Obama: Don't Jump to Conclusions

President Says Investigation into Fort Hood Shooting will be Thorough

(AP)  President Barack Obama said Friday the entire nation is grieving for those slain at Fort Hood, and he urged people not to jump to conclusions while law enforcement officers investigate the shootings.

Mr. Obama met Friday morning with FBI Director Robert Mueller and other federal leaders to get an update on what they've learned. Thirteen people were killed and 30 others injured in the shooting rampage at the Texas Army post on Thursday. The suspected shooter is an Army psychiatrist; his motive remains unclear.

"We don't know all the answers yet. And I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts," Mr. Obama said in a Rose Garden statement otherwise devoted to the economy.

"What we do know is that there are families, friends and an entire nation grieving right now for the valiant men and women who came under attack yesterday," the president said.

Mr. Obama ordered the flags at the White House and other federal buildings to be at half-staff until Veterans Day. He called it a modest tribute to those who were slain and to those who put their lives on the line in the armed services each day.

"We stand in awe of their sacrifice, and we pray for the safety of those who fight, and for the families of those who have fallen," Obama said.

He promised that that his administration would update the nation as it learns more about what happened, and why, at Fort Hood.

The suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was shot and remains hospitalized.

More Coverage of the Tragedy at Fort Hood:
Neighbor: Ft. Hood Suspect Packed Up Home
Female Cop Hailed as Ft. Hood Hero
"Allahu Akbar": Hasan's Words as He Fired?
Military Spouse's Reaction
Forensic Psychiatrist on Possible Mindset of Ft. Hood Suspect
Suspect's Past Marked by "Difficulties"
Radical Ties Not Ruled Out at Ft. Hood
Store's Video May Show Ft. Hood Suspect
Anti-Muslim Backlash Immediate
Fort Hood Rampage Suspect Sill Alive
What Was Shooter's Motive?
Soldier Opens Fire at Ft. Hood; 13 Dead
U.S. Army Base Violence Has Bloody History
Obama: Fort Hood Shooting "Horrific"
Fast Facts: Fort Hood
Tragedy at Fort Hood

[revlin1]

What the H....are u blabbering about Mr. Obama? Going to the defense of the VICTIMIZER AGAIN? Oh, I forgot; that is how you ran your campaign and took over our White House...YEAH you were the victim, so therefore, you WERE ENTITLED to all that money, that house and lot, those "perks" as a organizer...etc, etc...You were ENTITLED to take it back from "other Americans, most espcially those of Euro background ie; White guy like your pastor said...." SO, now you have some advice for US? When a Muslim Terrorist brings the "global war on terror" to our home Army base in Texas? YOU WILL SCOLD US (the American people or advise US how to react? You've got your signals crossed Mr. Obama....this guy was out and out on a mission and it wasn't in the best interersts of the USA..And innocent people could be spared in the process of carrying out sid mission.Do you know anyone like that? I think you do....

[cbvill72]

Don't jump to conclusions the way I did with Professor Gates.
Let's make this a "teachable moment"

[Joerrt]

They won't enlist gay's in the military because of self inflicted phobia's but they allow Muslim's to become doctors to enlist in the military who kill other soldiers. And I just wonder, is this murderer being kept alive on a ventilator in a Military Hospital??? Kudo's to the Airman who shot him. I pray for all "true" Americans who fight this war, the victims of this horrific crime and all the moms, dads, sisters and brothers who are now suffering because of a Muslim Major.

[hungry1968-17]

by underdogus09 November 6, 2009 4:00 PM EST
LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER!!







Conservatism HARMS America, and should be outlawed.

It's a form of terrorism.

That's why they always try to scare the elderly and uninformed - it's a form of terrorism.

[ToolMangler1]

underdogus09 says "LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER!!"
patriotic9 says "CHRISTIANS are PSYCHOTICS"
Others say that "The GOP are the Christian extremist right"
yet another says "Islam is a mental disorder"

As for me, I think that Man is the worst thing to happen to Religion and we should ban politics.....

[gommakel]

I think alot of you are just talking to hear yourselves. Has anyone given any real thought to the families and friends and comrades of the killed or wounded? I think not... All you speak of is your bigoted ideals of what a president should or shouldn't say. What do you really want him to say? We have several heroes either dead or wounded by someone that obviously had some sort of a malfunction. "OUR" president is doing all that it takes to figure this out and then make statements based on facts. You should probably do the same!

