President Barack Obama was in Dallas Tuesday to speak at the memorial service to the five police officers who were killing in last Thursday’s ambush. All the networks in the “big three” sung the president’s praises. “The president clearly in the role of preacher-in-chief today talking about what a raw moment this is for the country,” stated ABC’s Senior Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas, during ABC’s special coverage.
ABC Anchor George Stephanopoulos played to the hearts of his audience saying Obama was, “Fighting through tears to remember lives lost, plead for unity, and hope. It was a meditation on hope.” His guest Sunny Hostin also praised the president, “He was melding social issues and messages and trying to meld communities. I think it's striking that while he was eulogizing these five officers, he was able to discuss black lives matter.”
On NBC, Anchor Lester Holt said Obama walked along, “A difficult line between acknowledging the sacrifice of police officers and at the same time, acknowledging the black lives matter movement.” Holt noted that the president mentioned Philando Castile and Alton Sterling numerous times throughout his speech.
Anchor Scott Pelley on CBS claimed Obama walked through the “middle ground.” “The President addressed both sides of this divide, criticizing them equally for ignoring the truths that can be found in the middle, in the common ground,” Pelley said. But Obama did spend an arguably long segment of his speech politicizing the memorial by calling for gun-control. He even exclaimed that a Glock was easier to get than a book.