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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHow Obama decided to sing 'Amazing Grace' + Joan Baez sings "My President Sang Amazing Grace"
Found this today and it is so relevant. I had never heard this story and thought you all would love it. He is so tuned in to reading a group and knowing just what will comfort people. Below the story is a video of Joan Baez singing "The President Sang Amazing Grace" for those of you who may not have seen it. Get your hankies out first.
when he first raised the idea (of singing Amazing Grace) with first lady Michelle Obama and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, it was met with skepticism.
Why on earth would that fit in? the first lady said in reaction to the idea, according to Jarrett, who was with the Obamas as they departed the White House aboard Marine One on their way to the funeral in South Carolina.
snip
The president went on to explain his thinking to Jarrett and the first lady, who had yet to read the presidents prepared eulogy, during the helicopter ride.
I think if I sing, the church will sing with me, Obama said, according to Jarrett, who recalled the story during a question answer session at the Aspen Institutes Ideas Festival.
But even then, President Obama hadnt made his mind up whether he would in fact sing. I dont know whether Im going to do it, but I just wanted to warn you two that I might sing, Jarett recalled him saying. Well see how it feels at the time.
But as soon as the president took to podium to begin the eulogy, Jarrett said, it was clear the mood was right. From the first time he started to speak, the church was clearly with him, Jarrett said. He knew they were with him.
Before the president began to sing, Jarrett observed that the president paused for a moment. And she later asked him, Were you thinking about whether or not you were going to sing?
Oh no, I knew I was going to sing, I was just trying to figure out what key to sing in, the president said in response to Jarrett.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story-president-obama-singing-amazing-grace-charleston-funeral/story?id=32264346&fbclid=IwAR2JJfaXyivj87te-2p21XqrN83AAdVeXPVItB7AUDo-hNlJlHJHOBBJ0SA
I was driving when I heard The President Sang Amazing Grace, Joan Baez told The Atlantic, and I had to pull over to make sure I heard whose song it was because I knew I had to sing it. The 77-year-old folk legend included the song in her final album, Whistle Down The Wind, released in early March. Originally written and performed by Zoe Mulford following the 2015 mass shooting in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, Baezs rendition of The President Sang Amazing Grace has been animated in a powerful new video. Read more: ex/556574/joan-baez-amazing-grace/
"The President Sang Amazing Grace" is performed by Joan Baez, written by Zoe Mulford, and animated in this video by Jeff Scher. It is part of The Atlantic Selects, an online showcase of short documentaries from independent creators, curated by The Atlantic.
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)I miss having a real POTUS
tulipsandroses
(5,092 posts)So sad how much we have lost. In lives, in decency, in love. What a stark difference when a president comforted us by singing Amazing Grace. Even those of us, like myself that are non religious were comforted in that moment.
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)any one - kindness, decency, respect.
madaboutharry
(40,150 posts)It is on the album Small Brown Birds. It will make you cry.
snacker
(3,619 posts)Thank you for posting it.
TomCADem
(17,378 posts)Its times like this that remind you what we had when President Obama was our President: