NYT account of Obama's meeting w/families who lost loved ones in the oil rig explosion

[quiet.american]

Obama Consoles Oil Rig Families
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG, NYT
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/obama-consoles-oil-rig-families/

Television is filled with images of oil spill victims, from out-of-work shrimp boaters to endangered pelicans covered in sticky muck. On Thursday, the people some have called forgotten victims – the families of the 11 workers killed when the rig exploded – met with President Obama and Democratic lawmakers to press for more compensation.

Mr. Obama had invited the families to the White House and met with them privately for nearly an hour in the East Room of the White House. He told them he still spoke with victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, one attendee said, and promised that he would not forget them in the months and years ahead....

Keith Jones, a Baton Rouge lawyer whose 28-year-old son, Gordon, a mud engineer, died in the blast, said Mr. Obama promised to consider their request. Describing the scene in the East Room , Mr. Jones said each family sat at its own table, and the president went from table to table to speak with each family individually.

When he stopped to chat with the Jones family, Mr. Obama held the family’s newest member — a 4-week-old baby boy, the son of the man who died in the blast.

“It is technically not his job as president to console families of men who died off shore,’’ Mr. Jones said. “But he made it his business, and we’re grateful for it.’’

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Can't help but compare this in my mind to Bush's infamously cold-blooded meeting with military families where he started out with a jolly "so, who we honorin' here today!," and finished up with a cold stare into the eyes of a Gold Star mother. No comparison.

[Cha]

1. So very heartbreaking..

and traumatic..I'm glad they were able to meet with the Prez at our House.

[goclark]

2. OUr President has so much class ~

love him for his kindness and his ability to talk to the people.

[demtenjeep]

3. So very greatful that we have a compassionate intelligent man in the Oval Office

What a testimony.

thank you