Reimagining President Obama’s Press Conference Comments on Torture

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-we-tortured-some-folks

A Different View of President Obama’s press conference of August 1, 2014

Even before I came into office, I was very clear that in the immediate aftermath of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, we did some things that were wrong. We did a whole lot of things that were right, but we imprisoned some Japanese folks. We did some things that were contrary to our values. I understand why it happened. I think it’s important when we look back to recall how afraid people were after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and people did not know whether more attacks were imminent and there was enormous pressure on our law enforcement and our national security teams to try to deal with this. And, you know, it’s important for us not to feel too sanctimonious in retrospect about the tough job that those folks had. A lot of those folks were working hard under enormous pressure and are real patriots, but having said all that, we did some things that were wrong. And that’s what that report reflects.

President Obama press conference of August 1, 2014, 4:24 PM EDT

Even before I came into office, I was very clear that in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, we did some things that were wrong. We did a whole lot of things that were right, but we terrorized some black folks for a hundred years or so. We did some things that were contrary to our values. I understand why it happened. I think it’s important when we look back to recall how afraid people were after the War and Sherman’s march through the South and people did not know whether more attacks from freed Negros were imminent and there was enormous pressure on our law enforcement and our national security teams including the KKK to try to deal with this. And, you know, it’s important for us not to feel too sanctimonious in retrospect about the tough job that those folks had. A lot of those folks were working hard under enormous pressure and are real patriots, but having said all that, we did some things that were wrong. And that’s what that report reflects.

President Obama press conference of August 1, 2014, 4:24 PM EDT

Even before I came into office, I was very clear that in the immediate aftermath of American Indian terrorist attacks during the 1890s, we did some things that were wrong. We did a whole lot of things that were right, but we massacred some Indian folks, mostly women and children, at Wounded Knee on December 29, 1890. We did some things that were contrary to our values. I understand why it happened. I think it’s important when we look back to recall how afraid people were after the numerous Indian terrorist attacks during this period and people did not know whether more attacks were imminent and there was enormous pressure on our military and our national security teams to try to deal with this. And, you know, it’s important for us not to feel too sanctimonious in retrospect about the tough job that those folks had. A lot of those folks were working hard under enormous pressure and are real Medal of Honor patriots, but having said all that, we did some things that were wrong. And that’s what that report reflects.