Obama: 'Gabby Opened Her Eyes' For First Time Today (VIDEO)

President Barack Obama briefly deviated from his prepared remarks at tonight's Arizona memorial service to state that Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes for the first time today since the shooting on Saturday.

Obama said that her husband Mark Kelly personally gave him permission to mention the fact to the nation. He inserted the news into this portion of the speech:

"I have just come from the University Medical Center, just a mile from here, where our friend Gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak. And I can tell you this - she knows we're here and she knows we love her and she knows that we will be rooting for her throughout what will be a difficult journey."

He said that after he left the facility, "Gabby opened her eyes for the first time," which led to an eruption of cheers.

White House correspondent Marc Ambinder notes that Obama's aides apparently didn't know that Giffords had opened her eyes and there were "lots of tears in theirs right now."

According to POLITICO, Nancy Pelosi, Kirsten Gillibrand and Debbie Wasserman Schultz were in the room with Giffords when she opened her eyes.

WATCH:

Follow live updates related to the Arizona memorial HERE.

Comments

[Jeff Camillo]

07:53 PM on 01/13/2011

Great. Now maybe Obama will open his eyes.

[Marlon Blazai Pact]

03:44 PM on 01/13/2011

Clever. Huffing Post leaves that what he said just 30 second prior to what they have posted here. When he mentioned Saturday.

[Billyguitar]

02:24 PM on 01/13/2011

If someone wasn't moved by her opening her eye, then they must have a hole in their soul!

[JMBrodie]

12:09 PM on 01/13/2011

Well, that good feeling lasted a few hours anyway. So I guess for some, snark is pretty much all there is, huh?

Thank you, Mr. President. You showed how a leader is supposed to behave.

[MissKaren]

12:06 PM on 01/13/2011

I am amazed she can do that so soon after such a major insult to her brain and with some sedation going on but it makes me think she can make it all the way back to the House of Representatives.

[JMBrodie]

12:11 PM on 01/13/2011

It will be a long road, but that would be something to see. A miracle, yes.

[keeneye]

12:02 PM on 01/13/2011

President Obama gave a very good speech last night, that is a fact. There was definitely a lot of good posturing. It is amazing she opened her eyes last night after the doctors reported she could do so on Sunday. But in addition, I find it interesting that he lavished so much praise on Daniel Hernandez as a hero. Even had him sitting right next to him. He was a hero to Gabby Giffords, no doubt. However I thought the night was supposed to be about ALL the heros and victims of the tragedy. The real hero is Patricia Maisch. She is the one who originally knocked the new clip of ammo out of the gunman's hand and prevented more damage. But she was seated in the back with all the other heros. I guess a middle aged white woman isn't going to help attract the Hispanic and gay vote.

[jamaicalover]

02:33 PM on 01/13/2011

 
In a  recently completed press conference, Giffords doctor Peter Rhee explained that what Obama said last night about Giffords opening her eyes was "true."
 
 
In response to a question from a reporter about previous attempts that Giffords opened her eyes, Rhee and Dr. B. Michael Lemole, explained the important distinction. Namely, Giffords previously opened her eyes in response to "stimulus", and yesterday she opened them spontaneously, which represented a "major milestone" in her recovery.
 
Take the message back to blogger Hoft.

[Marlon Blazai Pact]

03:50 PM on 01/13/2011

Am I the only one the caught the whole speech. Not the just the 1:21 that the huffing post has up. I could have sworn he said Saturday.

[wwoody]

11:56 AM on 01/13/2011

Gabby opening her eyes, is the best news very, of the this sad ordeal, once having a heavy heart, is really a sign of hope.

[venice6]

11:55 AM on 01/13/2011

President Obama made my night.
I was feeling angry , sad and frustrated.
especially after Sarah Palin just added salt to America's wound.

Thank you Mr. President for you kind and healing words, thoughts and prayers.

America is in a better place today because of your eulogy in Tucson.

[Harpotoo]

11:51 AM on 01/13/2011

Jesus went to see Gabby yesterday and then Jesus told US that Gabby can now see Jesus!

What the hell? I keep typing Obama and Jesus keeps coming up on the monitor?!?!

[JMBrodie]

12:06 PM on 01/13/2011

What?

[Mother77]

12:22 PM on 01/13/2011

I think he was trying for sarcasm but failed.

[Beatriz09]

11:50 AM on 01/13/2011

An account of what happened when she's managed to open her eyes:
 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/13/president-obama-tucson-forces-divide-us-are-not-strong-those-unite-us

[seventeengeese]

11:49 AM on 01/13/2011

If you want to have goose bumps and be tingly, read the post at talking points memo. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Kristen Gillenbrand were in the room talking to her and give an absolutely amazing, in detail, account of what happened.

[Beatriz09]

11:51 AM on 01/13/2011

link ... ?

[winstonbonhoeffer]

11:57 AM on 01/13/2011

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:bkjADo9S7qcJ:sonoranchronicle.com/2011/01/09/giffords-survives-the-night-can-open-eyes/+giffords+survives+the+night,+can+open+eyes&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

This article appeared in Arizona's "The Sonoran Chronicle" on Sunday, but has since been taken down. This is Google's cache of that page (note the info in the gray box at the top of the page).

[beasteben]

12:03 PM on 01/13/2011

I'm not sure if this comment or your earlier Jesus comment is funnier. I think its a tie.

[UpstateNY]

12:21 PM on 01/13/2011

If you think either of these posts is funny - I'm sorry for both of you.  Some things are open for making jokes, some are not.  Most people know the difference.

[2Labradors]

11:41 AM on 01/13/2011

How soon before Limbaugh makes the Messiah reference on his show today?

[JMBrodie]

12:13 PM on 01/13/2011

3-2-1...

[Tedfl34]

11:32 AM on 01/13/2011

He may not have known that she had already opened her eyes, it may have been his speech writers error, but its still pretty bad. And the crowd reaction throughout the speech was so inappropriate. They were cheering like it was a political event instead of a memorial. Overall very awkward and I couldn't watch after about 10 minutes.

[indecisiveh]

11:37 AM on 01/13/2011

I wish I could turn your show off.

[goatini]

11:40 AM on 01/13/2011

Trotting out the same BS cr@p that was flung by the RW at Sen Wellstone's mourners, I see. Stay classy.

[Tedfl34]

12:00 PM on 01/13/2011

If you can listen to the Wellstone memorial audio without cringing and wanting to take a shower you'd be the only one I know who could.

[edisnuts]

11:15 AM on 01/13/2011

wonder what the lefts reaction would be if Pres Bush had said such a false hood and used it as political capital ,,,AS SHE HAD OPENED HER EYES ON SUNDAY

[eppursimuove]

11:24 AM on 01/13/2011

Because, as we all know, Bush never lied for political gain. *cough* WMDs *cough* Excuse me, I believe I am allergic to poor punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

[indecisiveh]

11:40 AM on 01/13/2011

Spell check doesn't account for grammar apparently. My what a perfectly spelled line of incoherent gibberish.

[Miss Civility]

12:12 PM on 01/13/2011

She did *not* open her eyes Sunday- that's a lie -
From Jan. 9th
"She can’t open her eyes and brain swelling is the biggest threat after a bullet traveled the length of her brain’s left side, doctors said."
From Bloomberg businessweek-

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-09/giffords-remains-in-critical-condition-after-shooting.html