The President’s Weekly Address post is also an Open News Thread. Feel free to share other news stories in the comments.
From the White House – Weekly Address
In this week’s address, President Obama acknowledged that the aftermath of tragedies like we’ve seen in Dallas, Baton Rouge, and Minnesota, can leave us struggling to make sense of these events. However, the President reiterated that the country is not as divided as it may seem. He said he saw it this week when he met with law enforcement on the challenges they face; when he traveled to Dallas for the memorial service of the five brave police officers who died while protecting protesters with whom they may have disagreed; when he convened a more than four-hour long meeting with police chiefs, Black Lives Matter activists, and state and local leaders; and when he participated in a town hall where he said there is no contradiction between honoring police and recognizing racial disparities exist within the criminal justice system. The President said that although these conversations can be challenging, we have to be able to talk about our differences. We have to be open and honest – not just within our own circles, but also with those who offer different perspectives. Because that’s what America is about – finding solutions not only through policy, but also by forging consensus and finding the political will to make change.
Transcript: Weekly Address: Coming Together to Find Solutions
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
July 16, 2016Hi, everybody. It’s been a challenging couple weeks. The shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge; the protests; the targeting and murder of police officers in Dallas – it’s left all of us struggling to make sense of things at times. Now, I know that for many, it can feel like the deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, and even widened.
But the America I know – the America I saw this week – is just not as divided as some folks try to insist. I saw it on Monday, when I met with law enforcement to talk about the challenges they face, and how too often, we ask our police to do too much – to be social workers, and teachers, guardians, and drug counselors as well.
I saw it on Tuesday, when I traveled to Dallas for the memorial service for the five courageous officers who died in the line of duty – even as they were protecting protesters with whom they may have disagreed.
I saw it on Wednesday, when I hosted police chiefs, Black Lives Matter activists, state and local leaders, and others for a discussion that lasted more than four hours – a discussion on more steps we can take to continue supporting the police who keep our streets safe, and instill confidence that the law applies to everyone equally.
And I saw it on Thursday, at a town hall in D.C., where we talked about how there is no contradiction between honoring police and recognizing the racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system, and trying to fix these discrepancies.
These conversations were candid, challenging, even uncomfortable at times. But that’s the point. We have to be able to talk about these things, honestly and openly, not just in the comfort of our own circles, but with folks who look differently and think differently than we do. Otherwise, we’ll never break this dangerous cycle. And that’s what America’s all about. Not just finding policies that work – but forging consensus, fighting cynicism, and finding the political will to keep changing this country for the better.
That’s what America gives us – all of us – the capacity to change.
It won’t happen overnight. The issues we’re grappling with go back decades, even centuries. But if we can open our hearts to try and see ourselves in one another; if we can worry less about which side has been wronged, and worry more about joining sides to do right, as equal parts of one American family – then I’m confident that together, we will lead our country to a better day.
Thanks everybody. Have a great weekend.
Bolding added.
~
President Obama:
President Obama, speaking at a reception for foreign diplomats, finds Newt Gingrich “repugnant” … I do too!!
In the news, gay supporters of Trump are upset at Mike Pence VP pick …
Left without comment.
In the news, Trumpism is the fault of … Obama!!! So sez Jeb
“Making us seem”???!??. Good lord, this is incredible revisionist history. And obviously forgetting that the Republican Senate leader and other GOP legislators vowed to block allow every part of Barack Obama’s legislative agenda before he was even inaugurated.
May your party burn to the ground, the ashes thrown to the winds. The Party of Lincoln was destroyed by the Southern Strategy and the Bush family’s hired guns Atwater and Rove. Trump is just presiding over the funeral.
Another of the “Party of Lincoln” reality-deniers, Peter Wehner:
Well, yes. Your willful covering of your eyes from what was happening, does not change the reality. It is the ugly party and has won national elections by appealing to ugly people.
He concludes:
Please, start a new party, call it the Party of Reagan … and let Abraham Lincoln finally rest in peace. He does not deserve to have his name associated with what the Republican Party has become.
Two authors at the NY Times put together an analysis of where the party goes after Trump: embrace Trumpism and the white identity politics (and their base) or reject it, if they can: Donald Trump Forces G.O.P. to Choose Between Insularity and Outreach
It will be interesting to see how much the #NeverTrumpersWellOkayNowTrump speakers at the convention, including Pence, embrace Trumpism 2016 versus the future of their party. There may be no future if they tie it tightly to the people who crave Trump’s white identity politics. I disagree with the authors, by the way, that there has been any “wrestling” over their tactics for winning elections. It has been the Southern Strategy, Atwater/Rove, and now Trump … a direct line. The people like Ryan, Flake and Kinzinger who see a more inclusive GOP possible after the defeat seem to be throwing a Hail Mary pass after the rest of the team has left the field and is already in the locker room.
As far as bringing their base along , they aren’t denying reality, they simply have their own:
Fear this …