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The Spectacle Blog

Full Text of Obama’s Remarks at Tucson Memorial Service

By Philip Klein on 1.12.11 @ 8:45PM

Below the jump.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY

January 12, 2011

Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery

At a Memorial Service for the Victims of the Shooting in Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona, McKale Memorial Center

Tucson, Arizona

January 12, 2011

As Prepared for Delivery—

To the families of those we’ve lost; to all who called them friends; to the students of this university, the public servants gathered tonight, and the people of Tucson and Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today, and will stand by you tomorrow.

There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts. But know this: the hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn with you for the fallen. We join you in your grief. And we add our faith to yours that Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other living victims of this tragedy pull through.

As Scripture tells us:

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

On Saturday morning, Gabby, her staff, and many of her constituents gathered outside a supermarket to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and free speech. They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders – representatives of the people answering to their constituents, so as to carry their concerns to our nation’s capital. Gabby called it “Congress on Your Corner” – just an updated version of government of and by and for the people.

That is the quintessentially American scene that was shattered by a gunman’s bullets. And the six people who lost their lives on Saturday – they too represented what is best in America.

Judge John Roll served our legal system for nearly 40 years. A graduate of this university and its law school, Judge Roll was recommended for the federal bench by John McCain twenty years ago, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, and rose to become Arizona’s chief federal judge. His colleagues described him as the hardest-working judge within the Ninth Circuit. He was on his way back from attending Mass, as he did every day, when he decided to stop by and say hi to his Representative. John is survived by his loving wife, Maureen, his three sons, and his five grandchildren.

George and Dorothy Morris – “Dot” to her friends – were high school sweethearts who got married and had two daughters. They did everything together, traveling the open road in their RV, enjoying what their friends called a 50-year honeymoon. Saturday morning, they went by the Safeway to hear what their Congresswoman had to say. When gunfire rang out, George, a former Marine, instinctively tried to shield his wife. Both were shot. Dot passed away.

A New Jersey native, Phyllis Schneck retired to Tucson to beat the snow. But in the summer, she would return East, where her world revolved around her 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 2 year-old great-granddaughter. A gifted quilter, she’d often work under her favorite tree, or sometimes sew aprons with the logos of the Jets and the Giants to give out at the church where she volunteered. A Republican, she took a liking to Gabby, and wanted to get to know her better.

Dorwan and Mavy Stoddard grew up in Tucson together – about seventy years ago. They moved apart and started their own respective families, but after both were widowed they found their way back here, to, as one of Mavy’s daughters put it, “be boyfriend and girlfriend again.” When they weren’t out on the road in their motor home, you could find them just up the road, helping folks in need at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ. A retired construction worker, Dorwan spent his spare time fixing up the church along with their dog, Tux. His final act of selflessness was to dive on top of his wife, sacrificing his life for hers.

Everything Gabe Zimmerman did, he did with passion – but his true passion was people. As Gabby’s outreach director, he made the cares of thousands of her constituents his own, seeing to it that seniors got the Medicare benefits they had earned, that veterans got the medals and care they deserved, that government was working for ordinary folks. He died doing what he loved – talking with people and seeing how he could help. Gabe is survived by his parents, Ross and Emily, his brother, Ben, and his fiancée, Kelly, who he planned to marry next year.

And then there is nine year-old Christina Taylor Green. Christina was an A student, a dancer, a gymnast, and a swimmer. She often proclaimed that she wanted to be the first woman to play in the major leagues, and as the only girl on her Little League team, no one put it past her. She showed an appreciation for life uncommon for a girl her age, and would remind her mother, “We are so blessed. We have the best life.” And she’d pay those blessings back by participating in a charity that helped children who were less fortunate.

Our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. Our hearts are broken – and yet, our hearts also have reason for fullness.

Our hearts are full of hope and thanks for the 13 Americans who survived the shooting, including the congresswoman many of them went to see on Saturday. 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.

And our hearts are full of gratitude for those who saved others. We are grateful for Daniel Hernandez, a volunteer in Gabby’s office who ran through the chaos to minister to his boss, tending to her wounds to keep her alive. We are grateful for the men who tackled the gunman as he stopped to reload. We are grateful for a petite 61 year-old, Patricia Maisch, who wrestled away the killer’s ammunition, undoubtedly saving some lives. And we are grateful for the doctors and nurses and emergency medics who worked wonders to heal those who’d been hurt.

