but those of us who love Dallas and call it home have had five deaths in the family,” Mr. Bush said. He added, “At times it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together.”
But, Mr. Bush said, “Americans, I think, have a great advantage. To renew our unity we only have to remember our values.”
Mr. Obama had huddled with his speechwriters for much of Monday, hoping to find words that would not only console the officers’ grief-stricken families but also reassure a nation fearful that racial divisions are worsening after the Dallas slaughter and the killing days before of black men by the police in Louisiana and Minnesota.
Mr. Obama approached the effort with the frustration of a man who has poured his heart and soul into similar speeches, only to later feel that nothing has changed and no one is listening. This was the 11th time in his presidency that he sought to comfort a city after a mass killing, and the second time in a month that such a killing grew out of bias.
“The president recognizes that it’s not just people in Dallas who are grieving, it’s people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so,” Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said on Monday.“The president recognizes that it’s not just people in Dallas who are grieving, it’s people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so,” Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said on Monday.
Mr. Obama’s task is especially tough because Dallas has already undertaken many of the steps that his administration has advocated to improve race relations and foster better community ties with the police. The police chief, David O. Brown, has won high marks for his frank and unsparing remarks after the tragedy. Mr. Obama’s task was especially tough because Dallas has already undertaken many of the steps that his administration has advocated to improve race relations and foster better community ties with the police. The police chief, David O. Brown, has won high marks for his frank and unsparing remarks after the tragedy.
During a news conference on Monday, Chief Brown, who is black, said that he remained committed to reform, and his message to those protesting police conduct was simple: “Don’t be part of the problem. We’re hiring. Get out of the protest line and put an application in. We’ll put you in your neighborhood.”During a news conference on Monday, Chief Brown, who is black, said that he remained committed to reform, and his message to those protesting police conduct was simple: “Don’t be part of the problem. We’re hiring. Get out of the protest line and put an application in. We’ll put you in your neighborhood.”
Former President George W. Bush, who lives in Dallas, will also speak at Tuesday’s memorial, a rare event in his post-presidency. While in office, Mr. Bush faced his own set of problems with the nation’s racial divisions. The remarks by Mr. Bush, who lives in Dallas, were a rare event in his post-presidency. While in office, Mr. Bush faced his own set of problems with the nation’s racial divisions.
As part of his message of “compassionate conservatism,” Mr. Bush made racial harmony a greater emphasis than many Republicans have in recent decades, and he sought to extend his party’s outreach to African-Americans, though without great electoral success. He won about 11 percent of the black vote in 2004, roughly the same as other modern Republican nominees who did not face Mr. Obama.As part of his message of “compassionate conservatism,” Mr. Bush made racial harmony a greater emphasis than many Republicans have in recent decades, and he sought to extend his party’s outreach to African-Americans, though without great electoral success. He won about 11 percent of the black vote in 2004, roughly the same as other modern Republican nominees who did not face Mr. Obama.
Mr. Bush appointed the first and second black secretaries of state and promoted his No Child Left Behind education program in part to help minority students and to combat what he called the “soft bigotry of low expectations.”Mr. Bush appointed the first and second black secretaries of state and promoted his No Child Left Behind education program in part to help minority students and to combat what he called the “soft bigotry of low expectations.”
He did not face the sort of repeated racially charged episodes that have occurred during Mr. Obama’s presidency, but he was heavily criticized for not reacting faster to help New Orleans and its large African-American population after Hurricane Katrina. He wrote in his memoir that being accused of not caring about black victims was the lowest moment of his presidency.He did not face the sort of repeated racially charged episodes that have occurred during Mr. Obama’s presidency, but he was heavily criticized for not reacting faster to help New Orleans and its large African-American population after Hurricane Katrina. He wrote in his memoir that being accused of not caring about black victims was the lowest moment of his presidency.
Now, Mr. Bush is being called upon to help succor his own city.Now, Mr. Bush is being called upon to help succor his own city.
As for Mr. Obama, his speech will almost certainly call for greater understanding from all sides of the debate while emphasizing that race relations are much improved since the 1960s. As for Mr. Obama, his speech called for greater understanding from all sides of the debate while emphasizing that race relations are much improved since the 1960s.
“When we start suggesting that somehow there is this enormous polarization and we’re back to the situation in the 1960s — that’s just not true,” Mr. Obama said on Saturday at a news conference in Warsaw. “You’re not seeing riots, and you’re not seeing police going after people who are protesting peacefully.”“When we start suggesting that somehow there is this enormous polarization and we’re back to the situation in the 1960s — that’s just not true,” Mr. Obama said on Saturday at a news conference in Warsaw. “You’re not seeing riots, and you’re not seeing police going after people who are protesting peacefully.”
Rather, concerns about police conduct have grown, he believes, in part because of the wide distribution of videos of the police on social media, which have heightened awareness even as episodes of improper behavior have declined.Rather, concerns about police conduct have grown, he believes, in part because of the wide distribution of videos of the police on social media, which have heightened awareness even as episodes of improper behavior have declined.
“And the fact that we’re aware of it may increase some anxiety right now, and hurt and anger,” Mr. Obama said over the weekend. “But it’s been said, sunshine is the best disinfectant.”“And the fact that we’re aware of it may increase some anxiety right now, and hurt and anger,” Mr. Obama said over the weekend. “But it’s been said, sunshine is the best disinfectant.”
Mr. Obama has been criticized by civil rights leaders for choosing to visit Dallas instead of Louisiana or Minnesota. He has also been criticized by some police officials, who say he has worsened racial tensions by faulting some police conduct.Mr. Obama has been criticized by civil rights leaders for choosing to visit Dallas instead of Louisiana or Minnesota. He has also been criticized by some police officials, who say he has worsened racial tensions by faulting some police conduct.
“This president and his administration absolutely do not have our back and make our jobs more dangerous,” William J. Johnson, the executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, which represents about 240,000 law enforcement officers, said on Sunday.“This president and his administration absolutely do not have our back and make our jobs more dangerous,” William J. Johnson, the executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, which represents about 240,000 law enforcement officers, said on Sunday.
On Monday, Mr. Johnson attended a meeting at the White House during which law enforcement officials discussed with Mr. Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. the best ways to build trust between the police and communities.On Monday, Mr. Johnson attended a meeting at the White House during which law enforcement officials discussed with Mr. Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. the best ways to build trust between the police and communities.
In every speech on policing and race, Mr. Obama has tried to strike a balance, acknowledging bias in the criminal justice system but saying that it is not an indictment of all police officers.In every speech on policing and race, Mr. Obama has tried to strike a balance, acknowledging bias in the criminal justice system but saying that it is not an indictment of all police officers.
“So when people say ‘black lives matter,’ that doesn’t mean blue lives don’t matter; it just means all lives matter, but right now the big concern is the fact that the data shows black folks are more vulnerable to these kinds of incidents,” Mr. Obama said just before the police officers were killed in Dallas.“So when people say ‘black lives matter,’ that doesn’t mean blue lives don’t matter; it just means all lives matter, but right now the big concern is the fact that the data shows black folks are more vulnerable to these kinds of incidents,” Mr. Obama said just before the police officers were killed in Dallas.
He will again walk that tightrope on Tuesday. He again walked that tightrope on Tuesday.