It's not in the formal job description, but presidents, at least in the modern era, are expected to be consolers-in-chief. Perhaps it's the sheer size of the nation that creates a need for a reassuring and unifying voice during a time of crisis or tragedy. And perhaps it's been accelerated by what UVA presidential scholar Barbara Perry calls the "Oprah-ization of our culture." But when a natural disaster, terrorist attack or act of domestic violence occurs, the American public, divided on so many issues, tends to look to the occupant of the Oval Office to share the pain and find a way forward.