These men and women remind us that heroism is found not only on the fields of battle. They remind us that heroism does not require special training or physical strength. Heroism is here, all around us, in the hearts of so many of our fellow citizens, just waiting to be summoned – as it was on Saturday morning.

Their actions, their selflessness, also pose a challenge to each of us. It raises the question of what, beyond the prayers and expressions of concern, is required of us going forward. How can we honor the fallen? How can we be true to their memory?

You see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations – to try to impose some order on the chaos, and make sense out of that which seems senseless. Already we’ve seen a national conversation commence, not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health systems. Much of this process, of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future, is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government.

But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized – at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do – it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.

Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, “when I looked for light, then came darkness.” Bad things happen, and we must guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.

For the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man’s mind.

So yes, we must examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of violence in the future.

But what we can’t do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.

After all, that’s what most of us do when we lose someone in our family – especially if the loss is unexpected. We’re shaken from our routines, and forced to look inward. We reflect on the past. Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in awhile but every single day?

So sudden loss causes us to look backward – but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we’ve shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame – but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others.

That process of reflection, of making sure we align our values with our actions – that, I believe, is what a tragedy like this requires. For those who were harmed, those who were killed – they are part of our family, an American family 300 million strong. We may not have known them personally, but we surely see ourselves in them. In George and Dot, in Dorwan and Mavy, we sense the abiding love we have for our own husbands, our own wives, our own life partners. Phyllis – she’s our mom or grandma; Gabe our brother or son. In Judge Roll, we recognize not only a man who prized his family and doing his job well, but also a man who embodied America’s fidelity to the law. In Gabby, we see a reflection of our public spiritedness, that desire to participate in that sometimes frustrating, sometimes contentious, but always necessary and never-ending process to form a more perfect union.

And in Christina…in Christina we see all of our children. So curious, so trusting, so energetic and full of magic.

So deserving of our love.

And so deserving of our good example. If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let’s make sure it’s worthy of those we have lost. Let’s make sure it’s not on the usual plane of politics and point scoring and pettiness that drifts away with the next news cycle.

The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better in our private lives – to be better friends and neighbors, co-workers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher in more civility in our public discourse, let’s remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy, but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to our challenges as a nation, in a way that would make them proud. It should be because we want to live up to the example of public servants like John Roll and Gabby Giffords, who knew first and foremost that we are all Americans, and that we can question each other’s ideas without questioning each other’s love of country, and that our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American dream to future generations.

I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved lives here – they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.

That’s what I believe, in part because that’s what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed. Imagine: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that someday she too might play a part in shaping her nation’s future. She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.

I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. All of us – we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations.

Christina was given to us on September 11^th, 2001, one of 50 babies born that day to be pictured in a book called “Faces of Hope.” On either side of her photo in that book were simple wishes for a child’s life. “I hope you help those in need,” read one. “I hope you know all of the words to the National Anthem and sing it with your hand over your heart. I hope you jump in rain puddles.”

If there are rain puddles in heaven, Christina is jumping in them today. And here on Earth, we place our hands over our hearts, and commit ourselves as Americans to forging a country that is forever worthy of her gentle, happy spirit.

May God bless and keep those we’ve lost in restful and eternal peace. May He love and watch over the survivors. And may He bless the United States of America.

Amjean| 1.12.11 @ 9:12PM

Who wrote this? Obama talking about
scripture? Who is he kidding? I did not watch
the speech, however, he would need to put a good acting hat on because I wonder if he could fake the sincerity a speech like this would require.

The great"divider" morphing into the great
"uniter" - shades of Clinton - are we Americans
going to fall for it (again)?

I would bet money this speech was not the original one; it was rewritten after Palin's video.

One last note - his remarks were very nice in regards to the families of the killed and injured.

John Doman | 1.12.11 @ 9:17PM

Amjean,
Lay off. Give credit where it's due. I commend President Obama for being presidential - and so should you.

sre| 1.12.11 @ 9:19PM

He's using the senseless death of a little girl at the hands of a schizophrenic as a political rally. That is, to me, obscene, not presidential.

anon| 1.13.11 @ 2:55AM

It was about as unpolitical as anything you could get - I don't know what kind of speech you wanted, but a President's job is to lead and uplift. If that looks too "political" to you.....sorry.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:17AM

Were Obama chants and free t-shirts unpolitical, too? You're delusional.

