Obama: 'Don't Jump to Conclusions' on Shooting

Making comments from the Rose Garden, Obama warned the nation not to 'jump to conclusions' about Nidal Malik Hasan's shooting rampage.

(I didn't hear Obama make the comments. Did he smile and wave and give a shout-out to anyone before he began?)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Friday the entire nation is grieving for those slain at Fort Hood, and he urged people not to jump to conclusions while law enforcement officers investigate the shootings.

Obama met Friday morning with FBI Director Robert Mueller and other federal leaders to get an update on what they've learned. Thirteen people were killed and 30 others injured in the shooting rampage at the Texas Army post on Thursday. The suspected shooter is an Army psychiatrist; his motive remains unclear.

"We don't know all the answers yet. And I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts," Obama said in a Rose Garden statement otherwise devoted to the economy.

"What we do know is that there are families, friends and an entire nation grieving right now for the valiant men and women who came under attack yesterday," the president said.

His aides, meanwhile, worked to make way for Obama to attend a still unscheduled memorial service for those slain at the nation's largest military post. The White House's top spokesman said Obama would attend that service and emphasized it would take place at the family's convenience, and that it will not be dictated by the president's schedule.

"When a service is scheduled, the president will attend," Robert Gibbs told reporters during his daily briefing.

Yet Obama is also scheduled to leave on a 10-day trip to Asia on Wednesday. Gibbs would not rule out delaying the trip so Obama could attend the service before setting off on the major international trip of the year.

Gibbs said the president's schedule remains in flux.

About the memorial service--

I'm sure the White House will apply whatever pressure necessary regarding scheduling so Obama can be there.

As Rahm Emanuel said, "Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before."

Will the Obama White House exploit the shootings as a photo-op? Will the White House use it to justify his decision on Afghanistan?

I certainly don't know, and I certainly hope the Obama White House won't use the deaths of Americans, including members of the military, for political advantage.

About the "jumping to conclusions"--

What is there to "jump to conclusions" about?

Hasan murdered 13 people and wounded 30 others.

Gee, what is there to misinterpret about gunning down 43 people?

It stands as a horrific act.

I think it's appropriate to be outraged at Hasan.

If Obama is referring to Hasan's Muslim faith, we know that there are Islamic extremists who believe it's right and they will be rewarded in heaven for killing us, the infidels.

We are at war with those Islamic extremists, aren't we?

Those terrorists are the enemy, right?

Is Hasan going to be declared mentally ill and therefore less accountable for the slaughter at his hand?

Is Obama concerned that some people are jumping to the conclusion that this is a hate crime?

We know Hasan targeted American soldiers. He murdered 13 people.

If Hasan didn't want to be deployed to Iraq, he should have deserted. If he thought violence was the answer, he should have killed himself, not others.

How much more do we as a nation need to know before judging Hasan?
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Obama has a penchant for jumping to conclusions himself.

LYNN SWEET: Thank you, Mr. President. Recently, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested at his home in Cambridge. What does that incident say to you? And what does it say about race relations in America?

OBAMA: Well, I -- I should say at the outset that Skip Gates is a friend, so I may be a little biased here.

I don't know all the facts. What's been reported, though, is that the guy forgot his keys, jimmied his way to get into the house; there was a report called into the police station that there might be a burglary taking place.

So far, so good, right? I mean, if I was trying to jigger into -- well, I guess this is my house now, so -- (laughter) -- it probably wouldn't happen.

(Chuckling.) But let's say my old house in Chicago -- (laughter) -- here I'd get shot. (Laughter.) But so far, so good. They're -- they're -- they're reporting. The police are doing what they should. There's a call. They go investigate. What happens?

My understanding is, at that point, Professor Gates is already in his house. The police officer comes in. I'm sure there's some exchange of words. But my understanding is -- is that Professor Gates then shows his ID to show that this is his house, and at that point he gets arrested for disorderly conduct, charges which are later dropped.

Now, I've -- I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home.