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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.
MAXWELL, AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME
I can NOT wait until July 7,2009
Maxwell see you in New Orleans at the Superdome July 4,2009
I think the entertainers who were on the BET Awards should go ahead and do the Michael Jackson Tour for him. They could sing his sings while on the tour. The money raised could help pay off his debt and buy back “neverland” and turn it into an amusement park for children. The money raised from this project can continue to help the wrld children which is what Michael Jackson wanted to do. Just a thought!!!!!
I think the entertainers who were on the BET Awards should go ahead and do the Michael Jackson Tour for him. They could sing his sings while on the tour. The money raised could help pay off his debt and buy back “neverland” and turn it into an amusement park for children. The money raised from this project can continue to help the wrld children which is what Michael Jackson wanted to do. Just a thought!!!!!
That is a great idea.
And Add a few USA tours. Because we love him to.
I would go in a heart beat.
A tour concert tribute Michael Jackson would be appropriate.& I would attend to pay my respect.
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MJ legacy is not only his music but his humanity. He inspires me to look at the mirror and be the catalyst for change. Thankyou Michael for giving your all to arts, music & those who are less fortunate. Rest in Our Creator loving arms and do the moonwalk with the angels. I love you…Au Revoir sweet MJ
I love the bet awards this year. I just that Bet didn’t wait so long to tribute to the King of Pop. They waited too long to celebrate the person who inspired these young singers and dancers to be who they are. I agree with the other comments. They should do a world tour as a tribute to him raise money for some these charities, because, that is what Michael Jackson was about; helping people.
i enjoyed the BET awards. I think they did a good job in the short amount of time they had to change the show to honor one of the worlds biggest role model, Michael Jackson.his music wasnt only popular but was played on music shows that wasnt even supposed to broadcast BLACK PEOPLE!!..
He was a man that not even got could clone…Michael gave young people like myself the motivation and inspiration to take our dreams beyond the limits….He will be truly missed.
i enjoyed the BET awards. I think they did a good job in the short amount of time they had to change the show to honor one of the worlds biggest role model, Michael Jackson.his music wasnt only popular but was played on music shows that wasnt even supposed to broadcast BLACK PEOPLE!!..
He was a man that not even god could clone…Michael gave young people like myself the motivation and inspiration to take our dreams beyond the limits….He will be truly missed.
i meant to say god not got..lol..sorry!!
The BET Awards were good, but some the performers should have not been on stage. New Edition is a done deal when it comes to performing live, they all were out of breath, Guy-Aaron Hall whatever he has been doing behind the scene has effective his voice he sounded horrible. Jamie, Maxwell and Ne-Yo gave MJ a beautiful send off
As with anything some portions of the program were an appropriate tribute but alas there was so much more i.e., Beyonce’s choice of attire, the song played with beeping just before Janet appeared – I commend BET for the attempt but there were things that really needed to be given more consideration since it was supposed to be a tribute to Michael Jackson. It really appeared to be just things thrown about thoughtlessly at time.
I beleive that the Bet awards show was excellent , being that they had two days to pull it together , the end perfomance was AWWWW it had me in tears ,thanks jamie and Ne-yo His legacy will Live fever MJ is our King Of Pop , I think people Should keep there negative comments to themselves , as the saying goes if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say nothing at all ! give props were props are do all the performers were good Stop downing our people we get eough of that all ready ! Be Bless!
Michael you are an icon that noone will be able to touch and you will be soley misseded by all. Now its time to spread your wings and soar and be free and sing your songs and beat your feet to those heavely tunes in the skies!!! Take your rightful spot in heaven for you don’t have to suffer anymore, your soul is free to soar where it is you want to go, and play in the heavens with all the angels of the little children. We will miss you your body that is but as long as your music is played we know that your spirit is still here with us. RIP in Peace MJ. We are all goin to miss you dearly!!!!!!!!!!!
