President Obama Mentions Plane Crash, and Victim Beverly Eckert
EmailBefore he began speaking to the Business Council this morning in the East Room of the White House, President Obama took a moment "to say a word about the terrible tragedy that took place outside Buffalo last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones, and as always, our thanks go out to the brave first responders who arrived immediately to try and save lives, and who are still on the scene keeping people safe."
The President singled out one victim in particular, who was part of a group of families whose loved ones had been victimized by al Qaeda terrorism, Beverly Eckert.
Eckert was flying to her hometown of Buffalo to celebrate what would have been her husband, Sean Rooney’s 58th birthday. Eckert publicly told the story of Rooney calling her from the World Trade Center to say he loved her when there was a loud explosion and then silence.
As a co-chair of the 9/11 Family Steering Committee, Eckert was a part of a small group of 9/11 widows, mothers and children who pushed the Bush Administration for a 9/11 Commission and Congress to implement its recommendations on intelligence reform.
"Tragic events such as these remind us of the fragility of life and the value of every single day," President Obama said this morning, "and one person who understood that well was Beverly Eckert, who was on that flight and who I met with just a few days ago. Beverly lost her husband on 9/11, and became a tireless advocate for the families whose lives were forever changed on that September day. In keeping with that passionate commitment, she was on her way to Buffalo to mark what would have been her husband’s birthday and launch a scholarship in his memory. She was an inspiration to me and to so many others, and I pray that her family finds peace and comfort in the hard days ahead."
One week ago Eckert and other families met with the President to discuss fighting terrorism and the changes he would make to how terrorists are prosecuted. (Read more about that HERE.)
Eckert was a leader of "Voices of September 11" which promotes "public policy reform on prevention, preparedness and response to terrorism."
In 2003, Eckert wrote that he had "chosen to go to court rather than accept a payoff from the 9/11 victims compensation fund. Instead, I want to know what went so wrong with our intelligence and security systems that a band of religious fanatics was able to turn four U.S passenger jets into an enemy force, attack our cities and kill 3,000 civilians with terrifying ease. I want to know why two 110-story skyscrapers collapsed in less than two hours and why escape and rescue options were so limited. I am suing because unlike other investigative avenues, including congressional hearings and the 9/11 commission, my lawsuit requires all testimony be given under oath and fully uses powers to compel evidence."
"The victims fund was not created in a spirit of compassion," she wrote. "Rather, it was a tacit acknowledgment by Congress that it tampered with our civil justice system in an unprecedented way. Lawmakers capped the liability of the airlines at the behest of lobbyists who descended on Washington while the Sept. 11 fires still smoldered. And this liability cap protects not just the airlines, but also World Trade Center builders, safety engineers and other defendants. The caps on liability have consequences for those who want to sue to shed light on the mistakes of 9/11."
– Jake Tapper and Karen Travers
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Did Obama ever once mention the Kentucky residents who suffered without FEMA help, no electricity or water for over 11 days?
Posted by: Rhonda | February 13, 2009, 11:10 am 11:10 am
Speaking of 9/11 families, I hope everyone has had a chance to read about those families who strenuously disagreed with the president’s decision to halt trials and close Gitmo.
One of the women, who lost a son, said she voted for Obama but was sorry for that vote now. She’s furious and was actually making the rounds on the talk shows mentioning impeachment. This was in Obama’s second week in office.
He’s finding out the difference between campaigning and actually governing.
Posted by: Peach | February 13, 2009, 11:12 am 11:12 am
bitter…bitter people.
I’m glad to know there are so many perfect people sitting at their keyboards serving mankind.
God be with the families through their time of great loss.
Posted by: watching | February 13, 2009, 11:42 am 11:42 am
Why do these comments not surprise me? Couldn’t you post something in remeberence of Mrs. Eckert?
Posted by: JDL | February 13, 2009, 11:54 am 11:54 am
Was that the same meeting described in The Washington Times:
“White House Counsel Greg Craig, often seen whispering in the president’s ear during question periods, admitted later to Ms. Burlingame that the chief executive [Obama]was getting the facts of the law wrong during the discussion with the families.”
