Mr. Obama spoke at the public memorial for the miners lost at the Upper Big Branch mine near Beckley, W.Va., promising changes to an industry that remains a source of many jobs. “We cannot bring back the 29 men we lost. They are with the Lord now,” the President said. “Our task, here on Earth, is to save lives from being lost in another such tragedy. To do what must be done, individually and collectively, to assure safe conditions underground. To treat our miners the way they treat each other — like family. For we are all family. We are Americans.”
“One was planning a wedding. One was planning retirement,” Vice-President Biden said. “Individually, they were strong. Collectively, I believe they represent the strength of the nation.”
Teddy Cole, 60, who retired after 37 years of mining in 2006, said “I trained a lot of these guys. I know exactly what happened in there. I can picture it. They took my place.”