well i want 2 say r.i.p.michael jackson, u will be missed, u was a icon, u will live on in our hearts, but ur spirit toughed me, my heart droped in my stomach and i got so weak, u really toughed me i felt like one of my family members was gone thats how much u mean 2 me, i was shocked and just wanted 2 be lefted alone and think about all the good music u made and i sat back and listen 2 them, it was hard for me 2 hold back my tears but i cryed my eyes out, but michael u mean so much 2 millions and u were a great man, u healed the world in so many ways, i will never forget u and my brothers loved ur style and music and ur dances, i miss u rip mj
This is to Michael Jackson i miss u so much i would never forget u ever in life u will always be in my HEART. Bless your family, i just can’t write anymore im crying im hurt because this is not right ………………….love you Michael.
@ Michelle Brown:
Michell, you said that earth song was your favorite song and that you like the idea that Micheal had to make the worse get better. You also said that you would like to see your loved ones again that have passed away in death. Well, I agree with you 100% and actually Gods word the bible gives us that hope of both seeing earth conditions being restord to it’s original beauty as well as seeing our dead love ones again. I encourage you to take a look at these scriptures in your bible: First read Rev. 21:3,4 as well as John 5:28,29 as for the earth please read Palms 104:5 and Ecclesiastes 1:4. Please, if you would like to further this discussion or any questions, email me: missfields27713@yahoo.com…
He will be miss by alot of fans. I’ts so hard to believe that Michael is gone. I would love to see Janet do some of Michael songs.
….Jamie and Ne-Yo were definitely the highlights of the evening… I feel ashamed as to HOW or WHY would BET allow Lil Wayne and the whole hood to get on stage and EVERY word out of their mouths be “bleeped” out?? It was to the point of pure madness where you couldn’t even hear the actual song… POOR DRAKE… and this was his “Debut??” -Oh, and I can’t even begin to understand Beyonce’s performance and dreadful COSTUME….?? I’m still trying to figure that one out. ….maybe a nice backdrop of Michael would’ve been nice, ya think?? I’m not sure. The entire tone of the awards were different, to be expected…but it did seem thrown together in last minute… Keyshia/Monica’s performance was by far the best…
I have to say that I agree with Marilyn but I am going to go further. The performance would be OK if it had been the regular award show. But since it was hurridly put together thats the way it appeared to me on tv. Granted, the performers were good but I honestly did not think that this award show turned tribute was fitting for an Icon like Michael. It was very considerate of BET to go through all the trouble of fitting him in their show. But you don’t fit the King of Pop in anything. what Bet should have done was go on with what they had originally planned and at a later date give Michael the tribute that focus on him alone since he is an Icon who paved the way for all the performers who were there. BET, consider giving him a tribute like the one Patty LaBelle got a few years ago. Something classy befitting an Icon. Not the rough and tumble stuff I witnessed last night Please send him away in class if you are going to do it publicly. I loved you Ne-Eo, Maxwell Jamie Fox, Beonce you cant do anything wrong for me but I have to say your performance was brilliant as usual but your out fit was not appropriate for the songs you sang as a tribute..
These words are for Michael. Michael, watching you over the years, how you have developed and took off like a rocket launch, I also watch your inward turmoil that seemed to spiral out of control. You were in pain both physically and emotionally and whatever memories were haunting you, you were also controlled by the opinions of the media and also some of the people who surrounded you .I believed that you were so MIS-UNDERSTOOD by all your critics and accusers. But you dont have to deal with all the pain and fear anymore because right now I believe that you are surrounded by angels and you are finally free to fly away with your angels. In my entire life I have never seen nor heard such unique talent. and I KNOW there will never be anyone else like you. Thats because they cannot have that IT factor that you possess. I miss you Michael even though I was in denial about your death. But I have cried my tears and maybe more to come. But the most important thing is that you are free. FREE from past hurts that took over your life. I love you Michael. RIP. You Are, Was and will forever be The Best in Entertainment. BYE Michael and again, RIP. To the Jackson family: I cannot express enough the sorrow I feel for your extraordinary loss, May GodBless You All.