Robin| 1.13.11 @ 7:31AM

This was a tally to a hurting nation after a national tragedy, you dolt! That is his JOB as president. Did you not listen to the speech or read the text?
He was talking to YOU!

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:47PM

It was a campaign rally, and only a moron wouldn't see it.

Spence| 1.12.11 @ 11:11PM

Excellent speech but the words will likely be wasted on half the country... sorry to say.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:24PM

If we believed Obama meant what he said those words wouldn't be wasted.

Bear| 1.12.11 @ 11:39PM

Hi Amjean,

It's too bad you haven't heard the speech yet, but I encourage you to do so because the President talked about you specifically! You can hear the speech at: http://freedomslighthouse.net/.....deo-11211/

Spiritual Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 7:49AM

Well, congratulations. You are EXACTLY the destructive element the rest of the country is trying to move away from. I'll pray for you.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:49PM

No, idiots like you who voted for the fool are the destructive elements. Pray for yourself--you need it.

bluemyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:28PM

Tucson Republican Mayor Bob Walkup told Politico that the mood of the rally was appropriate.

"If there was one thing that was appropriate, it was cheering," he said. "I've been in the hospital, and the people that are healing, they want to hear people cheer."

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:48PM

Handing out campaign t-shirts was disgusting.

Ruth| 1.15.11 @ 2:12AM

A person sees & hears things as he is, not necessarily as they actually are! More often than not, if one sees the negative, one is focusing from a negative vantage point. If one hears a negative message, one is only listening from a negative place in oneself.

I salute President Obama and am proud of his response to the tragedy in Tuscon. If you are seeing and hearing something negative in someone's words, you are seeing and hearing your own vision and voice. Reach deeper into your own inner self for the positive and loving nature that surely waits for your awareness. Good luck on your journey.

Patriot| 1.15.11 @ 3:41PM

Bloviator.

Clint| 1.12.11 @ 9:23PM

So when are Obama's Groupies, Sheriff Dubnik, Krugman, Kennedy and the rest of The Slandering Obamaphiles gonna apologize to Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh,Glenn Beck,The Tea Party.......

Otherwise, this is just one more Obama Bullcrap Teleprompter Did We Fool The Suckers Again ? Bloviation.

Tim Williams| 1.12.11 @ 9:25PM

I have to admit, it was better than I expected. But, like Clinton in 1995, let's listen to him for a couple more days.

Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 9:30PM

I thought he did, for the first time as President, a good job. But a nitwit should be able to do a good job at an event like this.

BH| 1.12.11 @ 9:47PM

His speechwriter did well, not Obama. Those aren't his words...if those were his words, he would have done a shout out.

jrs| 1.12.11 @ 10:29PM

I thought it was a good idea for the memorial and I thought he started out pretty strong, but I think it would have been stronger and had a better impact if it was only about 15-20 minutes.

Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 1.12.11 @ 9:47PM

The crowd sucked tonight!! This wasn't Senator Obama running for President in 2008, this was President Obama 2011 dealing with a National tragedy. Somebody should've talked to that crowd beforehand, and told them to keep it quiet, and act like six people just got killed over the weekend, they were embarrassing!! I can't even tell you how the President did tonight, I was too distracted by the way the audience was acting. And what's up with the Indian Preacher guy at the beginning of it, what the hell was he talking about?

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 9:54PM

The sky is masculine and the earth is feminine--they should unite or something. Everything else is pretty much a blur.

Oh, and his son is in Afghanistan. God bless him.

bluemyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:29PM

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:50PM

Handing out campaign t-shirts was disgusting, moron.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 9:50PM

Obama's words are one thing but his actions are quite another.
Let's see if the Left tones down its vicious vitriol.

Clint| 1.12.11 @ 9:57PM

"Pima County Community College records released Wednesday afternoon detail a series of events that led police to contact Loughner for what instructors and administrators considered increasingly odd behavior.