The Times article goes to say that Craig admitted the Obama administration didn’t realize they would have to turn over classified information to terrorists under the Administrations plans for trials of terrorists.
Posted by: mad | February 13, 2009, 11:57 am 11:57 am
Here is a better synopsis of the Washington Times article referenced previously:
“President Obama clearly didn’t do his homework before ordering the suspension of military tribunals to try terrorist suspects. We have learned that even his own legal counsel admitted that Mr. Obama erred in discussing details about terrorism with families of victims last week, and that the administration was ignorant of a key point that terrorists exploit to their advantage. In his rush to fulfill a campaign promise to his more fervid anti-war supporters, the president’s legal oversights risk the disclosure of some highly classified information to terrorists.”
My prayers go out for Mrs. Ekert, her friends and family and all those who attended the meeting with the President.
Posted by: mad | February 13, 2009, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
@ ABC: typo — “he” for “she” — at paragraph beginning
“In 2003, Eckert wrote that HE [read: "she"] had “chosen to go to court rather than accept a payoff from the 9/11 victims compensation fund.”
Posted by: Copy Police | February 13, 2009, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm
I think the president was gracious and thoughtful in his remarks. I appreciate his dignity in carrying out the crucial ceremonial side of the presidency (Okay, ceremonial is not quite the right word, but you know what I mean). He speaks on behalf of the american people in such circumstances and this is an important part of what we look to the president for. Both Clinton and Bush Jr. were very good, in my opinion, in the role of “comforter in chief.” Their styles were different but both showed their compassion and empathy in such terrible circumstances. It’s sad that Obama must take up this role so soon in his administration, but he handled it well, as far as I can tell.
See– I do not automatically complain about the man at every turn. When he does something right, I acknowledge it, and appreciate it.
Posted by: moderate | February 13, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
Rhonda, 11 days…and you think Fema needs to be there? The national guard was called out, the Red Cross what more needed to be done. For 11 days did you want them to drag out the Fema trailers? Stop making an issue out of a non issue, WHAT HAPPENED IN KENTUCKY WAS NO KATRINA!
Posted by: try the truth | February 13, 2009, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
Forgot to mention— my heart goes out the families of those killed in the crash. Ms. Eckert was a woman with a passion and a tremendous heart, it seems clear. She was committed to preventing others from experiencing the pain she herself had felt. One has to admire such courage and such service to our nation.
It is a small comfort to think that on what would have been her husband’s 50th birthday, their souls were reunited. Still, her passing is our loss.
Posted by: moderate | February 13, 2009, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
The comments here are terrible!!! Did anyone here say anything about this poor woman losing her husband and now her life? NO-everyone nagged on Obama like it’s his fault. AS for Kentucky there are plenty of statements he made if you bothered to look them up you would know that! In times like this of tragedy we should be pulling together and praying for the family members lost today!
Posted by: enviro | February 13, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
“try the truth,” what an odd reaction! Of course FEMA should be there as quickly as possible, just like in the case of Katrina. The disasters are different in substances– flood vs. ice storm destruction– but not different in the need for assistance. Why do you say that they were not needed?
If you go to the FEMA homepage, you will see a detailed description, dated Feb. 3, of the many ways that FEMA is responding to the emergency in Kentucky. It is not simply a matter of “rolling out the FEMA trailers.” FEMA does much more than provide housing, and those suffering in Kentucky needed/continue to need a variety of times of assistance that FEMA can provide or coordinate. The notion that somehow, the people of Kentucky are churlish to expect that response time had improved since Katrina or that this time, we should be satisfied that the National Guard and Red Cross rolled out faster, is simply wrong. Why are you so defensive?
Posted by: moderate | February 13, 2009, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
Enviro, aren’t you exaggerating a tad? At present, I count 13 comments including your own, and 3 of them are from me. I certainly did say nice things about Ms. Eckart and about the president and did not “nag” the president or blame him. In fact, when the whole “gosh, you people are too bitter” commentary started, there were only 3 comments posted. Admittedly, they were not the most conciliatory or positive comments. But it was rather early to proclaim a pattern.
Posted by: moderate | February 13, 2009, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
Give me a break – the guy who is weakening America offers platitudes! :(
Try some authentic leadership Obama!
