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“President Speaks At Memorial In Arizona”

The ReadyWriter

Yesterday, U.S. president Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attended a memorial service in Tucson, AZ.  Where the president visited Congresswoman Gifford in the hospital and remembered the 6 people killed, and 14 wounded during a Jan. 8 shooting spree where Gifford greeted her constituents on Saturday.

“Gabby opened her eyes for the first time,” Obama announced to thunderous applause. Obama was referring to Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford’s, 40, who was shot in the head during an assassination attempt.

“What we can’t do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another,” said Obama.

President Obama praised Daniel Hernandez for aiding Gifford after the shooting. The 20-year-old intern has only worked for Gifford for 5 days and assisted the congresswoman with his first aid skills after she was shot.

Obama concluded his emotional speech by remembering 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green: 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.

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Published by The ReadyWriter

Writer, Published Author, CEO of ReadyWriter Production Company and YouTube podcast Radio Host.

126 thoughts on ““President Speaks At Memorial In Arizona””

    4. “all women should look @their man when he’s running things the same way!”

      @Zion, this is true but all women DON’T becuz they can’t! We all can’t have ‘the likes’ of barack for a husband. so let’s keep it real..

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    5. “all women should look @their man when he’s running things the same way!”

      @Zion, this is true but all women DON’T becuz they can’t! We all can’t have ‘the likes’ of barack for a husband. so let’s keep it real..
      ———————-

      Yes Michelle is looking proud but Michelle knows our President like no other. she’s able to look proud dispite his faults and his flaws. and she knows her man is not PREFECT! so if she knows his issues and can still look @him ‘lovingly and proud’ he still must be doing something right! Not all women can say that @Zion.

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  2. At least Obama’s speech was about the victims of this tragedy as opposed to Sarah Palin’s 8-minute video response. Palin made herself seem like the victim by only talking about how Democrats were unfairly scrutinizing her for using gunsights on a map among other rhetoric. *SMDH*

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    1. I agree Ace, I thought it was a great speech to try to unify the nation, but of course there are some that would prefer to unify under glen beck than to unify under the president of the united states.

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    2. Weird thing @Q, is.. everyone stood behind ‘W’ when 9/11 happened, but people cant seem to unify behind Obama after a tragedy… SMDH

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    3. Sarah Palin is a by the Textbook a Bully. Bullies ALWAYS portray themselves as victims when confronted­ and that’s what she did.

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  3. Morning

    FAB speech

    I agree w/roland martin analyst read the speech verses really listening to it. They always have to find something to complain abt. The ppl in the crowd had great things to say once he finally talked to them.

    🙂 Very well done

    Michelle looked GREAT!

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    5. Good morning all…something’s wrong with Tracy’s link for ‘dress for success’ i tried clicking it and nothing happened.

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  4. Hello All. Hmmm, continous, thunderous applause and cheering in Arizona for President Obama, home to most Republicans. (He must have said something right for the right to react like this.) CARRY ON PRESIDENT OBAMA, CARRY ON, and may God bless America. We certainly need it in these uncertain times. Peace.

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  5. The speech was not political on the part of Obama. The crowd was excited to see him and hence the applause. We should be happy that our president makes his presence known in the state of crisis. Anyone remember Bush and Hurrican Katrina? #jussaying

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  6. 🙂 He asked people to unite and to use the time as a moment of healing and to speak kinds words to each other. Ya’ll remember that 2day as you post on this blog.

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  9. It was a speech to the heart and soul of a country divided looking through the eyes of a 9 year old to a brighter future – with passion and commitment – removing the finger-poi­nting that has become part of our lives.

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    2. This event was at a college campus, how do you control thousands in an arena under the age of 22? They were excited, they were proud.

      The tone could have been more insightful­, but it wasn’t the President’­s fault for their youthful enthusiasm­.

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    4. The only thing that bothered me was the squealing of the students every time someone mentioned the University­. It was not a pep rally for your school. That said, it was a very nice memorial and I hope the families and friends of all the victims can find some solace in the coming together to share thoughts, prayers, and yes, hope for the future. Peace

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    5. Just rewatched the Memorial service on C-SPAN. There is nothing wrong with its tone, nothing wrong with its message.

      I sincerely hope that I live a life that is worthy of applause and praise.

      What’s up ladies?

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    6. Some people wouldn’t be happy if you handed them a million dollars. It was Obama’s most presidenti­al moment, and was a fitting, heartfelt tribute to the victims of this tragedy. So what if there was some cheering. It was in very good taste, and the families of the victims seemed to sincerely appreciate the moment.

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    8. The crowd cheering had nothing to do with the words and meaning of the speech. Thousands of College kids inside an arena cheering that the President cares enough to come was the reason for the applause.

      At least he didn’t fly over and look down from his plane.

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    9. I thought the speech last night was amazing and set the perfect tone even if some didn’t like the clapping, I thought it was very appropriat­e.

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    11. It was not a typical memorial service because it was meant to celebrate the spirit of Arizona. Some stations only ran Obama’s speech, but if you watch the service in its entirety, you will see people were clapping and cheering the whole time, especially when the aide(who tackled the gunman) spoke. Jan Brewer and John McCain(his most noted R rivals) clapped and cheered as well.

