Obama Poland Plane Crash Statement: 'There Are Heavy Hearts Across America'

The White House released a statement from President Obama offering his condolences to Poland on behalf of the U.S. in the wake of the horrific plane crash that has killed the Polish president and some of that nation's highest military and civilian officials. Read it below.

Today, I called Polish Prime Minister Tusk to express Michelle's and my deepest condolences to the people of Poland on the tragic deaths this morning of President Lech Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynski, and all who were traveling with them to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kaczynski family, the loved ones of those killed in this tragic plane crash, and the Polish nation.

Today's loss is devastating to Poland, to the United States, and to the world. President Kaczynski was a distinguished statesman who played a key role in the Solidarity movement, and he was widely admired in the United States as a leader dedicated to advancing freedom and human dignity. With him were many of Poland's most distinguished civilian and military leaders who have helped to shape Poland's inspiring democratic transformation. We join all the people of Poland in mourning their passing.

Today, there are heavy hearts across America. The United States cherishes its deep and abiding bonds with the people of Poland. Those bonds are represented in the strength of our alliance, the friendships among our people, and the extraordinary contributions of Polish-Americans who have helped to shape our nation.

It is a testament to the strength of the Polish people that those who were lost were travelling to commemorate a devastating massacre of World War II as the leaders of a strong, vibrant, and free Poland. That strength will ensure that Poland emerges from the depths of this unthinkable tragedy, and that the legacy of the leaders who died today will be a light that continues to guide Poland - and the world - in the direction of human progress.

Comments

[mhart]

03:50 AM on 04/11/2010

Obama's condolences are kind, but what is he doing to make sure a neutral investigation of the circumstances behind this tragic event takes place? I haven't heard anything yet. This is very sad, considering the positive relationship that exists between the USA and Poland. If he would get behind the facts (ie not only obtained and reported by the Russian government), it would do more for the Poles and the world than his words of sympathy.

[NatalieFromPoland]

09:14 AM on 04/11/2010

There is no need for Obama to involve. Not only Russians working on this case. We are having also our (independent) investigation teams in Russia right now.
Mr. Andrzej Seremet, the Public Prosecutor General of Poland, is leading a group of civil prosecutors, and the chief of military prosecutor’s is Col. Krzysztof Parulski.
In Smolensk is also another special commission of aircraft crashes, under the command of Col. Mirosław Grochowski; and a lot of other polish experts. So I think we can handle it:)
Here’s some more information about it:
http://www.tvn24.pl/-1,1651738,0,1,moskwa-ma-trzy-hipotezy,wiadomosc.html
http://www.tvp.info/informacje/polska/polskie-sledztwo/1642491
They are in polish but you can always translate them by Google.

Thanks everybody for words of compasion. We really appreciate that:)

[ellawensmom]

10:44 AM on 04/12/2010

I'm not Polish, but my boyfriend is, and I have truly gained a deep and abiding respect for your people. I am deeply sorry for your losses.

[2CLEVER]

07:06 PM on 04/10/2010

"heavey hearts" quite the wordsmith

[SteveSFM]

08:11 PM on 04/10/2010

Well, at least he can spell "heavy".

[2CLEVER]

08:20 PM on 04/10/2010

the extra was 4 u ,,,iv noticed pedants always correct spelling when they have nothing 2 add

[mypov123]

09:23 PM on 04/10/2010

Ha!

[BarryS]

06:08 PM on 04/10/2010

It's a sad day for Poland, but opens up the opportunity for The Polish people to have a chance to replace the pres with someone who isn't a homophobe. I'm surprised they have blamed the Gays yet-- they can't blame the Jews.

[2CLEVER]

07:08 PM on 04/10/2010

maybe they'll blanme fat people

[ColinStevens]

03:26 PM on 04/10/2010

Putin: "Eet vas heart attack!"

Investigators: "But it was a plane crash."

Puting: "Vas BEEEG heart attack!"

Seriously, I hope the U.S. is contemplating that Russia and Putin (who's suddenly in charge of the investigation) could have been involved in this. They've been wanting to get Poland back into their control for a loooong time.

Things like this just don't happen. Either this was the biggest ironic coincidence in the history of world government or this was an assassination.

[2CLEVER]

07:08 PM on 04/10/2010

huh

[suzc]

07:18 PM on 04/10/2010

These days you have to consider all alternatives.
But there was apparently heavy fog.
So probably not a conspiracy.

