On Thursday evening, as news of the horrible and tragic shootings in Greenland spread around the state, New Hampshire’s politicians began to weigh in.

What they chose to say is revealing.

There was the governor, of course. With his customary sense of decorum and respect, Gov. John Lynch issued a series of brief statements that were updated as more details became known. On Friday morning, Lynch appropriately used his office to focus public attention on the family of Chief Michael Maloney, who had been killed, his family, the other shot officers and their families, and Greenland itself.

“I ask the people of New Hampshire to join me in honoring the sacrifice of Chief Maloney, and supporting his family at this time,” Lynch said. “Our deepest condolences also go out to the Greenland Police Department and the entire community.”

This was no grandstanding. The governor was being the kind of moral leader a governor is supposed to be.

Now contrast his words with those of Jackie Cilley, one of the Democrats who wants to replace him in the Corner Office.

Cilley began a lengthy Facebook post on Thursday night with the obscure line, “Tonight was one of those moments where the veil drops and it is clear what this war — and it is a war — is all about.”

What was she defining as war? She did not say specifically.

Perhaps she meant the drug war. But she seemed to have meant the legislative debate over pay and benefits for public employees, for here was the main point of her post:

“While the fights in the legislature have gone on over their value, their pensions, their rights to have a voice in jobs, these men and women in blue go about just doing their duty, a duty that sometimes calls upon them to give their full measure.

“These are the same men and women who have been called ‘parasites on the backs of taxpayers.’ As one of those taxpayers, I give thanks every day knowing they are to perform a vital public safety function.

“There will likely be a big show (of) support in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy. But there is no flag waving or atta-boys that will make up for the utter disrespect that these public employees have been subjected to over these past two years. And, still they give us everything they have to give.”

No other candidate for governor, Republican or Democrat, framed the nightmarish events of that night in partisan terms. Nor did House Speaker Bill O’Brien, who also issued a public statement.

O’Brien actually made a point of burying the hatchet with Attorney General Michael Delaney, whom he had strongly criticized last week.

“While I might have had some disagreements with our Attorney General, any issues we might have fall aside as we stand united in our efforts to help Greenland, the entire Seacoast, and the law enforcement community move past this tragedy,” O’Brien said. “Today, our state government stands as one in our efforts to support Greenland and our law enforcement community.”

Well, those in our government do. One who hopes to hold office sees the death of an officer as an opportunity to divide us, and thinks that is the appropriate thing to do within hours of the tragedy. She should take a lesson from Gov. Lynch and the others. There is a time for discussing the broader political implications of fatal tragedies. Within hours of them is not that time.