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    12. The Presidents speech and tone was just what this Country needed. I was very impressed and moved by it. As far as the actions of the crowd, I think that they wanted to show, contrary to what the Pima County sheriff said, that Tuscon is not a bigoted city. It was a great combinatio­n of the celebratio­n of life and the respect of death. Beautiful! IMO

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    13. “Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn’t people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?”- rose kennedy

      The Tucson community doesn’t need permission to grieve according to the rest of world’s instructio­ns.

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    14. I wasn’t the least bit offended by the audiences’ response. They were gathered together to contemplat­e the horrible aftermath of insanity and political mayhem. It’s only human to want to affirm statements made that touch the heart.

      Even in churches, you’ll hear a lot of “that’s right” “well” and “amen”. Same thing in my mind, but these were younger people.

      Give them a break.

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    15. I absolutely believe… ABSOLUTELY­.. that if the event was sombre and quiet, the criticism would be that the president did not do his duty in uplifting the crowd, or being a leader through this tragedy. WTF? Give the man a break!

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  11. I can’t be the only one who noticed McCain refused to shake hands with the President. When President Obama was shaking hands, I first saw Senator McCain standing about 5 feet behind the line of people shaking the Presidents hand. As the president got closer, he retreated and turned his back to him. In my opinion, it was a petty move from a prejudice old man.

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  15. The President gave a magnificen­t speech that struck a cord with many. It was moving, it was gracious. We all watched with pride and sorrow at the useless violence this young man unleashed on his innocent victims.

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    2. One of the most tender moments last evening as President Obama spoke was Michelle stifling tears as she held Mark Kelly’s, hand.

      Loving that gravi coco. 🙂

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  20. Obama’s speeches should come with tissue warnings..­……….­I must have gone through a box last night.

    I thought his speech was beautiful!

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    4. I use to HATE the speeches of past presidents but for some reason president obama holds my attention. the man can speak!

      @Mahogany, I cosign, i2 think the man should be somewhere preaching!

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  23. President Obama kept the focus where it belonged. His goal was to unify and uplift people from this senseless tragedy and he succeeded. Good for him.

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    1. Zion,
      President Obama understand­s the power of rhetoric and used his skills mightily to strike the perfect tone, with the perfect content, at this time. He was at his best last night, without a doubt.

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    2. Adam, this is not the time and place for Wall Street-bas­hing, despite my own animosity towards them.

      This post and the president’s speech is about a little girl being killed and Obama’s subsequent call for each of us to be more mindful of each other.

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    3. I disagree with him often and vocally on policy. But you will find no criticism here on how he has handled a nation and a community in mourning. he’s done well with that.

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  28. Nothings irks the Presidents CRITICS more than when he is doing what is right for America, and last night the President did his best to unite the country together. Its just a shame that so many people around this country will never like this President no matter he does., so FUCK em!

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  29. President Obama made me feel like I knew these people, and let us all know that this was a collective loss, an American tragedy. He made it about the victims, without once mentioning the threats constantly received by his office. How this man remains dignified, calm and principled in such acrimoniou­s times is mystifying and humbling.

    I proudly voted for him once and will do so again. Where he leads, I will follow.

    May the victims rest in peace, may the survivors find solace, and may America find a way to heal.

    TEAM OBAMA 2012

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  33. I just saw a crawl on TV that said someone at the hospital has been fired for accessing the medical records of the wounded.

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    2. “someone at the hospital has been fired for accessing the medical records of the wounded.”
      ———–

      As they should have been.

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  34. Off topic…su­per news from the doctors about Congresswo­man Gifford. They’ve had her sitting at the edge of the bed, dangling her legs. When asked to lift each leg, she can. They feel she is able to see out of both eyes (no indication of how well at this point). Some movement on both sides of body. They are still cautious, hoping to avoid setbacks. All good news at this point!

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      1. My concern is that people not forget the other victims who have suffered as well. I pray not just for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords but for everyone who was affected by this lunatic. The president and t-shirts are the least of my concerns….

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      3. Yes, and also contact your legislator­s to let them also know what you expect of them in the future. United we can affect change for the positive.

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  37. I tuned in late but I caught most of it.

    It was an excellent speech and was pitch-perf­ect in many ways. First, it was refreshing that the President did not linger on what is usually his favorite topic, i.e., himself.

    Having stated that, I freely assert that the President gave a heartfelt and personaliz­ed tribute to the fallen, he tamped down the liberal meme that the attack was caused by Republican rhetoric, and he outlined a shining vision of civil discourse for our nation.

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    4. Corp I’m gone….just came back to say: that gift of President Obama’s was amazing!!!!

      For those who may DISLIKE him? Be patient. The man’s words touched the hearts of many last nite.

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  39. The President has shown us once again why we chose him to lead our nation.

    He has shown strength, compassion­, empathy and those certain intangible­s that are qualities of a leader and strong black man.

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    1. yall see how our recent comments show up?
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      i noticed that, tracy been messing with updates all day. good for her. i like the teena marie ad there.

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