Obama, Clinton Condemn Minneapolis Shooting
Politics

Obama, Clinton Condemn Minneapolis Shooting

France 242h ago
3 min read
📋

Key Facts

  • Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton issued strong statements following the shooting of Alex Pretti by immigration agents in Minneapolis.
  • The Obamas described the incident as a 'wake-up call,' warning that America's core values are under threat from current government actions.
  • Former President Clinton condemned the administration, highlighting the deaths of both Alex Pretti and Renee Good as examples of violence against peaceful protesters.
  • The shooting occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota, involving immigration agents and resulting in a fatal outcome.
  • FRANCE 24's Philip Turle has provided analysis of the situation, indicating international attention to these domestic developments.

Quick Summary

The shooting of Alex Pretti by immigration agents in Minneapolis has prompted strong statements from former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, who are calling the incident a significant moment for American values.

The Obamas characterized the event as a wake-up call, expressing concerns about threats to the nation's foundational principles. Meanwhile, former President Clinton used the incident to condemn the current administration's approach to civil unrest.

The Incident

The shooting occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota, involving immigration agents and resulting in the death of Alex Pretti. The circumstances surrounding the incident have drawn national attention and condemnation from former political leaders.

The event represents a significant escalation in tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and civil demonstrations. According to statements from former officials, this incident is part of a broader pattern of violence affecting peaceful protesters.

"The Obamas called the incident a 'wake-up call,' warning that America's core values are under threat."

— Barack and Michelle Obama

Presidential Responses

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama issued a joint statement describing the Minneapolis shooting as a wake-up call for the nation. They emphasized that America's core values are currently under threat, suggesting the incident represents a dangerous departure from national principles.

Former President Bill Clinton took a more direct approach, condemning the administration's handling of the situation. He specifically highlighted the deaths of both Alex Pretti and Renee Good as examples of violence being perpetrated against peaceful protesters under the current government.

The Obamas called the incident a 'wake-up call,' warning that America's core values are under threat.

Broader Context

The statements from both former presidents frame the Minneapolis incident within a larger narrative about political violence and the protection of civil liberties. The reference to Renee Good alongside Alex Pretti suggests a pattern of incidents that former leaders view as concerning.

The current administration faces criticism from these former leaders for its approach to handling protests and demonstrations. The language used by both Obamas and Clinton indicates a belief that fundamental American values are being challenged by recent events.

  • Pattern of violence against peaceful protesters
  • Concerns about erosion of civil liberties
  • Political condemnation of current government actions
  • Call for defense of core American values

Analysis & Impact

The coordinated response from two former Democratic presidents underscores the political significance of the Minneapolis shooting. Their statements suggest the incident has become a focal point in broader debates about immigration policy and protest rights.

FRANCE 24's Philip Turle has provided analysis of the situation, indicating international attention to these domestic developments. The involvement of immigration agents in a fatal shooting creates complex questions about enforcement protocols and civil rights protections.

Clinton also condemned the administration, highlighting the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good as examples of the violence faced by peaceful protesters under the current government.

Looking Ahead

The Minneapolis shooting has established itself as a significant political event that former presidents feel compelled to address publicly. The strong language used by both Obama and Clinton suggests they view this incident as having broader implications for American democracy.

As the story continues to develop, the statements from these former leaders may influence public discourse around immigration enforcement and protest rights. The incident serves as a critical reference point in ongoing debates about the balance between security and civil liberties in contemporary America.

"Clinton also condemned the administration, highlighting the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good as examples of the violence faced by peaceful protesters under the current government."

— Bill Clinton

Continue scrolling for more

Fox is teaming with top creator Dhar Mann as it races to win micro drama fans
Entertainment

