Joe Biden to Manuel Oliver, Dad to killed Parkland teen - Sit down. You'll hear what I have to say."

[SYFROYH]

Ouch, Joe. I doubt Joe knew what was what initially, but his people should have prepared him for the possibility of angry parents.

https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-gun-speech-parkland-father-manuel-oliver-response-1723531

excerpts

During the speech, Biden boasted that the legislation "proves, despite the nay-sayers, we can make meaningful progress on dealing with gun violence," when Oliver began to interrupt him, appearing to criticize the legislation for not going far enough to curb gun violence.

President Joe Biden told Manuel Oliver, a father of a teenager killed in the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, to "let me finish" when Oliver interrupted his speech celebrating a bipartisan gun safety law.
"I've been trying to tell you this for years," Oliver said.

Biden responded: "Make no mistake—sit down. You'll hear what I have to say. Let me finish my thought."

Biden also encouraged the crowd to "let [Oliver] talk."

[Lovie777]

1. At least Pres B didn't have security drag him out . . .

and then mock him while the crowd laughed and cheer and or throw curse words while throwing stuff at him while the security physically threw him out.

So corporate media will harp on this while taunting about how Democrats are souring on Pres B and the gas prices are too high.

But you won't hear Pres B whine about how "mean" the media is, but he will continue to try and make out lives better.

[TheProle]

27. No mockery that I heard, but security did apparently escort him out.

[cilla4progress]

2. I'm sure Joe will make it right.

Joe is the real deal.

[SYFROYH]

18. I wouldn't be surprised if Oliver and Biden haven't already talked.

As I said elsewhere, I'm surprised that Joe's people didn't prepare him for such an outburst. Mr. Oliver is a well-known public-space activist.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Joe's not the most adept at extemporaneous speaking ...

Most of us have know this for a LOT of years. And it's not improved much as he's gotten older. Some people are great at it (Sec. Pete is a great example, as was BHO), some it's just not their talent/forte.

I'll definitely accept some flaws when a person is overwhelmingly great in the totality.

In reacting to it, the M$M will suck, of course, as per usual.

[cilla4progress]

19. Exactly.

I dont need or expect him to be perfect in the moment - his extemporaneous speaking is usually blunt and honest - remember "a big fucking deal?"

I trust his heart and intellect. Not one bit concerned. Other than MSM who is failing in their responsibility to our democratic republic.

[Caliman73]

21. Agreed.

As I have said, and will continue saying, Joe Biden is a fundamentally good and decent person. He is genuine and sometimes in his being genuine, will be real, with his emotions. He also makes gaffes.

I am sure that he will sit down and listen to and really take in what the parent said. I am also sure that the media will frame this as "Angry Biden" or "Confused Biden" or some other such unflattering portrayal. They will also disregard the actual conversation that Biden is willing to have with people, even if they are critical of him.

[cilla4progress]

26. Deflect and distract

All they have. Sadly, for many it works.

[Handler]

4. Joe is the real deal.

He did well to get that legislation passed, however it is weak legislation. Hopefully, in a couple of years we can something passed with real teeth in it. No shade on Joe, he is doing great in a tough situation.

[chowder66]

5. I don't take issue with this but obviously it isn't me that matters.

I find that he comes across like a dad who is listening and responding. It may come out a little stern but I never find it offensive.

[maxsolomon]

6. Mr. Oliver has to know that

a better bill wasn't possible.

[GoCubsGo]

9. I don't think they teach civics at Parkland High School.

His classmate, David Hogg, has been showing the same sort ignorance.

[AntivaxHunters]

11. Are you serious with this?

Have you survived a school shooting?
David Hogg is FAR from ignorant. Jeez.

[GoCubsGo]

17. Yes, I am serious.

Surviving a school shooting is not an excuse for not knowing how your government works. And, from what I have been hearing out of David Hogg, he does not understand that Democrats cannot give him what he wants without more than the current 48 + 2 independents. And, this other guy is bitching at Biden over a law, when it's Congress who passes laws, not the President. Jeez. They'd do better to go after the people who are actively preventing them from getting what they want, rather than beating up on the ones who are doing the best they can under the current circumstances. I'm damn sick of these circular firing squads and back-biting.

[AntivaxHunters]

30. He understands

And many people have been waiting for years for something to get done with guns. Since then, guns have been the leading cause of deaths for kids. He's not only at Democrats but Republican's too. And he is very much entitled to feel that way especially given everything he's been through. I'm not sure calling someone who wants & demands better things "ignorant" is a path forward to getting more voters.

[inthewind21]

40. No

He "understands" nothing. He's posturing himself to be a politician. And he makes no secret of it.

[AntivaxHunters]

44. Yes

He certainly does understand things. Very much so.
And what's wrong with him positioning himself to be a politician exactly?
If anything, we need more like him in Congress.

[Act_of_Reparation]

38. For fuck's sake.

The man lost his child. Cut him some fucking slack.

[treestar]

47. Or let him walk all over everybody

And take his anger out on everybody.

[AntivaxHunters]

49. He has every right to be angry

[treestar]

52. not at everbobdy

or, his anger does not give him a right to dictate everyone else's position on issues.

[AntivaxHunters]

56. "Shut up!" to people who lost kids in mass shootings

is a great way to ensure people don't vote.
The fact is this problem has gone on for decades & the time for excuses is long over.

[inthewind21]

39. Oh but he is

And he's shown it to the world of late.

[treestar]

46. Surviving a school shooting

makes you all knowing?

Or, being a victim makes you all knowing?

[AntivaxHunters]

50. We aren't doing enough to fix the gun problem

And we can make excuses all we want but the reality is we're not doing what needs to be done and haven't.
We're reaching the point where before long everyone will know someone who's been impacted by gun violence.
It must end.