[MarcEdward]

01:17 PM on 04/10/2010

Nice to see so many kind thoughts, but it occurs to me - how many people saying "oh so sad" even knew who the President of Poland was? Do any of you know what kind of policies he was for? Or is this the automatic "Oh I care about the deaths of people I don't know a thing about and their death will make no difference in my life what so ever"?
Sorry he died, sorry we all have to die, sorry everybody who's ever lived has died - but really, so what?

[serindipity803]

02:17 PM on 04/10/2010

You have made a better point than perhaps you intended - We, as a populace should know who the leaders of other countries are and what they stand for - just as we should know who we have in office in our own country and - are they really serving us or ? We should be involved all-over-the-world, our nation is affected by this tragedy on many levels - best to know who we have lost.

[MarcEdward]

02:32 PM on 04/10/2010

Well you made a better point than I did.

[jclaireburke]

02:22 PM on 04/10/2010

And is that how you think the world responded after 9/11? Or the Kennedy assassination? Or Katrina? Your comments here are very cold hearted and, if you are an American, you make me ashamed.

[ColinStevens]

03:20 PM on 04/10/2010

Cold-heartedness and mocking of sentiment is, unfortunately, a trend right now. He probably thought he was being cool.

[MarcEdward]

04:36 PM on 04/10/2010

Oh please - the people who cared about this man, the President of Poland have every right and reason to express sorrow over his death. If he was your personal hero, if he was important to you, I'm really sorry for your loss.
However, if what I suspect is true, most of the people saying "how sad" never even knew this guy existed, never knew his name, don't know what he looks like - basically they are circle-jerking their fake sympathy just so they can say something. It's a male thing to express opinions, no matter how useless or uninformed (read Deborah Tannon's "You just don't understand"). I'm not going to pretend that the President of Poland was important to me all my life and how his death has rocked my world.
Insincere expressions of sorrow are absolutely useless, other than people who don't really care can pretend they do.

[acmpb86]

12:24 PM on 04/10/2010

Not to take away anything from the tragedy, but Poland is a Parliamentary Republic. The Prime Minister is the most important head of state, the President plays more of a symbolic and international relations role, therefore the main head of state is still in place.

[dontmatter1234]

06:24 PM on 04/10/2010

Prime minister is not head of state, but head of government. The president is head of state.

[eilish]

11:51 AM on 04/10/2010

All I could think was "Oh, no - no". I hope that Americans will step up and send aid and comfort to Poland. This is so devastating, an entire nation in mourning. For our own government I would sorrow as though they were family and I'm sure the people of Poland feel the same. If anybody knows of a way to express our sorrow, could you let me know?

[Funky Discharge]

12:01 PM on 04/10/2010

I'm with you - perhaps we'll hear of something we can do. That was my first thought this morning--"what should I be doing to help?"

[MarcEdward]

01:15 PM on 04/10/2010

It's a plane crash, there's nothing you can do to help.

[Try the truth]

12:41 PM on 04/10/2010

Aid? Condolences and prayers yes, but aid?

[eilish]

12:50 PM on 04/10/2010

We have embassies and people there, yes, aid to the suffering.

[Wide Stance]

10:36 AM on 04/10/2010

I think Obama should visit.

[Try the truth]

10:42 AM on 04/10/2010

He most likely will go for the funeral.

[Z2a]

10:45 AM on 04/10/2010

He'll probably send Hilary or Michelle instead.

[CA-35]

10:26 AM on 04/10/2010

Can anyone analyze this crash and give us an equivalent personnel loss in our government structure so we can put it in perspective and understand it better.

I've never heard of anything remotely like this before. The ironies vis-a-vis the USSR are so thick here you could cut them with a knife.

[chiara12]

11:08 AM on 04/10/2010

I can't imagine that many of our top leaders traveling together to be quite honest. That was the first thing I thought about was why were so many people from the highest levels of their government & military flying together.

I can't remember anything like this before. Such a tragedy.

[SouthSideHooligan]

11:16 AM on 04/10/2010

the vice president rarely flies with the president for this reason. in fact, i don't even remember a vice president flying on Marine One with the President.

[Soulmentor]

12:27 PM on 04/10/2010

Yeah, so many of their government and military leadership on the same plane. What could they have been thinking?!

[archanjo]

10:16 AM on 04/10/2010

This is so tragic. My heart goes out to all the families and the Polish nation.

[Idablu]

10:14 AM on 04/10/2010

Sad.