Author Topic: White House Won't Clarify How Obama Heard About The Malaysian Plane Crash In Ukraine  (Read 588 times)

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rangerrebew

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White House Won't Clarify How Obama Heard About The Malaysian Plane Crash In Ukraine


 


Hunter Walker and Brett LoGiurato
 
Jul. 17, 2014, 3:56 PM
 

President Barack Obama was on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin when news of the Malaysian Airlines plane crash broke Thursday, but the White House won't say whether the president learned of the incident from his counterpart in Moscow or by other means.

According to a press pool report by Washington Post reporter Juliet Eilperin, White House press secretary Joshua Earnest informed reporters traveling with the president in Delaware that "the first public reports of the downed passenger jet were published during the phone call between President Obama and President Putin."

"As I said earlier, President Putin mentioned those early reports during the call," Earnest said.

The Kremlin released a readout of the phone call that said Putin "informed" Obama about the crash.

"The Russian leader informed the U.S. president of the report from air traffic controllers that the Malaysian plane had crashed on Ukrainian territory, which had arrived immediately before the phone call," the readout said.

Business Insider asked Earnest about the Kremlin readout and whether Obama first learned of the crash from Putin. He pointed to his comments in the pool report indicating "the story broke during the call." Earnest did not respond to subsequent requests specifically asking if Putin told Obama about the crash.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mh17-plane-crash-white-house-wont-clarify-how-obama-learned-2014-7#ixzz37oTrUKZl

rangerrebew

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'It looks like it may be a terrible tragedy': Obama goes AWOL again with just 40-second mention of Malaysian plane crash feared to have killed Americans before his jokey 16-minute transport speech

Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, killing all 295 passengers on board

President Obama said his national security team is working on identifying the U.S. citizens – and then launched into jokes and 16 minutes of prepared remarks

Twitter erupted with digital eye-rolls at Obama's curt mention of the 'tragedy' that the Ukrainian government quickly called a 'criminal case'
House Speaker John Boehner offered a solemn statement, saying 'many innocents were killed today. It is horrifying.'



By David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor and Associated Press

Published: 13:28 EST, 17 July 2014  | Updated: 02:17 EST, 18 July 2014 
 
 
President Barack Obama provoked fury in the U.S. on Thursday by casually devoting less than a minute to the deaths of 295 people aboard a Malaysian airliner, as he began an often jokey 16-minute speech about the need to expand America’s transportation infrastructure.

There are no confirmed American dead and the White House issued a statement on Thursday evening which said they were still seeking any 'information to determine whether there were any American citizens on board'.


An earlier Reuters report claimed that it was feared that as many as 23 U.S. citizens had perished.


Obama declared in Wilmington, Delaware that 'it looks like it may be a terrible tragedy,' but not before enthusiastically declaring that 'it is wonderful to be back in Delaware.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

 
Condolences? Obama briefly mentioned the plane crash in eastern Ukraine on Thursday before launching into his prepared remarks and blaming Republicans for slow-walking transportation spending

  The president's speech went on as planned, complete with laugh lines, despite the deaths of nearly two dozen U.S. citizens in what appears to have been a deliberate missile attack
 
 
 
Boston Globe reporter Matt Viser captured the online reactions to Obama's statement about the downed airliner
 

'Before I begin, obviously the world is watching reports of a downed passenger jet near the Russia-Ukraine border. And it looks like it may be a terrible tragedy. Right now we’re working to determine whether there were American citizens on board. That is our first priority.'

'And I've directed my national security team to stay in close contact with the Ukrainian governemnt. The United States will offer any assistance we can to help determine what happened and why. And as a country, our thoughts and prayers are with all the families and passengers, wherever they call home.


Obama then jarringly quickly returned to his prepared remarks. 

'I want to thank Jeremie for that introduction' he said. 'Give Jeremie a big round of applause.'

'It is great to be in the state that gave us Joe Biden. We’ve got actually some better-looking Bidens with us here today.  We've got Beau and his wife, Hallie, are here. Give them a big round of applause. We love them.'
 
