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President Sends Private Condolences to Jackson’s Family
Published by Pamela Gentry on Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 10:35 pm.By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst
June 29, 2009 – President Barack Obama sent a handwritten, private letter to the family of Michael Jackson over the weekend, expressing his condolences. 
Following the announcement Thursday of Jackson’s unexpected death, reporters pressed for a reaction from the commander-in-chief. During Friday’s briefing, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters: “I talked to him about it this morning. Look, he said to me that obviously, Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer, a music icon. I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary.”
“But the President also said, look, he had — aspects of his life were sad and tragic. And his condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans that mourned his loss,” Gibbs added.
On Sunday, David Axelrod, senior adviser to the president told NBC’s Meet the Press; “the president has written the family and has shared his feelings with the family.”
“The president obviously believes that he was an important and magnificent performer,” Axelrod said. “Obviously, he led a sad life in many ways as well, but his impact is undeniable,” he said.
There are no plans for the president’s “private” letter of condolences to be released to the public.
While the investigation into the “King of Pop’s” death continues, Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician and the last man to see him alive, was interviewed by homicide detectives over the weekend. While he has hired a high-powered attorney to represent him, investigators said he has been helpful filling in the last hours of the singer’s life.
Murray, a cardiologist, was living at Jackson’s home in Los Angeles when he suffered cardiac arrest. The family has requested a second autopsy and is awaiting those results.
The Jackson family has gathered at the family home in Encino, Calif., to start plans for MJ’s memorial and decide if it will be public or private. The Jackson family patriarch Joseph released a statement saying, “In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter.
“Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.”
Tribute celebrations are already planned in Detroit and New York and more are expected around the world in addition to the family’s memorial in Los Angeles.
BET Awards, my my!! Was that for MJ, really? I agree with Pamela…I think they should do a better job at honoring the man who made it possible into the industry. All performers were just making a lot of noise…only a few like my gal Beyonce, Ne-yo, Maxwell (a little) the rest its a shame, and whats with Jamie promoting himself all the time? Well, all I can say is that WE HAVE TRULLY LOST AN ICON, no one, and I mean no one can sing like MJ..he uderstood that music is a message not NOISE!!
MJ Rest in Peace
JAMIE FOXX WAS WONDERFUL ON THE BET AWARDS LAST NIGHT. I FEEL THAT MICHAEL GOT A WONDERFUL SEN OFF. IT WAS A WOONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF LIFE. JANET WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTLIF!!! AND LOOKED LIKE CLASSIC JANET. THE PRAYERS OF MY FAMILY GO OUT TO THE FAMIL OF THE JACKSON FAMILY, ESPECIALLY THE THREE CHILDREN THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND. IT IS TRULY SAD THAT CHILDREN HAVE TO BE LEFT WITHOUT THE ONLY PARENT THEY EVER KNEW. RIP MJJ.
I am SO disappointed in this year’s BET Awards. All the hype leading up to the awards with Jamie Foxx hosting…well he SCREWED up!!! It was awful!! The worst ever! I understand that they had to redo everything because of MJ’s death, but Jamie wasn’t funny. His jokes were in poor taste. He singing was right on!
BET.COM , you did not have to delete most of my comments today. I believe what I said needed to be said and heard. Thank you.
I thought the BET Awards were about Jamie Foxx and Neyo. I though Drake could have cleaned his language up for kids and I think that more could have been done about Michael. But Beyonce did her thing, although some people didnt understand her performance she did her thing!!!! I love you BET and so does MICHAEL and the Jackson Family
Also, if the rumors are true about Jay Z and Chris Brown that is CRAZY!!! Jay Z is not the only one that loved MJ. Some type of agreement could have been met. I think Chris has be toutured enough and has recieved his judicial punishment so lets me on. I can’t wait to see him perform again.
Michael Jackson was truly da “KING” n will always be rembered. An it really hit me hard when I heard dat it was true dat he pasted away. Because I grew up listing to Michael and always loved his music. When younger I thought I was Micheal I mean I new every move I even had da glove with the black jacket n will hop on top of my dads car start doing tha MJ. But my condolences goes to his family and friends an Micheal u will always be missed. Much Love Nate
i beleive the show was great jammie killed it as always MJ you are the shining star in the skys ,there will never be another one of you …. An the big thing that us as a nation are not gettin is giv people ther flowers while their here cause tomorow is not promised . we all thought MJ would be here to be the butt of our jokes or here the latest dirt on his life .. But know he has passed on an every body cryin an playin his music an get this yall even wearing t-shirts were was all of yall celbrities an family an fans hey me included Im just sayin yall seven hundred an fifty thousand cd sold in less than two hours.. all im sayin the man could have used some of that love . So every body out their dont wait for someone to leave this earth to show them you care .
Who cares!!! Just leave him alone in heaven. My boyfriend thinks the same with me. He is eight years older than me, lol. We met online at ~~~ http://www.AgelessMatch.com ~~~ a nice and free place for younger women and older men, or older women and younger men, to interact with each other. You may wanna check it out.
I will miss Michael Jackson and all of the future music he would have made. I was a teenager in the eighties and I remember singing and dancing to his music all that time. He changed music, fashion, and dance; and all for the better. I am not paying attention to the racist hatred he is getting. I didn’t listen to it when he was alive, and I will not listen to it now. I can’t say which song was my favorite; Beat It, Billie Jean, Bad, Dirty Diana, or We are the World(he wrote with L. Richie and Q. Jones). I have great memories of the man and his music, and I will keep those memories always.