[hungry1968-17]

by Disinfectant November 6, 2009 3:54 PM EST
ACORN's New Orleans office was RAIDED today.

"Investigators for the Louisiana Attorney General executed a search warrant Friday at ACORN's New Orleans office in connections to allegations of embezzlement and tax fraud."

This "network" won't tell you about it because Obama has told them not to. How do like your new America? Chavez must be proud.







What does Obama have to do with ACORN, or vice versa?

[hungry1968-17]

Why is it that I NEVER get a response when I ask this question?

[maiingan]

Why shouldn't we jump to conclusions? One can be a nut job without committing mass murder. Hasan strikes me as a traitor and "enemy combatant."

[vietnamwar]

by ibsteve2u November 6, 2009 3:39 PM EST
Sigh...yet you guys give Bush a free pass for inventing WMDs and al Qaida training camps in Iraq - and consequently getting 4300+ Americans killed.

FYI, Dumacraft control in Congress and approve for the war....so don't blame on Bush..all of them are at fault.

[skyk-2009]

vietnamwar, you are embarrassing... seriously you have so little knowledge on course of events you are truly embarrassing. IF, and man that is a very big IF, you can operate your search engine go back to when Bush LIED us into the War in Iraq and LOOK at what Congress PASSED AND the Democrats were NOT in charge. They NEVER passed any declaration of War!! The Congress approved force IF necessary... it was NOT then nor will it EVER be necessary... it was and will always be a LIE. PLEASE pick up a night course or two... educate yourself man and you won't look so ridiculous!!

[nowhiningallowed]

...our problems with Muslims isn't something that just started with Bush 43...our government has supported the Shah, Saddam Hussein and even Osama bin Laden...we always seem to prop up those that eventually become our enemies or who cause problems for us...and yes, nearly all of the Dems voted in favor of giving Bush 43 war powers...

[Disinfectant]

ACORN's New Orleans office was RAIDED today.

"Investigators for the Louisiana Attorney General executed a search warrant Friday at ACORN's New Orleans office in connections to allegations of embezzlement and tax fraud."

This "network" won't tell you about it because Obama has told them not to. How do like your new America? Chavez must be proud.

[hungry1968-17]

by bruce691 November 6, 2009 2:38 PM EST
President Obama is much smarter than a 5th grader as you are probably smarter than a poodle.






louiville35?

Smarter than a poodle?

That must be one stupid poodle......

[bruce691]

I stand corrected. I apologize to all of the poodles out there.

[RandomUser1886]

A Muslim screaming "Allah Akbar" as he guns down and murders unarmed people...
And Obama says we shouldn't jump to conlusions?
OK, Libs, let's see you defend that.

[ToolMangler1]

Would it make you happier if he had shouted "Praise Jesus!!!"
If somebody goes haywire, it doesn't matter 'What' their religion is. You are still dead if you get hit (most likely)

[vietnamwar]

Obama: Don't Jump to Conclusions.....

What ? this is a guy calling COP are stupidity...

[bruce691]

***

[ibsteve2u]

Sigh...yet you guys give Bush a free pass for inventing WMDs and al Qaida training camps in Iraq - and consequently getting 4300+ Americans killed.

I begin to think that it isn't hypocrisy that afflicts the right, but rather an organic defect in how their brains interpret reality.

[djnfla]

President Obama-the man who jumped to conclusions in the Gate arrest before knowing all the facts, now tells US not to jump to conclusions! Let's see, ALLAHU AKBAR was shouted as the shooting began, and the mainstream media morons today asked General Casey if this is related to the high stress rate in the army!

Looks like a duck, it quacks, it is domestic terrorism, plain and simple.

[ibsteve2u]

Is mass murder, plain and simple. All else is unknown.

But in consideration of your anger and apparent need for revenge, I would observe that the Marines and Army are hiring.

[bruce691]

It's plain as day to any half intellegent human being that the President does not want people take this incedent out on American citizens that might look like they are from the Middle East. Pres. Bush did the same thing by visiting muslim places of worship after 911. By your logic, was Pres. Bush saying that every muslin citizen was to be given the benifit of the doubt?

