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Obama Calls on Americans to Come Together Following Shooting of
Congresswoman

   Kent Klein | White House 08 January 2011

   President  Barack  Obama  has called on Americans to come together and
   support  each  other  after  a  member  of Congress and up to 17 other
   people  were  shot  outside  an  Arizona shopping center Saturday. The
   president called the attack âan unspeakable act.â
   President Obama made a brief statement in the State Dining Room, hours
   after  a  gunman  opened  fire on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and
   more than a dozen other people. Â
   Giffords  had  been  holding  a  public  forum outside a food store in
   Tucson,  Arizona,  when  the suspect shot her in the head and fired on
   the others.
   The  president  paid  tribute  to  those  who had been confirmed dead,
   including  a  U.S.  district court judge.  âAmong them were a federal
   judge,  John Roll, who has served Americaâs legal system for almost 40
   years, and a young girl, who was barely 9-years-old," he said.
   Congresswoman   Giffords  is  a  40-year-old  Democrat  in  a  heavily
   Republican  state,  who began her third two-year term in Congress just
   days earlier.
   Mr.  Obama  called  her  a  friend.  âShe is not only an extraordinary
   public servant, but she is also somebody who is warm and caring.  She
   is  well  liked by her colleagues and well liked by her constituents,"
   he said.
   The  president  was briefed by his homeland security team and numerous
   other  top  officials after the rampage occurred.  He has ordered the
   head  of  the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to go to the scene
   and lead the probe.
   âA  comprehensive  investigation  is  currently  underway.  And at my
   direction,  Director  Bob  Mueller  is  en  route  to  Arizona to help
   coordinate  these  efforts.  I have also spoken to the Democratic and
   Republican leaders in the House," said the president.
   The  presidentâs  homeland  security secretary, Janet Napolitano, is a
   former governor of Arizona.
   The  current  state  governor,  Republican  Jan  Brewer,  also  called
   Representative  Giffords  a  friend  and ordered state flags to fly at
   half-staff for those killed.
   The president tried but failed to contact Giffordsâ husband, astronaut
   Mark Kelly, who was on his way to Tucson.
   Mr.  Obama  was foremost among political leaders from both parties who
   have  expressed  outrage  at  the  attack  and  called  for prayer and
   support.  âWhat  Americans  do at times of tragedy is to come together
   and  support each other.  So at this time I ask all Americans to join
   me  and  Michelle  in  keeping  all  the  victims  and their families,
   including Gabby, in our thoughts and prayers," he said.
   Mr. Obama promised Americans that his administration would âget to the
   bottom ofâ the incident, and that America would âget through this.â

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