9/11 families applaud Obama at meeting on Guantanamo

McClatchy Newspapers ^ | Friday, February 6, 2009 | Margaret Talev and Carol Rosenberg

[NoPrisoners]

WASHINGTON — After an emotional, private meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama, survivors and victims' relatives of two al Qaida attacks said Friday that the president quelled some of their fears about closing the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba detention center, promised them an "open-door" policy and a hand in shaping anti-terror policies, and said he is considering a modified military commission system to try detainees.

In a question-and-answer period with Obama that lasted about 35 minutes, some of the roughly 40 attendees affected by the USS Cole and Sept. 11, 2001, attacks emphasized concerns that a year might not be long enough to safely empty the Guantanamo prison as planned, said participant Kirk Lippold, a retired Navy commander in charge of the USS Cole when it was attacked on Oct. 12, 2000.

[Rosemont]

McClatchy is very Pro Obama and very Liberal.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Watch for the Hussein-led media to run video of crying mothers applauding their hero Zero.

They’ll ignore or give only glancing notice of the people who refused to meet with the terrorist-coddling jerk.

[cubreporter]

Oh those photos are horrible...just horrible. What those people must have endured that morning by animals who have no souls. To release these prisoners is criminal and sinful!

[GVnana]

The president was greeted with applause when he entered the meeting in Room 350 of the Eisenhower Executive Office building just west of the White House, said New Yorker Valerie Lucznikowska, whose stockbroker nephew died in the World Trade Center on 9-11.

Of course he was. Are they still applauding now?

[ThomasThomas]

I wonder why just approximately 40? Maybe some weren't invited because they might not applaud.

[N. Theknow]

Invitation to the White House to families of 9-11 and U.S.S. Cole

Please come and watch me piss on your relatives' graves and tell you it's raining.

Signed,
The One

P.S. Watch the "cue" for when applause is appropriate. There will be a practice session to make sure it sounds spontaneous.

[Syncro]

"He made the point that he is closing Guantanamo because it is a symbol to the world of something that got tangled up in Abu Ghraib," she said.

That's his reason? God help us.

Those pampering the terrorists at Gitmo (PC Policy #Here'sYourLemonChicken) wouldn't dare put panties on the heads of these unrepentant terrorist killers.

I can't believe Present Obama's cowardly chicken doo doo reason!

"We need our foreign allies to help us catch the terrorists."

So he can send them through the swinging door?

How about this Present Obama: How about just don't catch them like your horn-dog mentor Clinton did(n't)?

[jazusamo]

Propaganda!

[armymarinemom]

Lo0oks like some of these folks were there.

[george76]

bttt

Hussein is a lying confidence man.

[pandoraou812]

To release these prisoners is criminal and sinful!

Yes it is & I see no reason to close Gitmo. I don't want these prisoners in US prisons. I know if I had been a victim my family wouldn't be clapping for 0. He isn't making America safer.....

[Sacajaweau]

Obama simply wants his name on everything that goes forward. New policy?? Probably not really in the long run.

He's planning his legacy. I did this. I did that. In the end, it will be a lot of old ideas with his name attached....including taking credit for a stabilized Iraq.

Has he said anything about Israel lately...Shhhhh, he's thinking....

[plain talk]

I think people were more reserved, and they were willing to listen and extend to him the olive branch of 'let's wait and see what you're going to do,'" Lippold said ... The president was greeted with applause when he entered the meeting

He was greeted with applause when he entered out of respect for the office and was greeted with reserve when he got to the matter at hand. The title is inaccurate and blatant propaganda.

[tomnbeverly]

Simply put: Obama plans on making decision erring on the side of protecting America’s enemies instead of making decisions erring on the side of protecting Americans.

The next attack on America can be laid squarely at the doorstep of 1600 Pennsylvania ave

[Wolf-Lake]

Where was Obama on September 11, 2001? What was his reaction? We all know exactly where we were the moment we heard the news. What is his story? Does anybody know??? And I don't mean a campaign version of his whereabouts and 'feelings' of that day!

[jazusamo]

Yes, he’s thinking and waiting for developments with Israel, he wanted it to be over before the election so he wouldn’t have to get involved or make any decisions. That didn’t happen but zer0 is an accomplished con man, he’ll figure a way to look good.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I didn’t hear anything about anyone being escorted out..maybe “the one” didn’t want dissent..nah, couldn’t be../s

[fiodora]

“I watched terrorists kill Americans. By allah, I liked it.”
That’s right, and you may add, I watched American-media selecting a muslim and I do NOT like it!!!

[sportutegrl]

What happened to the family of the Cole sailor that wanted to go on Glenn Beck yesterday?

[Nick Danger]

why do I get the feeling this meeting is being spun??

Not at all. I have an imaginary friend who is an AP reporter, and he tells me that when Obama walked into the room, all the people from the 9/11 families waved palm fronds and shouted, "Hosannah in the highest!"