Some anonymous comments over @ the Politics Extra blog on the event. From one example:

… Well, placing her papers very gingerly on the podium and then standing in front of the podium, she proclaimed that she rather liked to speak in front of a podium.

At this point, she paused, got very, very mellow-dramatic and said that she had just come from a very “moving and emotional” funeral visitation for LCPC Bryan Taylor.

She then said: “I’m going to pause at this point and not make any political comments, but rather ask all of you to do me a favor. I’m going to ask right now that we all hold hands with the persons sitting next to us and recite the Lord’s prayer together.”

Now, Malia, asking us to pause for a moment of silence or asking us to pray for Mr. Taylor and his family would have been fine, but to sink to the lowest level of political stunts and use the death of an American soldier to draw attention and acclaim to yourself?!?!?

This one just completely outdoes them all. Does this woman, Jean Schmidt, have no shame? The gall of her to do such a thing.

And what’s worse is that she thought the room full of 100 or so people were dumb and gullible enough to fall for such a ridiculous and classless political gimmick!!!

Is this true? Anyone else have a first person perspective to offer?

UPDATE: Howard confirms.