The file details four incidents in 2010 where campus police officers had contact with Loughner for being disruptive."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/.....cords.html

Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 10:05PM

Dear Clint: please see my documentation on Riese Versus St. Mary's, or WHY IT'S SO DAMN HARD TO MEDICATE INVOLUNTARILY DANGEROUS LOONIES.

matthew s harrison| 1.12.11 @ 10:01PM

When the guy did the fake crying thing-that is when I turned it off. Barry was just called "totally detached and the most unemotional human being I have ever met" last week by staff-so suddenly he cries at a memorial that was a giddy event from the start, replete with screaming adoring fans, and clapping similar to that of his own party when he gives a SOU speech in joint session? Sorry-I have to call bullshit on the whole thing. The guy is a charlatan-and he has obviously been taking acting lessons. Now we know what Kal Pen's real gig was when he went to work for barry!
What a laugh-and what a total abuse of the memories of those dead from this rampage. I am more sickened today than I was yesterday by the left!
And I disagree with all-it was hardly a well written speech-and it was very, very poorly delivered. Wouldn't you think that instead of drinking beers with the boys in the back of AF-1 on the way out to Tucson, he may have rehearsed the speech so he didn't have to look down to read the whole thing? Horrible-just freaking horrible!

matthew s harrison| 1.12.11 @ 10:05PM

MUSLIM!
Furthermore-barry said at the end "may god keep those we've lost in restful and eternal peace"....that is a shout out to his muslim homeys-Muslims say: "May Allah Rest Him In Eternal Peace" about everyone who dies. He was giving a message to the homies on camels yo!

Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 10:12PM

You are quite the moron, aren't you Matthew S. Harrison?

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 10:15PM

Humorless Liberal. You need to lighten up.

matthew s harrison| 1.13.11 @ 12:41AM

Liberal Reader-Barry Soetoro had a pep rally in tucson tonight. It was beyond disturbing. What prescient human being hands out freaking t-shirts at a memorial service? What self-respecting President flies to a far away place to insert himself into the story? ONLY BARRY my friend-ONLY BARRY. Learn a little about what it means to have class, and taste-and do yourself a favor and look up Reagan's television address to honor the Challenger Crew. That is how a real statesman does it. What barry did tonight was so embarrassing it's hard to talk about. He couldn't stand not being on the front page-so he put himself in the middle of it-and did it with his typical tasteless narcissism. I feel sorry for him-and I feel sorry for the families of the dead and wounded, for having to sit through that total disrespect foisted on them all.
On a brighter note-Congresswoman Giffords woke up today-which is wonderful news for the nation, and the electorate in her district. Unfortunately for her though, she woke up to Pelosi, Gillibrand, and Wasserman Schultz.....I can only imagine what went through her mind when she opened her eyes to those beauty queens-must have been like waking up in hell!

ryan| 1.13.11 @ 1:18AM

never let a good crisis go to waste.

anon| 1.13.11 @ 2:56AM

If he hadn't gone, he would have been rightly condemned for shirking the duties of the Office.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:19AM

Obama should be condemned for turning a solemn event into a political pep rally.

bluemyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:13PM

So when Bush went to NYC to talk to the responders and they cheered him, was that his way of putting himself into the middle of a tragedy that had nothing to do with him? Really, the hatred and bigotry on this page is sickening. I bet you call yourself Christians, too.

Oh and by the way, the t-shirts came from the University of Arizona. The White House had nothing to do with them.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:52PM

That wasn't a funeral, moron. Try to keep up.

Nancy Pelosi's office was involved in the t-shirt give a way, too. Nice try though.

Clint| 1.12.11 @ 10:07PM

" From Jon Boy Post:
I've lived in Tucson (Pima Co.) for 30 years and have come to understand that we are the liberal bastion in a predominately Republican conservative state. It is well known here that if you run for election in Tucson and have a "D" after your name, you are going to win, no matter how brilliant the "R" opponent may be. Our city elections are so rigged that the individual ward representations are voted by the entire city and not the specific ward. I live in a predominately republican ward and I am represented by a Democrat councilman. Dupnik ran against a real qualified republican candidate last election cycle but as always the Ds vote like lemmings and once again we get good ol Clarence and the likes of Raul Grijalva. No one will ask for his resignation or mount a recall because he is part of the liberal club here in Tucson. And you thought all Arizonans were republican conservatives.
Hope this clears up your wonderings."

Nicholas| 1.13.11 @ 10:08AM

we have a republican mayor you know.

