Events cast a long shadow at the White House. (ap)
President Obama said that starting today until Veterans Day, he’s ordered flags at the White House and all federal buildings to fly at half-staff in honor of those slain at Fort Hood. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama is planning to attend a memorial service at Fort Hood, but tick-tock — Obama leaves Wednesday for a lengthy, 10-day trip to Asia.
“We don’t know all the answers yet, and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts,” Obama said in the Rose Garden. “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 in one of the worst mass shootings ever to take place on an American military base.”
The president met this morning with FBI Director Robert Mueller to get a briefing on the incident. This afternoon he heads to Walter Reed to visit wounded troops.
In the next four days before leaving the country, Obama is expected to meet with the House Democratic Caucus (a session originally announced for today was moved to Saturday), announce a new strategy and troop levels for Afghanistan, possibly meet with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and attend a memorial service at Fort Hood in Texas.
Busy? We don’t like his chances for getting in a round of golf this weekend.
“One of the things, obviously, that’s most in flux about the week ahead is — would be a visit to Texas, ” Gibbs said. “When a service is scheduled, the president will attend.”
