Big 4 broadcast networks joined their cable news brethren today in carrying President Obama’s short Thanksgiving-eve statement to a jittery public about traveling, shopping, etc., over the holiday.
“As we go into Thanksgiving weekend, what I want the American people to know is that we are taking every possible step to keep our homeland safe,” Obama said from the White House while flanked by some of his security bigwigs.
“All of us recognize how horrific and heinous what took place in Paris was,” Obama said of ISIS’ November 13 attacks on that city. “I know families have discussed the fear of the threat of terrorism around the dinner table – many for the first time since 9/11.”
“I want the American people to know, entering the holidays, that the combined resources of the military, intelligence and homeland security are on the case. They’re vigilant, relentless and effective,” he assured, urging the public to “go about usual Thanksgiving weekend activities… spending time with family and friends and celebrating our blessings.”
The flood-the-zone TV coverage of Obama’s keep-calm-carry-on remarks followed a morning’s worth of TV news Obama-drubbing, focusing on tone-deafness of comments he’s made since the Paris attacks. Among the drubbees: Former George W. Bush White House Communications Director/former The View panelist/current MSNBC contributor Nicole Wallace:
“People are scared. And that’s not a partisan issue,” she scolded Morning Joe, saying Obama had been “incapable for a nanosecond” since the attacks of speaking to the country “as a human being about the fact that they’re scared…People don’t understand the refugee program, people don’t understand how exhaustive the vetting is. And he blamed anyone who is afraid — he called them cowards, said ‘You’re afraid of orphans and women!’ ” Wallace scoffed.
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