Kyle| 1.12.11 @ 10:08PM

Amazingly enough, the National Review crowd and Hot Air, etc., thought Obama did great. They must be looking at this purely through a political lens, plus the NR guys are probably exhausted from all the standing up for conservatives they actually had to do the last few days; they certainly aren't used to doing so.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 10:16PM

Check out Free Republic, I doubt if they're overwhelmed.

Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 10:10PM

Interesting choice to post the remarks. Classy too.

I thought Obama's speech was quite good. I too wish the audience had cooled it with the cheering. You have to have gone to a cold dark pulseless place in the mind to think Obama was not genuinely moved by these shootings, and in particular the death of that little girl. He did his job as president tonight well. I'm fascinated to read how some of you will find a reason to hate him all the more for his speech tonight.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 10:14PM

Nice try, troll. We don't hate Obama, we just see through him, Screeder. We're not blinded by his supra-magnificence as you obviously are.

It's called acuity. Look it up.

Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 10:21PM

Note my comments, Liberal reader. I just don't think it will be backed up by Obama's actions. He likes Left Wing Terrorists. He just does.

Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 11:09PM

"He likes left wing terrorists."

Occam, that's just dumb.

You need to work on some new material my friend.

Start this way:

Make a resolution to write criticisms of political figures you don't like without speculating on their secret motivations. ("He likes..." etc.)

It seems to me from a conservative point of view there's plenty to criticize in what Obama actually does and says. Why make claims for which there is no evidence?

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:31PM

Obama's relationship with the disgraceful Bill Ayers is more than enough evidence for us. Of course, you probably think of the slug as a 'freedom fighter."

mattthew s harrison| 1.13.11 @ 12:46AM

Libtard Reader-Obama keeps time with a whole bunch of bad guys-and his friend bill clinton does too. These guys are all from the 60's radical crowd, and many, and I mean many of them were bomb makers, and bomb throwers. So save the surprise when we say he likes radical terrorists. It is well known by the folks in the south side neighborhood where he and ayers live just a few doors down from eachother(and inbetween them is louey farraCON), that they are close-very close. It is also well known and documented that the Ayers radical father and mother scum, paid for barry's college. So get on your little computer that your parents are letting you borrow, and look up the truth about the guys-you will see that our papers here in Chicago have been writing about their friendship and their work together for a long, long time-its just that your fraudster friends in the MSM buried it! ever hear of journolist? May want to look that one up too!
Rocket scientist!

bluemyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:18PM

Funny how those on the right seem to forget who the real terrorists are. They are the Muslim extremists who run the show in the Republican party. Do any of you remember the picture of George Bush holding hands with the king of Saudi Arabia? Sickening, really, when you think about the fact that so many of the 9-11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.

Your ability to hate is amazing.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:54PM

You're crazy. Obama is a Muslim! Obama bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia. Guess you forgot.

Look in the mirror, leftists like you thrive on hatred and rage.

Clint| 1.12.11 @ 10:39PM

If You feel that way Liberal Reader, let's see You Apologize For & Condemn The Liberal Propagandist Smear Merchants,who blamed Sarah Palin, The Tea Party, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck,etc.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 10:11PM

I wonder if Bristol Palin is still going to move to Arizona. I'd fear for her and her adorable baby's safety.

jrs| 1.12.11 @ 10:33PM

And if something did happen to her, it would be because her mother exploited her for her own political gain. Regardless, can't feel too bad for someone who under any other circumstances would be working at burger king but instead is able to pay for her house in cash. A tinge of jealousy, sure.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 10:39PM

Now there's that vaunted Liberal "tolerance" we've all grown to know and love. /s
That's who you really are.
No one hates like you on the ugly, hideous Left.

Thank you for showing us the truth once again.

Greg. M| 1.12.11 @ 10:29PM

I give the speech an affirmative action B+. Extra marks for the fistbump he gave Michelle and Holder. Right on brothers!

Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 11:11PM

Affirmative action B+.

Nice, Greg.

It is a mystery how anyone could think there's racism on the right.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:35PM

Ask Kenneth Gladney and justice Thomas about racism on the Left--if you dare.

Kingofthenet| 1.12.11 @ 10:42PM

THIS is a President, not a pretender...

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:05PM

Stop snorting that Obama Kool-Aid!

Bert| 1.12.11 @ 10:46PM

I love the Obama trolls trolling here. This disgusting pep rally complete with the Obama reelection t shirts was unreal

plus the pep rally chants. Then the remark that tObama visit opened her eyes was over the top
disgraceful. Will this evil creature just slither away

blumyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:20PM

Wow, yet another commenter with a Texas education???