Fox is teaming with top creator Dhar Mann as it races to win micro drama fans

Dhar Mann is one of the biggest independent creators of scripted shows for social media. Michael Kovac/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images Fox is partnering with top creator Dhar Mann to win over micro drama fans. Dhar Mann Studios is set to create a 40-title slate for Fox-backed micro drama platform My Drama. Hollywood is racing to capitalize on micro dramas, which are rivaling some streamers for time spent. Fox has teamed up with a top creator to help it crack the micro drama business. The entertainment company is partnering with Dhar Mann Studios in a multiyear deal to create scripted video series. The initial slate involves 40 series and will debut on micro drama platform My Drama. After that, Fox's distribution arm will be able to sell it to other platforms. The deal represents a convergence of a couple of big trends in Hollywood. Traditional film and TV companies like Netflix and NBCUniversal have been stepping up work with independent creators to win back viewers from YouTube. They're also exploring micro dramas, a mobile-focused format born in Asia that has picked up steam in the US. Fox was an early mover: it acquired an equity stake in Holywater, the Ukrainian parent of My Drama, in October 2025 and is actively producing 200 original micro dramas, also called verticals, for the platform. Sean Atkins, CEO of Dhar Mann Studios, said the studio's experience with multiple genres was part of its appeal to Fox. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images In Dhar Mann, Fox found a partner who is versed in the kind of mobile video that's adjacent to micro dramas. Mann's studio, which he founded in 2018, has some 163 million followers across multiple channels and is one of the biggest makers of scripted content. That makes Mann a rarity in the world of creators, who are mostly focused on unscripted content. Mann's studio makes several hours of content each week focused on uplifting morality tales, with titles like "Science nerd proves whole school wrong" and "Girl picks money over love in life." Such videos are not far from micro dramas, which are soapy, fast-paced series that largely fall into the romance genre and often feature outlandish plots involving characters like billionaires behaving badly and werewolf lovers. The Dhar Mann deal appears to be the first multi-title micro drama partnership between a major studio and a creator. Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade cited Dhar Mann's "inspiring, undeniable storytelling excellence and passionate audience" in the decision to work with the studio. 'We have a huge marketing platform, we have the audience' Dhar Mann Studios CEO Sean Atkins said the company fielded interest from other potential partners for its videos. "Everybody and their mother came through the studio," he said. "We have a huge marketing platform, we have the audience." He said Dhar Mann Studios would retain ownership and final creative say over the content it makes for Fox. "We already make it at a scale and efficiency that no one else can match," Atkins said. "If you really look at our main channel, there is no genre we don't do." Dhar Mann execs wouldn't divulge details of the first slate, but promised it would represent romance, thrillers, and more. Erin McFarlane, head of vertical content at Dhar Mann Studios, said a recent survey of its Facebook audience showed vertical fans liked those genres but wanted more variety within them. "We do want to have strong leads," she said. "We do want to have these really satisfying arcs that can allow folks to feel like that's time well spent, that is something that they feel invigorated and they feel positive at the end of it." Micro dramas' business model has faced some skepticism because of the high cost of marketing them and the sheer proliferation of apps competing for people's time and wallets. Atkins said he was confident in Dhar Mann Studios' ability to succeed in the format because of its scaled approach. "Media works on a portfolio," he said. "If you're Warner Bros. Studio, you don't bet your lot by making one movie. You bet your lot by making 30." Read the original article on Business Insider

27m
3 min
0
Read Article
A powerful AMD gaming desktop is hundreds off at Costco
Entertainment

A powerful AMD gaming desktop is hundreds off at Costco

Given that RAM has become so expensive to buy recently, you might have considered buying a prebuilt desktop computer. If so, and you’re leaning toward a high-end gaming model, Costco has a model that’s an impressive value at $1,999.99 ($300 off) for members through February 8th. It’s an all-AMD, liquid-cooled machine built into Asus’ ROG GM700 case, and includes the Ryzen 9 9950X3D — the best desktop processor of 2025 — along with AMD’s Radeon 9070 XT graphics card (also very good!), 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 2TB SSD, plus a wired keyboard and mouse. Buying each of these components piecemeal would likely send you sailing over the $2,000 mark, with the CPU and GPU accounting for well over half the cost. Asus ROG GM700 with AMD 9950X3D and 9070 XT Where to Buy: $2299.99 $1999.99 at Costco Obviously, two grand is still a lot of money, but I’ve compared prices for other configurations and it seems like the best value by a long shot. For example, B&H Photo has a model for $1,899 with half the RAM and storage amounts, not to mention a step down to Intel’s Ultra 7 265F processor and Nvidia’s RTX 5070 GPU. Best Buy’s $1,699.99 model offers 32GB DDR5 RAM with 1TB of storage along with AMD’s Ryzen 7 8700F and Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti. Costco’s model is vastly superior, especially in the processor department. Other Verge-approved deals Elgato’s Stream Deck Mk.2 includes 15 customizable buttons and currently costs $130 on sale. If you already know that’s not nearly enough buttons for your needs, the company’s biggest XL model with a whopping 32 buttons is discounted to $199.99 ($50 off) at Amazon. The Stream Deck XL works like the rest of Elgato’s models, letting you customize each button with its app however you please with plugins downloaded through its PC and macOS app. Best Buy has started its pre-Super Bowl discounts on LG OLED TVs, and the company’s offering free basic mounting and TV haul-away with select models. The most affordable is the 77-inch LG B5 that’s $1,499.99, though LG’s C5, the M5 and the stunning G5 are also available at higher costs. The fine print states that Best Buy will install the TV onto a customer-provided mount (I really like this EchoGear model for TVs between 42 and 90 inches that’s $103 at Amazon), and it’ll charge extra for installing the mount onto any wall type other than drywall. If you were already planning to buy a TV, at least this will save you some money on paying for mounting through Taskrabbit. If you’ve felt a sting of envy from everyone jumping back into the wondrous, stress-free world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you can grab the game at a discount at Woot. The game costs $44.99 (usually $59.99), and if you have a Switch 2 and want the system-exclusive features that boost performance and add Joy-Con mouse controls for home decorating, that upgrade will cost you just $4.99 extra via the eShop. Woot will ship the international version and it might have Spanish on the packaging. But don’t fret as the Switch is region-free, so cartridges made for any region will work just fine in your console.

27m
3 min
0
Read Article
🎉

You're all caught up!

Check back later for more stories

Back to Home