Obama: Arizona Shooting Has America Shocked & Grieving

(AP) WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said the nation is still shocked and grieving after Saturday's deadly shooting rampage in Arizona that killed six people and left a congresswoman in critical condition after being shot point-blank in the head.

Speaking in the Oval Office Monday, Obama said Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is "still fighting". In total, 19 people were shot in the attack; among the six people killed were Arizona's chief federal judge, a 9-year-old girl interested in government, and one of Giffords' aides.

Obama said the courage of those who responded to the shooting showed "the best of America." As both a president and a father, Obama said he has been spending much of his time reflecting on the weekend's events and reaching out to family members of those affected.

The White House said Obama had called Gifford's husband Mark Kelly, and the family of Christina Taylor Green, a 9-year-old girl killed in Saturday's incident. Obama has also spoken with several members of Congress, including Arizona's Republican Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain.

Obama spoke alongside French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is visiting for talks on issues of interest to both countries.

Comments

[OzzieVoodoo]

08:21 AM on 01/12/2011

If this was a member of my families funeral I would tell POTUS TO STAY HOME WE DON"T NEED YOU HERE,

[GirlOutWest]

07:38 PM on 01/11/2011

The photo of the President and First Lady is exceptional. You can clearly see the sadness and grief plus their sympathetic sense of loss. I think they are very kind and empathetic people.

[DUSAA-1775]

04:43 PM on 01/11/2011

perhaps the president could speak to the hacks attempting to make some cheap political point by blaming their political opposition. I do not believe that he will say that the actions of a crazy person are not caused by conservatives.
But he will not, as that would cause the liberal regressives to go stark raving mad.

[TheBaffler]

10:26 AM on 01/11/2011

Why was Cenk Uygur's excellent blog on this shooting pulled by HP today?

[TheBaffler]

03:08 PM on 01/11/2011

It can be found here:

http://www.worldnewsmania.com/2011/01/11/politics/cenk-uygur-was-jared-loughners-act-political/

[oilfield]

09:48 PM on 01/10/2011

we must punish our enemies

[mcnote5150]

08:11 PM on 01/10/2011

If there's a public memorial service for the victims in Arizona the President should attend and say a few words it could be his Gettysburg Address moment. To turn the tide of discourse and start to heal the division. This is a good time for the President to use the bully pulpit and take the high road.

[AFunkyNight]

08:01 PM on 01/10/2011

That phone call has to be the hardest one in the world. I can see why you are turning grey so quickly. I have the utmost respect for the job you do and the position that you have Mr. President.

Keep being strong and keep leading. Sir.

[GlackBOP]

07:35 PM on 01/10/2011

There were warning signs here that were ignored (prior threats). There were warning signs at Ft. Hood ignored (PC). We're making it too easy to do this sort of thing. Had someone spoken out about this dude, the ACLU would have been the first group to send lawyers.

I'm having a hard time being angry with the shooter. He walked politely and quietly right through the systems designed to snare him.

[pottedferne]

08:32 PM on 01/10/2011

you are having a hard time being angry with the shooter?

[Brent Willcom]

01:44 AM on 01/11/2011

I notice you don't seem to have a hard time dealing with the NRA or how easy it is for someone to buy a gun. That would have solved EVERYTHING!

[quillerm]

07:27 PM on 01/10/2011

How the media can make a follower of Communism into a right wing zealot is beyond me and the American public. Luckily the left owns the media or this would just be an exercise in futility. Now they expect Palin to take responsibility for the killing while Obama made outrageous statements against conservatives. Lets not forget the Union thugs that beat up members of the Tea Party. The left is beyond contempt for the use of this crime for political purposes.

[namewithheld]

06:48 PM on 01/10/2011

"This is a heinous crime, but I think we should just 'look forward.'"

[TresJolie7]

06:34 PM on 01/10/2011

A class act all the way.

[Joey Rapps]

06:18 PM on 01/10/2011

Early political-framing runs out of gas:
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/01/jared_loughner_alleged_shooter.php#

[WalterJesseSmith]

05:55 PM on 01/10/2011

How do we teach our president to take advantage of his presidency and this national focus on a particularly bizarre irresponsibility to teach us that democracy has not only traditional values of civic responsibilty, so does the republican tradition? How do we get our president to learn that it is perfectly okay to be more presidential?

We have certainly failed to teach our celebrity class these things.

[RosslynRose]

05:34 PM on 01/10/2011

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=249273

This kind of hate-mongering should be stopped!

[hoho5973]

05:24 PM on 01/10/2011

I heard a comment today that President Obama, while offering a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the AZ shooting (which I am glad he did), did not offer a moment of silence when the people in Fort Hood were murdered by a Muslim extremist. Is this true? I haven't been able to confirm one way or the other, however, if this is true, that would be pretty sad.