He did NOT say that his visit caused her to open her eyes. Re-read the speech if you can.

Also, the t-shirts were put there by the U of Arizona. They had nothing to do with our President, the White House, or his campaign.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:56PM

Stop lying. The t-shirts were coordinated through Nancy Pelosi's office.

BorderPatriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:07PM

Interesting how the news about "Gabby" opening her eyes was kept absolutely secret for hours so that Obama could use it for the climax of his rally.They had to be rewriting this up to the deadline.Perfect.The only thing missing at the end ,I thought- K.C.&the; Sunshine Band would take it home with"MyMyMy Boogie Shoes".

Kingofthenet| 1.12.11 @ 11:10PM

God Damn, if you didn't shed a few tears from the President's remark's tonight, you are HEARTLESS, a political BORG!

Nick| 1.12.11 @ 11:18PM

King of the Morons,

It is HEARTLESS to use the Lord's name in vain.

BorderPatriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:18PM

Frankly I did have a Boehner moment at the statement about Giffords opening her eyes.....but that's it.

Nick| 1.12.11 @ 11:21PM

I didn't watch the photo-op. But, it sounds like it was another Wellstone memorial, from the comments I've read.

Way to stay classy, President Dither!

Nick| 1.13.11 @ 12:38AM

Just caught the part of it.

Geez! It was Wellstone on meth.
Two words come to mind: Tacky and Cheap.

bluemyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:32PM

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:57PM

It was a memorial for the injured and dead--what did cheering, chanting and free t-shirts have to do with anything? You're clueless.

ed f| 1.12.11 @ 11:23PM

you people are so into what political party that you belong to that you have lost your own identity and seem to have forgotten we are all americans living in one nation under GOD

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:27PM

Yeah sure. Hope you got one of the Obama t-shirts they were passing out at the 'memorial'.

ed f.| 1.12.11 @ 11:42PM

Yes I do live here in Tucson but I did not attend the memorial so no free shirt for me I was busy with my son at his football practice no words from the president or any political figure can change what happened here on saturday but the things I do with my children today can prevent them from happening again.

Jackie| 1.12.11 @ 11:51PM

I don't think a memorial for the injured and dead of this terrible tragedy is a place or time to hand out campaign t-shirts. I guess we can agree to disagree.

Kingofthenet| 1.12.11 @ 11:29PM

Well Said...MOST things shouldn't be political. Is the Earth warming from our activities? Either Yea or Nay. Sure we 'might' want to drive a BIG SUV with only us inside...But are we doing harm to the Earth? it really doesn't matter what side your on to answer THAT question? no?

Nick| 1.12.11 @ 11:59PM

Your name just became Kook of the Net.

Bert| 1.12.11 @ 11:30PM

Please spare us the Sci Fi chatter.It reelection pep rally complete with Obama t shirts ,chants ,and disgraceful
political chants at solemn-event for dead victims of
at the hands of a mentally ill
kid.it was hijacked by the Obama reelection team to promote the most partisan hate filled President ever
as a phony healer. But you would have to be asbrsin dead as a Borg to fall for the scam.

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:33PM

The mask will slip and the hideous face of the Left will once more emerge--it always does. Just watch what Obama DOES next, that's what matters.

bluemyrtle| 1.13.11 @ 10:35PM

For the last time tonight I'm going to explain to you people that the t-shirts came from the U of Arizona and were the idea of a student. They had nothing to do with the President, his campaign, etc.

Oh, and you might like the quote below from the Republican Mayor of Tucson:

"Tucson Republican Mayor Bob Walkup told Politico that the mood of the rally was appropriate.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 11:59PM

Sorry, Myrtle, your pathetic trolling attempts are useless.

Red Phillips | 1.12.11 @ 11:46PM

The problem was not what Obama said. The problem was having such a large public memorial attended by the President. This can not help but come off as opportunistic grandstanding, much like the funeral that turned into a pep rally after Paul Wellstone passed away. The President should have stayed away and the families should have had small private memorial. Any large public memorial should be nothing but somber.

