The White House put out some brief excerpts of President Obama’s eulogy for the coal miners killed in West Virginia earlier this month.
Obama, who will attend the services along with Vice President Joe Biden this afternoon, will say the government must work “to save lives from being lost in another such tragedy.”
The Washington Post today took a look at how West Virginians still view Obama skeptically.
Obama, on vacation with his family in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, also will make a brief stop today to meet with the Rev. Billy Graham at his home. The White House told pool reporters covering the vacation that Obama and Graham have long tried to get together. Aides said that Obama called Graham on his 91st birthday in November and they agreed to meet up.
Read the excerpts from the eulogy below.
All the hard work. All the hardship. All the time spent underground. It was all for their families. For a car in the driveway. For a roof overhead. For a chance to give their kids opportunities they never knew; and enjoy retirement with their wives. It was all in the hopes of something better. These miners lived – as they died – in pursuit of the American dream.
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In the days following the disaster, emails and letters poured into the White House. Postmarked from different places, they often begin the same way: “I am proud to be from a family of miners,” “I am the son of a coal miner,” “I am proud to be a coal miner’s daughter.” They ask me to keep our miners in my thoughts. Never forget, they say, miners keep America’s lights on. Then, they make a simple plea: don’t let this happen again.
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We cannot bring back the 29 men we lost. They are with the Lord now. Our task, here on Earth, is to save lives from being lost in another such tragedy. To do what must be done, individually and collectively, to assure safe conditions underground. To treat our miners the way they treat each other – like family. For we are all family. We are Americans.
Late Update: Obama and Biden met with each family individually before the service. Gov. Joe Manchin (D) and Sens. Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both Democrats, also are in the room.
In the eulogy, Obama also will say, “These miners lived – as they died – in pursuit of the American dream,” according to his full prepared remarks. Read those here.
You can watch live at this link.
