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Title: Survivors, families of 9/11 victims get quality time with President Obama after WTC visit
Source:
NY Daily News
URL Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local ... _president_obama_after_wt.html
Published: May 6, 2011
Author: NY Daily News
Post Date: 2011-05-06 08:51:25 by go65
Keywords: None
Views: 406
Comments: 1
The microphone didn't work, but President Obama still made it clear to a roomful of 9/11 families Thursday he was there to listen - not to speak. When he walked into the 9/11 Memorial preview site on Vesey St., Obama received a rousing round of applause for unleashing Navy SEALs to snuff out Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair. "He just said he made a commitment to find this man, and that he did this because of the 9/11 families. He said he did it for us," said Sally Regenhard, whose 28-year-old son, Christian, a Brooklyn probationary firefighter, was killed at the twin towers. "He said he could never fully understand the pain of having to lose a child, and he has sympathy for all of us," Regenhard said. "It was very warm, congenial, heartfelt." Instead of making a speech, the President walked around the room, going table to table to speak to each of the nearly 60 invited family members. Regenhard said she asked Obama to sign a photo of the two of them taken two years ago in Washington. "He said it's good to see you again," Regenhard recounted. "I shook hands, thanked him for the wonderful job he did, thanked him on behalf of my family and friends, and the 9/11 families." 'Dream big' Diane Horning - whose son, Matthew, 26, a Marsh & McLennan employee who perished in the north tower of the World Trade Center - said Obama signed a birthday card for her 85-year-old mom. He also autographed a snapshot of her 9-month-old grandson, writing, "To Christopher, Dream big dreams." "He said all the words that a grandmother wants to hear: 'What a beautiful baby,'" said Horning of Scotch Plains, N.J. "He was there to listen to us. He didn't rush any of us. He gave us his full attention. He showed respect to the families," Horning said. Retired FDNY Deputy Chief Alexander Santora and his wife, Maureen, proudly told the President of their son, Christopher, a firefighter for Engine 54 in Hell's Kitchen, who lost his life trying to save others. "He shook our hands. He hugged us. He was very sincere," said Maureen Santora of Astoria, Queens. "It was very meaningful. He took time with everybody. Each family had different questions. We all thanked him." She said she asked Obama if he had a plan for dealing with the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. "He smiled and said, 'Yes,'" Maureen Santora said. Her husband said there was nothing "cardboard" about Obama. "We laughed. We hugged. He was very real. He was very human," Alexander Santora said. "He was like a buddy or an old friend." Rosemary Cain of Massapequa, L.I., showed Obama a memorial book of her son, Firefighter George Cain, 35, of Ladder Co. 7 in Kips Bay, that she put together for her grandson, Connor. Obama added his signature to the book, writing, "To Connor, We are proud of George and you." Charles Wolf, 57, of Greenwich Village, said he couldn't wait to shake the hand of the man who "gave the order" to kill Bin Laden. "I really wanted to thank the man," said Wolf, whose wife, Katherine, 40, an executive assistant at Marsh & McLennan, was killed in her 97th floor office of the north tower. "When you thank the man that avenged your wife's death, it is very powerful," a tearful Wolf said. "What more can I say. I thanked him profusely."
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#1. To: go65 (#0)
You mean none of them had a political agenda to sandbag him with and then skip off to bitch to Fox News, which just happened to be waiting for an interview, about it? Kewel...
America...My Kind Of Place... "I truly am not that concerned about [bin Laden]..."
--GW Bush
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