Citing Hurricane Gustav, Barack Obama curtails campaign rhetoric

DETROIT -- With Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast, Barack Obama abandoned his normal stump speech Monday morning, asking supporters instead to pray for Americans in the storm’s path and to give to their local Red Cross.

Referring to the bungled federal response to Hurricane Katrina, Obama told a crowd of several thousand people in Detroit's downtown that "although we are prayerful that this will not be the same kind of situation we saw three years ago, today is not a day for political speeches.”

The rally had been billed as a Labor Day celebration, and Obama got an enthusiastic introduction from leaders of the AFL-CIO, Teamsters and UAW.

Obama assured the crowd he was “a labor guy” and won applause for singing the chorus from Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.”

But Obama cut his appearance short, speaking for just nine minutes and asking his listeners to join him in a moment of prayer for those along the Gulf Coast.

“I hope you’ll forgive me. I hope you don’t mind,” Obama said. “Today is a day for all of us to come together as Americans and send our thoughts and prayers to our brothers and sisters who are worried at this very hour about their homes and their loved ones. Some of them may be huddled in shelters. Some of them are far away from home. ... I know John McCain wants what’s best for the people who have been evacuated. I know George Bush wants what’s best for them.”

Obama moved onto a second Labor Day rally in Monroe, Mich., and ends his day with a rally in Milwaukee.

-- Noam Levey

Comments

[Jerry]

I am so amazed by Obama's tact and grace. The most inspiring thing is that his serenity belies his unflinching determination. He's a powerhouse of a man. Guess who gets my vote?