George S| 1.12.11 @ 11:55PM

Obama did the right thing. This is a memorial service to those who died, and as such there is no place for politics -- except for one: Obama should have shamed those who did in fact use the tragedy to advance a political agenda as disrespect for the dead and the heroism of the others. "We" are not "far too eager" to cast the blame on people who think differently; this was a coldly calculated political maneuver by the Democrat party with even more malice aforethought than the shooter. The intent was to harm and slander for political gain. Isn't that enough of a shock on top of the shooting?

Like I said, good job Mr. President... but as a leader you should have slapped down those who started the vitriol. We can survive the occasional lunatic intent on killing, but when a sizeable portion of our citizenry is looking to silence and criminalize those whom they disagree with, with a national media cheering them on, then the Republic faces a far greater danger. The acts of the Democrats in this instance deserved the proper dressing down. I wish you could have been more forceful in acknowledging the parallel wound to our political system.

Bert| 1.13.11 @ 12:20AM

No offense George Sbut are this naive to not realize that Team Obama coordinated these attacks on Palin, Rush, and politicized this event to set up this big phony unity speech for his reelection kick off ?Please the event has preprinted T shirts . The White Houseis tweeting The propagandist like Mika while they are on air with new talking points!

the Msdnc
propagandist like Mika and Joe s

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 12:25AM

I understand why you're so upset, Bert--the jury is out on our country's survival. The only thing that can save us is prayer.

Kingofthenet| 1.13.11 @ 1:47AM

For you ASSHOLES, the President is NOT a 'Community Organizer' He is the MOST powerful man on the Planet and can end ALL our lives in a second, He OWNS the button and can press it whenever he likes.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:22AM

Do you also worship a shrine with a skull in your backyard?

JAZ| 1.13.11 @ 7:02AM

I really hope to find one of those t-shirts on eBay. Maybe one signed by the President, that would be really neat.

Say What?| 1.13.11 @ 11:06AM

I'm not calling Obama a closet Muslim, but his curious relationship with Islam suggests a look at his scripture quote.

Obama quotes from Psalm 46. (http://www.scripturestudies.com/Vol8/H9/wis.html) This is Old Testament (and so falls within Judaism and Christianity). Does it fall within Islam? Of course it does.

Islam holds that the Psalms (Zabur) were revealed to David by God (Allah). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalms#cite_ref-2) The Twelver Shia believe that the Zabur is contained in the al-Jafr (a mystical Shia holy book). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabur) The Twelvers believe that the Tweflth Imam (the Mahdi, heir to Muhammad) is alive and hidden until he returns justice to the world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Imams)

Following, the quoted scripture, Psalm 46 interestingly continues:

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

He lifts His voice, the earth melts.

7The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8Come and see the works of the Lord,
the desolations He has brought on the earth.
9He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
He burns the shields with fire.
10"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

tinfoil hat| 1.13.11 @ 6:47PM

Adjust the tinfoil on your head. I think the cosmic rays are baking your brain.
Two questions. Do you own a gun and where do you live, because I will avoid that place, whackjob.

In-Dee-Pen-Dent| 1.13.11 @ 12:50PM

The President's speech, as written, was very respectful and solemn. However, he could have, and should have asked the crowd to tone down the pep rally applause and whistles.

Instead, it seems that he was "energized" by the hooting and "woo-woo-woo's", and instead of keeping his speech pattern solemn, he upped the ante by fist pumping and speech-a-fyin'.
He did himself no favors.

charles pembroke| 1.13.11 @ 1:05PM

WOW,WOW,WOW!!!!!!!

charles pembroke| 1.13.11 @ 1:07PM

We have too much time to waste.

scoreboard| 1.13.11 @ 6:44PM

2001 Dow 13,000
2009 Dow 7,300
Bush + Oval Office = -5,700
Scoreboard!!!

Reality| 1.14.11 @ 12:10AM

January, 2007 Unemployment when Dems took Congress = 4.7%
January, 2011 Unemployment when Repubs took
Congress back= 9.7%
Thanks for all you do Dems! Massive unemployment is so much fun.

Leftist Democrats + Senate and House = Economic Depression!

2 Years of Obama Presidency = 4 TRILLION Dollars more debt!!

Now that's a scoreboard to be proud of Libtards.

Terry| 1.13.11 @ 9:40PM

Well.. as an outsider with little idea on the reality-on-the-ground about the partisan politics you guys got over there, I would say that Obama's speech contained nothing at all divisive, in fact I think he did a great job in telling all sides that the most important lesson to learn, to move past the divisions.