Obama mentions Malaysia plane crash only briefly in Delaware

 American victims? Obama spoke to Ukrainian President Poroshenko while he flew on Air Force One between Wilmington, Delaware and New York City but neither the state department nor Obama revealed if Americans were aboard MH17
 
 
American victims? Obama spoke to Ukrainian President Poroshenko while he flew on Air Force One between Wilmington, Delaware and New York City but neither the state department nor Obama revealed if Americans were aboard MH17



Obama also acknowledged the presence of Treasury Secretary Jack Lew with a joke.

'Jack Lew’s signature is actually on your money,' he said, 'although it's kind of illegible. We teased him when he first became treasury secretary that he was going to have to fix his signature a little bit because it looked just like a caterpillar running along the bottom.'

From there he launched into a 16-minute speech about transportation projects he wants Republicans to fund, complaining bitterly about their objections to his end-runs around the federal legislature.

'When I have a chance to help communities like Wilmington, I’m going to do it,' he said, as cable news networks focused on the lives lost in Eastern Ukraine.

'That’s when my administration takes these executive actions, when Congress won’t act. And so far, the only response we’ve gotten from the Republicans is a lawsuit. They're suing me for doing my job, instead of going ahead and doing their job.'

'That's disappointing,' Obama said. 'It’s a political stunt.'


Twitter erupted, with thousands of users expressing emotions ranging from disappointment to disgust.


Former CNN host Piers Morgan reacted with his typical barbs.

'President Obama massively dropped the ball just now,' Morgan tweeted. '23 Americans killed and he says "it looks like a terrible tragedy" then back to jokes?'

'I agree,' responded singer Josh Groban. 'Bad prep. I was shocked.'

National Review reporter Charles Cooke tweeted: 'Shorter Obama: 'Something awful has happened with a plane. It’s awful. Awful. Republicans are bastards for not funding new airports".'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2696366/It-looks-like-terrible-tragedy-Obama-briefly-addresses-Malaysian-plane-crash-emerges-23-U-S-passengers-board.html#ixzz37oUjm3gl
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Offline mountaineer

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I'm surprised he actually was on the phone with a world leader, that is, more or less doing his job. Usually when things like this happen, he's already at a fundraiser or deep into "chooming" with Reggie Love.
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Offline NavyCanDo

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I'm surprised he actually was on the phone with a world leader, that is, more or less doing his job. Usually when things like this happen, he's already at a fundraiser or deep into "chooming" with Reggie Love.

It doesn't say who called who. I suspect knowing the implications,  Putin called Obama, and he had to put down his beer and bratwurst and take the call.
A nation that turns away from prayer will ultimately find itself in desperate need of it. :Jonathan Cahn

rangerrebew

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Obama was probably asking what he could do to help Putin out, just as he said he would do to Medvedev, when Putin got the call.

Offline flowers

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This is what he was doing Thursday....................


At approximately 12:50 pm, the motorcade stopped at the Charcoal Pit, a popular, established restaurant just north of Wilmington, Del. Known for its burgers and sundaes. Obama shook hands and mingled with many of the diners, stopping at one point to pick up seven-month old Jaidyn Oates, and pose for a photo.

He invoked Vice Presiident Biden’s name a few names, noting to some diners, “Me and Joe, we share shakes all the time,” and to others, “Biden told me the burgers are pretty good.”

Just before hugging another young girl, whose mother lifted her across the booth to hug the president, Obama asked, “Do you give good hugs?”

At 1:01 pm Obama declared, “I’m starving!” He sat down to eat with Tanei Benjamin, who wrote the president a year ago. The president ordered a 4-ounce “Pit special,” which is burger with fries. He asked for it to be done medium well, and to have lettuce and tomato. He also asked for a water with lemon.,/i>

http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2014/07/17/care-world/


rangerrebew

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Why didn't Moochelle's food Nazis arrest him?

Offline EC

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