IT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE~~~it should have: A) been done while he was LIVING B)had the living LEGENDS sing his music (GladysKnight, Stevie Wonder,Smokey Robinson,JillScott,GilScottHeron,MariahCarey,WhitneyHouston,DianaRoss,StephanieMills,RobertaFlack,TeddyPendergrass)but these “stalwart” people aren’t coming around that NONSENSE.
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debra johnson needs help or B.E.T. needs a need name ( the BROWN colored show of M.T.V.)
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MICHAEL JACKSON,Stevie WONDER, the OJAYS,Fugees and a very limited few others over the years have performed in this award show \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”fiasco\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\” which has given it a small amount of credibility. JayZ\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s (shawn carter)new single \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”The death of the AutoTune\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\” is a parody of the death of AfricanAmerican music in a lot of ways. YOUNG people~~~LEARN OUR HIStoRY and GET IT RIGHT (the hiphop music is not \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”hitting the mark\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”~~~with the exception of the ROOTS, NAS, JAYZ,lupe fiasco, pharrell) JillScott,NappyRoots,AnthonyHamilton,MarioWyans~~~very few. The award show SHOULD have not been~~~it should have been postponed until it was ORGANIZED and reflective of the HONOR and dignity that MOTOWN and Mr. MICHAEL JACKSON are deserving of.
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i cant believe that he actually gone it like one min. ur here an tha next ur gone we are gonna miss u MICHAEL…
I really enjoy the bet awards considering the russ they had to do for Micheal Jackson trubite. my favorite part was jamie fox, Tyresse, jonnie gill ,and the other brother. I grew up with mj wacthing abc cartoons and watching him performs with his brothers. In my eyes in my heart he is already miss and there will never be another like him ever. Micheal Jackson is the King of Pop.. r.i.p.
THIS WAS THE WORST BET AWARD SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN! I looked forward to this show, particularly to see the Michael Jackson tribute. The show negatively depicted black culture and more importantly, MICHAEL JACKSON! BET should have briefly acknowledged the King of Pop’s legacy during the show and announced that they will feature an elaborate tribute for him at a later date. Most of these performances lacked luster and various artists were disgusting, including Jaime Foxx at times. My family and I were SO EMBARRASSED! I wonder how the Jackson family feels about this BUFOON SHOW? Michael, THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER THAT EVER LIVED, deserved a tribute worthy of his irrefutable place in history. To the current black artists, please learn from the legends from Motown, other “old school” performers and of course, Michael. I Love You Michael. Thank you for your indelible talent and kindness. Please take care Jackson family.
It is wrong for a man have a rich woman or a woman have a wealthy man?
It is an absolutely extramarital relationship. but more and more services come out on Internet focusing on this kind of relationship.
such as http://www.RichSearching.com
it’s the biggest dating site for wealthy and successful people.
PEOPLE stop beating up on the BET AWARD’S! they did the best they could, MICHAEL’S death has thrown every one off course! and to be honest, I am still waiting for MICHAEL to appear and say “it was all a big JOKE! we all know that MICHAEL would do some crazy stuff! but, maybe just maybe, no but, he is gone, and I will never ever forget that YOUNG MAN, I remember going to the JACKSON FIVE concert when I was a teenager, people were screaming so loud, that I could not hear the MUSIC, but, it didn’t matter, just being in the mist of the JACKSON FIVE was enough for me! then Mr. MICHAEL JACKSON went SOLO, this young man was something else, he was GREATER than any performer that ever LIVED, he was beyond an ICON, I know his parent’s are proud of him, say what you will about JOE JACKSON, but, he was proud of his son! and no matter what over the year’s, JOE JACKSON stood by his SON’S side, I remember buying my son a MICHAEL JACKSON JACKET he was a little boy, and would put it on and do the MOON WALK in it, (SMILE) those are good memory’s, MICHAEL JACKSON will forever live in our memory*
I meant to say I remember buying my son a MICHAEL JACKSON jacket when he was a little boy, and he would do the moon walk in it like MICHAEL JACKSON.
What a bummer. I totally missed the BET awards this year. I have been so overwhelmed with MJ leaving us that I couldn’t hardly think straight. I still find myself tearing up. I remember at age 16 pouring my heart out in a letter to the Jacksons when Michael was only 13. Of course I thought I was in love with Jackie the oldest Jackson son. Michael took me through all 3 of my marriages. I knew him before I knew my husbands, and my children. Michael takes me all the way back to my innocence. Those of us in our 50s take this loss especially hard. Because he represented our time from way back. Did you see how the whole world stopped when his death was announced? He passing give painful remminder of the immpermanance of it all. There were some people who just couldn’t stand it and they committed suicide. He was such a presence. But he was persecuted by a cynical and selfish society who didn;t understand him or the kind of love that he had to offer. I never believed that he molested those children. I didn’t see him do it, so who am I to judge him on it? I believe he was just being extorted for money. I guess thats the price of fame and giving too much of yourself. However, it was nice of him to stop by the earth plane when he did, leaving us the memory of him and our own lives through his music.
michael jackson is the best and will always be R.I.P michael
Michael Jackson’s death was a huge shock 2 me also..I loved him..
his music & dancing & moon walking…he should’nt of had 2 go through
the torment he when though with molesting comments & I won’t believe it..
but I did wonder… but he was proven innocent…which I was glad of…
people was wanting 2 make money off MJ…he was always going though
something….
Rest in peace MJ…I know you have a big responability in heaven…& you are
performing for everyone who’s in heaven also..like my parents….
may god bless the Jackson Fam..& MJ children..