If that's political point scoring (and no doubt, he scored points, even moral points by rising above the partisanship) that is more an indictment of the system you're all part of - republicans and democrats, where you seem to have to choose the left, or the right and there's no middle.

All this is irrelevant though. A little girl died. A crazy man tried to assassinate a democratically elected representative and killed a whole bunch of innocent people. The right thing under any circumstances is to rise above the suggestion that your divisions were the cause of this tragedy, and bring your people together when it matters. Which is what your president tried to do. What else, exactly do you expect from him?

Patriot| 1.14.11 @ 12:02AM

He killed a Conservative judge, too, moron--so nice you omitted that little fact. Shame on you.

We expected a memorial for the injured and slain, not a freakin' campaign rally for President Bonehead.

terry| 1.14.11 @ 1:02PM

Look here people! Patriot, is bringing the tone down again. Clearly not interested in any kind of reconciliation here.

For your information, I didn't mention that a conservative judge was killed, but neither did I mention the political persuasion of the intended victim (unless you confuse the word 'democratically' with 'democrat'.) By all accounts the judge, the girl, and all the other people there, were not the intended targets, so do you expect me to make a list? Are you offended that I didn't make a point of it, like you do?

You don't even know my own political persuasion, yet you clearly assume I am against you, and proceed to attack me and use false slurs against someone of whom you know nothing. (moron? how do you know after the few paragraphs I wrote?)

You are exactly the kind of vitriolic, intolerant, trolling type that the world needs less of.

Well as you know, there's no such publicity as bad publicity, so keep bringing your politics into this. You do yourself and your beliefs no favors, ignorant fool.

Patriot| 1.15.11 @ 3:34PM

No confusion on my part, I know why you linked "democratically elected" to the congresswoman. Your attempt at deception is amusing.

Watch those ad hominem attacks, hypocrite. Go back to the HuffPo cesspool where you belong, concern troll.

Patriot| 1.14.11 @ 12:03AM

Did you have to post your silliness twice?

terry| 1.14.11 @ 1:04PM

No more than you had to reply with your unnecessary and worthless drivel, twice.

Patriot| 1.15.11 @ 3:38PM

I'm sure you know a lot about being worthless.

Joyn| 1.15.11 @ 5:03AM

I got here when I was just looking for text of speech but then I read the comments. Ouch
I am an Independent but found the tone excellent, the words as affirming as could be under the circumstances.
Why are some so ugly about it?

And the lies here. Obama campaign shirts? Pelosi arranged this? The shirts were the university's doing did not have Obama's name or logo or anything
The shirts said "Together We Thrive: Tucson & America," , were designed bu a student, paid for by the University. Their spokeswoman said "The University wanted to give people something to remember that symbolized community spirit and continued the event's positive energy into the future"

Obama wrote this speech btw
And fake tears? Acting lessons? Right, why would the father of two daughters near that age be moved by this?

Patriot| 1.15.11 @ 3:37PM

How do you know Obama wrote his speech? Did his trusty teleprompter tell you so?

You're lying about the t-shirts. The "Thrive" ad campaign is part of the Leftist organization Organizing for America's propaganda machine.

We're tired of your lies and phony attempts to make peace.

Joyn| 1.16.11 @ 11:33AM

I hesitate to even write since you jumping to "you're lying" doesn't indicate willingness to converse.
Did you look at that blog page on Organizing for America that had ""Together We Thrive" as their post title? I did? There are thousands of individual blogs on that site from all the states. This was one guy on one blog writing one post a couple years ago. No one responded to it, no one else started using it. Some guy's post title has nothing to do with a new Obama logo.

I am not lying. It is just that I look for facts when either side makes accusations. I read what the university said, what reporters there said, I looked into it.

As far as the speech I wasn't there when it was written. I don't "know". I looked for the information because the style of speech was much like a couple I knew he did write before he was president. Many sources before and after the speech reported him off by himself writing it.

The mocking about teleprompters have never made sense to me. You know politicians have used them for decades, right? Some like Reagan and Obama and Palin are very good at it. Some like Bush and McCain are not as good.
Is it better to use notes (which Obama did for this speech)? Who cares?
What is that frequent insult suppose to mean? I disagree with him on at least a dozen things but the made up accusations really bother me toward any president.

The American Spectator

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