Everything about the coronavirus strain COVID-19 sucks. The tragic loss of human life is gutting. The threat for those in jeopardy of losing their livelihoods is terrifying. People are sequestered in their homes and isolated. Panic is spreading as we all wonder what turn this will take next. Many of us are not used to that feeling of helplessness. What is essential during these scary times is strong leadership to assure a frightened nation that their country will look after them and that we will get through this together. Boy, I wish the US had that currently. We don’t. We have a POTUS whose main concerns are making sure he doesn’t get blamed for the virus’ spread and that his rich buddies don’t get mad while the economy tanks. With all of his bs press conferences, in which he’s spreading false information and racists lies, it never occurred to him to comfort us, to spend just a moment being the leader we need, not the leader he wants us to believe he is (he isn’t). Fortunately for us, there is one leader attempting to comfort us: Barack Obama.
We owe a profound debt of gratitude to all our health professionals and everybody who’ll be on the front lines of this pandemic for a long while. They’re giving everything. May we all model our own behavior on their selflessness and sacrifice as we help each other through this. https://t.co/F3tsJTqd4c
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 17, 2020
I posted this tweet but there are plenty from him to choose from. Pres. Obama has sent out a series of lucid, calm messages, suggesting people take precautions and understand the severity of what we face while reassuring us that we will come through this and find a way to rebuild.
The COVID-19 crisis is one of those situations in which none of us needs to explain how bad it is. We all know someone deeply affected. Or perhaps it hits even closer to home. We got a phone call on Tuesday from family. And for the time being, I can’t even drive to them to hold their hand or they mine. So I need some words of comfort and am grateful that Pres. Obama is stepping away from his much-deserved rest to provide them, because no one in the current administration is doing so. And given how difficult the country made it for him while he was in office, he could just stay away, not care. But he took an oath and he intends to honor it, whether we deserve it or not.
Photo credit: WENN/Avalon and Twitter
Obama continues to be such an inspiration…a great man with a big heart…thank you sir.
I miss him as president so much.
@tempest: me too! So much, and he wasnt even my president (hello from europe)
so sorry about your family.
My prayers are with you and your family, Hecate. 🙏. And I pray for all worldwide as the virus knows no borders. Thank you also for the wonderful post about Obama. He is a true hero. I always feel better about myself and the world in general when he speaks. He is deeply missed.
As always, a Class Act.
Chrissy, well said, a class act.
I would go down the list of how our current President is not, but all of us here know this so I won’t keep sounding like a broken record.
Prayers and thoughts for you and your family member, Hecate. 🙏🏻
I miss him. He was such a calm person as a POTUSthat it made me feel calm.
Every day I think about how much better off the US would be if he were still in charge. It’s heartbreaking.
Hecate, i’m so sorry for your family member, I hope they are one of the lucky ones who has minimal symptoms and gets through this OK.
We are all pulling for your family member, Hecate. Please let us know how (s)he’s doing.
Thank you, President Obama for your words of inspiration!
Part of me is glad President Obama is not currently in office to receive the hatred the trumpanzees would be pouring his way, just like they did when he was in office. It wouldn’t matter that he acted decisively when the virus first appeared in Wuhan, it wouldn’t matter if we were the most prepared nation on earth instead of the least, the Deplorables would call it the Obama Virus. We wouldn’t be in the dire straits we’re in now, I believe, but none of that would matter. This country is broken.
Yes! This country is broken. So broken. It will take years to recover from Trump’s reign of ignorance and evil.
I miss him so, so much. The nation is terrified and we have nothing but incompetence and hate from the current White House.
I miss him, too.
Even though Biden was never near the top of my choice for president, he did have a good speech about the crisis.
https://youtu.be/kMxokey64pU
I will never forgive people and some media who made thing about POTUS being empathetic and crying when a group of children were murdered at school.
It is one thing to be stoic in times of crisis and it is another to be a sociopath.
Oh god I miss him.
Hecate, I’m sorry to hear about your family; that must be so hard for you.
Hectate, I hope your family remember recovers quickly and well.
Obama has more class and leadership in his pinky than that orange turd has ever managed in his lifetime.
I miss the feeling of pride that I had in our first family. I miss how he comforted us. I’ll never forget the memorial service in Charleston when after delivering an incredible eulogy he began singing Amazing Grace and the entire huge congregation joined him. I just miss him and am so grateful that he sends out messages that feel like little care packages. So I say sincerely, thanks Obama.
How did we go from this wonderful and caring man to the Ego In Chief we’re stuck with now?
Racist white people are to blame.
Never forget: 54% of white women voted for T**** against their own and their families’ best interests #facts
did not deserve? that seems unnecessary.
So very sorry about your family member Hecate… just incredibly sad and bewildering circumstances. Sending thoughts from Australia, where our cases are multiplying every day too. And reading the kind and calming words of the wonderful Obama and longing for such wise leadership, just as wistfully as you all over there. x