[bubbadubba]

"Of all the stupid things to say, what an idiot. It makes him sound like he's defending the shooter"

That's exactly why I admire and respect President Obama.
At least I don't have to worry about him doing something really stupid without thinking. Something like, let's say invading and going to war with a country over WMD's that never existed. You know, that type of thing as just one example.

[Empire-George]

by imdisgusted November 6, 2009 3:12 PM EST

Everyone needs to shut-up until the investigation is over.
_______________

Everyone (you) needs to wake up already.....when a gunman is chanting the exact same phrase, that Iraqi Insurgents do while they were firing a sniper round at American soldiers, leads us to certain conclusions.....sorry, it wasn't stress, this was targeting America and soldiers...period

[ibsteve2u]

Huh. Not much of a sniper, that he has to get so close that you can hear him chanting.

Gotta love the...theatricality...of the right.

[Empire-George]

by timing20002000 November 6, 2009 1:22 PM EST
Professor Gates should never have been arrested.
____________

No, what you really mean, is the Gates should not have ignored the repeated orders (3-4 times) to return to his home and stop following the officer and verbally lashing him.....he had ample opportunity to avoid arrest, so your point is just false.

[imdisgusted]

Everyone needs to shut-up until the investigation is over. Keep all your comments to yourself, you were not there and the ones that were there are in shock. It wouldn't be the first time people in the middle of this type of situation made-up or embellished the truth to what really happened and it probably wont be the last. Stop laying the blame on others. Let the authorities try to figure out why the shooter did this.

[denny1233-2009]

I'LL bet it was because he was denied a golf membership at Augusta National

[ibsteve2u]

Gee, "denny"...aren't you afraid that your blatant displays of racism towards people of color will hurt your attempt to get everybody to adopt a racist attitude towards the practitioners of Islam?

[joadun]

I hope when the authorities figure out "why the shooter did this" they also figure out why the Muslim father killed his own daughter by deliberately running over her with his car....or do we already know why: fanatics.

[newmann1]

Just like Obama got all the facts before calling the Cambridge Cops stupid?

[retirevet]

Thats because the COP did act stupid, in most people who watched it.

[run2jazz2]

So let me ask this question? If a person who was Arab was not wearing their religious clothing how would you tell they are a Muslim? Or just because a person wears a cross does that necessarily mean they are a Christian? This incident is strictly from a man of Islam faith who decided to disobey his faith in GOD and decided to allow his ignorance and influences to kill. If we are going to start convicting religions for the persection of a group of people WE Christians need to hold our tongues. I remember that Christian churches in the South were against Segregation and accepted actions of the Klan to kill Black Americans. If you want to convict the American Muslim for the actions of one there a whole lot of Christians that can go on the same boat.

[ibsteve2u]

Re: "Or just because a person wears a cross does that necessarily mean they are a Christian?"

I know when I came home on leave in the '70s, I was moderately amused to find people I knew wearing crosses.

Not because they were or had become religious - but because the crosses, in fact, were modestly concealed roach clips.

You CANNOT make assumptions about people from surface appearances.

[Empire-George]

Their odor ? chanting terrorist phrases ? are you incapable of noticing someone's ethnic background by their facial appearances ? That's how

[denny1233-2009]

It is a matter of logic. The shooter is a muslim, it has been verified that he was disgruntled and upset about his deployment to a war zone. Is that the reason for his murderous rampage? I think not. He killed in the mane of Allah, he has made comments against the US military and the actions in the middle east. He was under investigation by the FBI, and he planned this act of TERRORISM. Pure and simple.No jumping to conclusions, arab bashing, bigoted opinion here. If our Commmander and Chief, (LOL!!!) tells us not to jump to conclusions he is once again both naive and out od his element. The man is a disgrace.

[bruce691]

Since you know so much of his motives please place a call to homeland security and the FBI and give them the facts you uncovered. The President of the country is trying to keep American wack jobs calm before the take this incident out on other Americans that happen to have brown tinted skin. G_d bless the USA and President Obama!!!

[hangelle]

Actually, you did jump to conclusions, yours is a statement of arab bashing, and your opinion is bigoted. You just wanted to take this opportunity to display your ignorance and throw a jab at Obama. Mission accomplished -- but you still come off as the jackass.