[treestar]

53. We won't reach that point until we have the voters

to allow for it. So blaming people trying to help does no good. We need to convince the people who aren't convinced.

[Act_of_Reparation]

51. No one is saying they are all-knowing.

Or even that their positions are correct.

It's called empathy, my dude. Having it is what purportedly separates us from conservatives, although of late I have grown somewhat skeptical of this claim.

[treestar]

54. we can have empathy but that does not mean

that we have to agree with someone who doesn't understand physics just because they were a victim (though David Hogg survived). But he is a victim of something. You can have empathy but still understand that the victim may be asking for things the law does not allow for.

The SCOTUS held the 2nd amendment means we can all have weapons. We can't have an Australian or Canadian style ban. What we have to do would be things different from that.

[AntivaxHunters]

55. Victim blaming & shaming ain't it

[maxsolomon]

24. Manuel Oliver is the father of a shooting victim.

He didn't attend Parkland High that I know of.

[H2O Man]

7. I have no problem

with how President Biden handled the situation.

[cilla4progress]

20. I, then, am in good company,

good Sir!

[H2O Man]

22. And I, as well!

I've watched it a few times. I thought that the President handled it well.

[867-5309.]

8. Joe has a bit if a temper

Pretty sure he'd like a do over.

[inthewind21]

41. Why

He stopped and instructed security to let the man talk. And they did.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. 1. How was President Biden supposed to know

That this man's child died in Parkland.

2. He was right to tell him to sit down so he could finish his statement.

Had that been TFG - he would have been hauled out in handcuffs and/or beaten by the audience.

[SYFROYH]

15. It goes without saying that TFG would have done much worse

To answer your questions:

1. Manuel Oliver is a well-known father of murdered Parkland teen and Biden (or his team) invited him.

2. Biden did better by saying to let him speak. He could have done that in the beginning. His initial clap back was with a bad tone.

[H2O Man]

23. I agree 100%

[BlackSkimmer]

33. He wasn't taken out in cuffs, but he was taken out.

[bottomofthehill]

12. Mr Oliver, I am so sorry you lost a child to gun violence.

The President is working to ensure that fewer people suffer what you have, but he is the President. He can not do it with out help. As President, he can veto a lot of bad things from becoming law, bet he can not create new law. You were invited to the Whitehouse to celebrate a step forward. Please realize it for what it is

[Docreed2003]

13. I can understand this fathers anger but why direct that at Joe and why in that setting?

I understand that he felt like he was speaking truth to power but surely this father understands that Biden didn't write this bill, nor is it Biden's fault that the bill isn't more comprehensive.

It's an asshole move to do this when you are an invited guest to the White House, no matter how righteous your cause may be. President Biden handled it much more professionally that I can ever imagine Trump handling the same scenario.

[mcar]

14. Why is this a problem?

[SYFROYH]

16. Seems like bad form to me to tell a grieving father to sit down and listen.

But I think Joe tried to walk back his reaction.

YMMV.

[Torchlight]

25. Biden seemed insicive.

That was my impression. No barking, no yelling. I think Biden illustrated restraint.

[mcar]

28. Seems like bad form for someone to heckle POTUS

when he's signing pretty much the only gun control law he could have possibly gotten passed.

I'm saying this with respect to a grieving father. Fred Guttenberg was there and fully cognizant of the limitations.

[SYFROYH]

31. Gutteberg had his POTUS heckle moment at the 2020 SOU.

Not to say that Biden and Trump are equivalent morally.

Fred was very apologetic afterward. For the disruption and not being a good guest of Nancy Pelosi.

In my mind, getting heckled is part of the job of a president.

[mcar]

32. Yeah, not even close to the same

Guttenberg was heckling a president* who had done nothing about gun control and in fact promoted more guns.

Oliver was heckling a president who was in the process of signing the first gun reform laws in 30 years.

Big difference, see?

[SYFROYH]

43. It's really Manuel Oliver's perspective that matters.

I, like you, think there is a big difference between Biden and Trump.

Funny thing about Trump and gun restrictions...he opened a door for restrictions not previously opened before by any President.

Trump banned bump stocks by exec order. A bump stock is essentially just a non-regulated part of a rifle. There are a lot of nonregulated parts on AR-type rifles. For example, magazines, collapsible/folding stocks, and pistol grips are nonregulated parts.

If what Trump did by banning bump stocks was legal (and perhaps it wasn't which is why he did it), then Biden could cite him as an example of how to handle AR type rifles. He could, in effect, recreate the AWB by exec order. I think the issue will be that he can't make the rifles unuseable. For example, perhaps he could ban collapsible stocks, but not fixed stocks.

[treestar]

45. It seems once a person is a victim

or relative of one, you get the moral high ground for everything forever. No wonder people are always trying to pose themselves as victims.

[uponit7771]

34. Biden isn't perfect and started wildfires in Cali (/sarc) so it always has to be something negative

... when it comes to Biden and the M$M.

I'm literally looking at MJ and the LAT asking "where did Biden go wrong" as if Biden's avg poll numbers are 50% lower than Obama's etc

[Initech]

29. Trump would have thrown the guy out and called him a loser on Twitter.

So glad we have a real president in charge again!

[Deuce]

35. Ok, "what's the problem?"....

[JI7]

36. They should be asking why their Senators don't Support a Better Bill

[ripcord]

37. He didn't say anything that hasn't been said here repeatedly

[Demsrule86]

42. Right because it is Democrats fault

stupid to protest Democrats.

[betsuni]

48. Highly doubt Biden knew who it was, can't see in bright sun.

Everybody criticizes Democrats for bad messaging and not touting their accomplishments and when they do they get bashed. Literally anything they do is bad.

The rule of never giving Democrats the benefit of the doubt.