Surprise: Obama Went to Fundraise Immediately After Statement on Charleston Massacre

Leah Barkoukis | June 18, 2015 3:20 PM

The mass shooting that took place in Charleston, South Carolina Wednesday night is tragic beyond belief and the nation mourns for the victims and their families. While President Obama shared his grief in a press conference this afternoon, he also couldn’t resist turning the statement into a call for gun control.

And then, quite predictably, he was off to fundraise and play golf.

Pres Obama waves as he boards Air Force One embarking on 4 day trip to LA, SF & PSP for fundraising, a speech & golf. pic.twitter.com/Wg7FgAuLBw
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 18, 2015

Pres Obama wheels up en route Los Angeles. He has two DNC fundraisers there today. pic.twitter.com/vPnG2OtNvw
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 18, 2015

If this sounds familiar it’s because it is. The president also went to fundraise the day after the Benghazi attack that left four Americans dead, including a sitting ambassador; he hit the links minutes after a somber address about American journalist James Foley’s beheading by ISIS; and went fundraising after giving a brief statement about the Fort Hood mass shooting. We could go on and on and on.

Optics matter, and Obama still hasn’t learned that, or just doesn’t care.