Any thinking American will vote no on your obscene democrat pet project spending spree being used as a drawn out campaign stimulus for 2010 and 2012!
We don’t have a president – we have an arrogant, obfuscating salesman who wings it using fear-mongering and lies! :(
It is embarrassing to keep seeing and hearing this guy on TV ads!
We need a president who knows how to lead! Step down if you can’t hack it Obama!
Posted by: aware2u | February 13, 2009, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
May God rest their souls.
Posted by: Y | February 13, 2009, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
” … we have an arrogant, obfuscating salesman who wings it … ”
Uh, references to winging it might not be politically correct in a plane-crash thread.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 13, 2009, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm
Hmmm: so there IS something up with the crash. Another non-repeating eyewitness report in the wee hours was that there was a big explosion onboard AFTER the plane hit the ground.
A talking-head-”expert”‘s opinion at the time that it could have been an oxygen tank didn’t seem all that plausible … and his voice seemed to suggest some stress.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 13, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
FYI Human Intelligence: Winging it means to do something with in an impromptu manner, improvising, with little preparation.
The point is that a guy who is weakening the USA in terms of our ability to protect ourselves against terrorists comes across as inauthentic in this situation! :(
He is insulting not comforting!
Posted by: aware2u | February 13, 2009, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
I am an Independent and I repeat: The point is that Obama, who is weakening the USA in terms of our ability to protect ourselves against terrorists comes across as inauthentic in this situation! It is insulting not comforting!
And of course Americans offer their prayers and comfort to the bereaved!
Posted by: aware2u | February 13, 2009, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
I wonder if Eckhart’s case is still pending. Eight years is not all that long if the discovery is as huge as she said she wanted.
Posted by: Jane | February 13, 2009, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
“[Obama] comes across as inauthentic in this situation! :(
He is insulting not comforting!”
–> Inauthentic is only the beginning: that cartoon-quality comment on “the fragility of life” could well be taken as a … threat.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 13, 2009, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
I find it disgusting that those who didn’t get their way in the last election intend to pout-out-loud projecting their limited mind-set on every word of every subject President Obama addresses rather than objectively listening with their eyes to the printed word, and responsibly weighing the subjects at hand before plugging them into old prejudices. This kind of ignorance and lack of creative reasoning and ‘Higher Human Intelligence’ is what is the enemy. Those with a longer attention span have no problem following the President. If anyone does lack that ability, just keep tuned to those AM radio programs that do all of your thinking for you so rapidly and loudly that you have no time to think for and defend yourself.
I arrived here looking for detailed information on Ms. Eckert’s lawsuit.
Ms. Eckert wanted details (that could be classified as dangerous for us to know) opened to the light of day in her lawsuit. I think trying accused terrorists in tribunals rather than courts of law is equivalent to paying 9/11 victims relatives to avoid the light of day with the investigation of the facts that led up to 9/11in Ms. Eckert’s lawsuit. Both instances could keep the American public in the dark as to who is behind, in front of and beside, those who attempt to destroy the America we call ours.
I would appreciate detailed reporting regarding Ms. Eckert’s lawsuit. That could elevate the quality of the comments here. If her lawsuit is still pending this is a much bigger story. We might all consider pushing our Congress members to re-open the 9/11 Investigations. Doing so might give those considering another attack as Cheney threatened us with, pause.
Posted by: Higher Ground | February 13, 2009, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
i didn’t think he seemed “inauthentic” at all. i thought he seemed upset. i’m sure he was shocked that someone he just spoke with was killed that under those circumstances. president or not, that is a sad coincidence. and whomever said the fragility of life sounded sinister or whatever….i didn’t hear that at all. these boards just attract trolls who want to attack everything the president does, just like people attacked bush all the time. no one can ever stay on the topic and they have to dumb down the conversation! i am so sorry for everyone who lost their life on the plane or on the ground, and for their families.
Posted by: sara | February 14, 2009, 1:01 am 1:01 am
really, i’m looking at these again…
cartoon quality and insulting???? WHAT?
are you people so used to a president who couldn’t speak a sentence correctly to save his life, that you consider a well spoken man inauthentic?
Posted by: sara | February 14, 2009, 1:03 am 1:03 am