WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will travel to Tucson on Wednesday to attend a memorial service for the victims of last weekend's shooting rampage.
White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said late Monday that the president would speak at the service, and that first lady Michelle Obama would accompany her husband.
The University of Arizona said the service would take place at 6 p.m. local time on the campus and would be free and open to the public.
Democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is in critical condition after being shot in the head Saturday. Six others died and more than a dozen were wounded outside a supermarket where Giffords had set up a booth to hear the concerns of constituents.
Obama observed a moment of silence for the victims at the White House on Monday. He said the nation is shocked and grieving.
Slabside posted at 7:38 pm on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
Mr. President, coming to Arizona on Wednesday to attend a memorial service for the victims of last weekend's shooting rampage is a noble thing to do. Perhaps while you are here you can take a tour of the open border?
SunTea posted at 9:15 pm on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
I agree. If obama comes to Tucson, he ought to explain why he ignores an open border situation when SUPPOSEDLY we are all so concerned about TERRORISM...plus, I thought the state of Arizona was meant for LEGAL citizens , not ILLEGAL ones, hey Mr.
"President". IT IS LUDICROUS. WAKE UP MAN, THE BORDER IS NOT PROTECTED. LOUSY EXCUSE FOR A PRESIDENT !!!!!!!!!!!
SunTea posted at 9:18 pm on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
OK IF A FELLOW POLITICIAN GETS SHOT, THEN OBAMA IS CONCERNED. HE DOESN'T GIVE A RAT'S ___ THOUGH, ABOUT HOW AN OPEN BORDER IS AFFECTING A WHOLE STATE OF US "REGULAR" PEOPLE.
Bobbee posted at 10:33 pm on Mon, Jan 10, 2011.
I hope the president is bringing alot of bodyguards to our crazy state. and I pray that everyone attending the memorial service will be on their best behavior. This is not a political rally, and the president does not need some other nut trying to shoot him.
DrunkenMonkey posted at 5:42 am on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
I think I'd rather have the Illegals than to have that P/O/S step on MY dirt. He's about as worthless as a 10 day old used tampon... [thumbdown]
smarter1 posted at 10:29 am on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
I am certain the President is relating to this incident as a parent, having daughters of his own. His appearances and comments on television are reflecting genuine sympathy on behalf of the nation, as they should. I commend him for that. I just wonder why it took something as tragic as this to get him to relate to us average Americans and the ongoing turmoils of daily living these days? However, though I concur with former comments personally, this is not the time nor place to be discussing it. This is about a travesty that occurred in Tucson, AZ. Other issues have no place in our comments.
ElPeneDeCaballo posted at 12:13 pm on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
It's too bad this incompetent fraud is coming to our great state. He is the most divisive "leader" this nation has ever seen.
Think about it, when is the last time this fool said anything good about America.
He is no president, he is a "community dis-organizer: put where he is by the color of his skin, we all know it.
VivaSB1070 posted at 8:32 pm on Tue, Jan 11, 2011.
Tucson is dead broke but will somehow have to come up with the money to pay and pay and pay for this man's self indulgent photo op. Overtime for police and sheriff's officers, disruption of business and loss of income for business owners, the list goes on. Obama's excuse for never attending church is that he doesn't want to disrupt others attending services. But it is okay to disrupt an entire city just so that he can shift to himself the attention that should be on the victims.