Mark Kelly: Won't run for Giffords' House seat

In this undated photo provided by ABC, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and husband Mark Kelly are interviewed by Diane Sawyer on ABC's 20/20. The show, featuring the first public interview Giffords has given since she was shot in the head in Tucson last winter, will air Monday, Nov. 14, 2011. / AP Photo/ABC, Ida Mae Astute

WASHINGTON - The husband of the U.S. congresswoman recovering from a mass shooting in Arizona says he has no interest in running for her House of Representatives seat if she's unable to do so.

Former astronaut Mark Kelly says Gabrielle Giffords is "still improving" and she'd like to run for another term. Kelly tells ABC's "Good Morning America" his job is to "make sure she can get better so she can go back to her career."

Kelly says Giffords is working on just stringing her sentences together and says viewers didn't see that so much in Monday night's taped ABC interview.

Kelly says his wife hasn't made the decision yet whether to seek another term, but that she'll know when the time is right.

In the interview broadcast Monday, Giffords said she would not return to Congress until she is "better."

Complete Coverage: Tragedy in Tucson
Giffords: Won't return to Congress til "better"

"No. Better," she said in Monday night response to a question about whether she wanted to return to D.C. As she gestured as if to help her form the words, her husband Mark Kelly completed the thought: "She wants to get better."

At that point, interviewer Diane Sawyer asked whether she was thinking she would go back to Congress if she got better. "And that's where you're at right now?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes, yes, yes," Giffords replied.

The Arizona shooting reopened a national debate over gun use and ownership. The right to bear arms is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, alongside such basic rights as freedom of speech and of religion. State laws on gun control vary widely. Proponents of gun control argue that the states with more guns have higher death rates. But some Americans are undeterred and blame incidents on such social ills as broken families or a culture of violence, or just bad luck.

The story of the recovering congresswoman and her astronaut husband has riveted people in the U.S., and their memoir, titled "Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope," is set for release Nov. 15.

The television interview comes as fellow victims of the shooting came to Washington to testify in favor of a gun-control bill. They said Giffords' appearance represents a milestone for them, helping them cope with the trauma they've endured over the past 10 months. About a dozen survivors and family members were lobbying for legislation that would extend criminal background checks to all gun sales and enhance the quality of the FBI's criminal background checks.

Since the Democrat made a surprise appearance on the House floor this summer to cast a vote on the debt ceiling increase, there has been wide speculation about her career plans, including whether she would run for the state's open Senate seat.

The ABC interview showed a woman who appeared confident and determined, but still far from able to carry on a detailed conversation. She spoke in a clear voice, but in halting phrases: "Pretty good ... Difficult ... Strong, strong, strong," she replied to questions about how she was feeling and how she'd fared over the 10 months since the shooting.

The Giffords interview was accompanied by video Kelly shot documenting Giffords' recovery. The initial days and weeks showed her struggling to understand what had happened and to communicate in the most basic forms. She struggled just to learn how to nod, to raise two fingers. When her therapist asked what one sits in, she replied "Spoon," before later settling on "chair." Kelly said she used the word "cheeseburger" to describe several items.

Eventually, she learned to speak again and smile.

Kelly said he documented her recovery because he knew she would astonish her skeptics.

"Gabby Giffords is too tough to let this beat her," Kelly said.

Kelly said Tuesday morning his wife is still improving and that she's interested in returning to Congress, if possible.

He also said that he would not run if she's unable to do so, saying, "It's my job to make sure she can get better so she can go back to her career."

Giffords has undergone intensive therapy. At times, despair set in. One clip shows her sobbing in her therapist's arms.

"Can I tell you something? It is going to get better," her therapist said at one point. "You've come a long way in five weeks."

Giffords is shown becoming more upbeat and smiling more frequently in the ensuing months. She now walks with a limp and can talk, though she generally speaks in halting phrases, or repeats a word to get her point across.

At one point, Kelly used the work "brave" to describe the word on his mind when he thinks of her — "brave and tough," he said. Then Giffords, looking directly at Kelly, responds almost in a whisper: "Tough, tough, tough" and she kissed his bald head.

Sawyer asked Giffords if she was ever angry about what happened to her. Giffords replied, "No, no, no. Life, life."

Ken Dorushka, who was shot in the arm during the rampage as he shielded his wife, said the victims have become like close family members and would watch the broadcast together.

"Any time one of us has a success, it affects all of us and it helps our healing," Dorushka said.

The man arrested at the shooting, Jared Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges stemming from the Jan. 8 shooting. He's being forcibly medicated with psychotropic drugs at a Missouri prison in an effort to make him mentally competent to stand trial.

In Monday's broadcast, Giffords and Kelly both expressed their concern that Loughner did not get the help he needed.

"If he had received some treatment, this probably never would have happened," Kelly said.

[swden01]

This is a sad story but the truth is she is not capable to serve the citzens of Arizona.Forget democrat or republican if this was the average citizen they would have already been removed from their position.An elected official is no more important than the average citizen.If Washington had any integrity they would remove her but of coarse that would be political incorrect.Who is more important Gabby or all the citizens of Tucson???

[Bad_Whisky]

I do not have to agree with her politics to feel sorry for her, she truely did not deserve this and is doing remarkable.

[kenodenis]

She needs to resign NOW. She is incapable of representing her constituents. Simple as that.

[billyweeder]

uisignorant, you got your numbers backwards again (like most conservatives do). I know facs are confusing to people like you, but could you try to educate yourself a little better next time?

[mask2697]

I hate to seem like a jerk but did anyone notice the </div> under the picture... great editing job CBS... and thank you CBS for hiring the visually handicapped as editors on the website

[arrusso]

This was truly a story of love, hope, and perseverance. That is why it is such a shame that Diane Sawyer decided to politicize it by including comments about the tea party and Palin. It was disgraceful, and ruined a beautiful story for my wife and I.

[michaelarcangel1]

let all see death has no power over gabreal...praise them both..for all believers and the most powerful effect of love protects those who believe in them.

[uisignorant]

Gun laws do nothing to stop criminals. Just like stealing laws do not stop thieves.

[James_Ve]

You know the whole issue with her shooting and the events that follow are trajic.

how ever the part about the state running with out any one represeting it or the part abotu mark kelly saying "I have no intrest in running for the seat" is complete and utter stupidity.

I understand you need a level of respect for public officials, but on the other hand its irresponcible to just wait for her to recover and say if she is going to run for another term.

Wouldn't she have a moral obligation to say: hey you know maybeing getting shot in the head doesn't mean im the best canidate, maybe i should sit this next one out and try again later.....

[billyweeder]

If she was a conservative and in a coma, they would let her stay in congress until the 12th of never. And her face would be on Mt. Rushmore as a true American patriot. She survived an assasination attempt from a rght wing inspired wacko. She deserves the medal of honor and can represent my until her dying day. God bless you, rep. Giffords. You are a true patriot willing to sacrifice yourself for this counrty.

[seerclearly]

Since the 1980's the mantra in Washington - and the statehouses - has been cut, cut, cut. Public mental health care was one of the first things to go, including residential facilities. Today, those unable to function in society because of mental illness or dysfunction join the ranks of the homeless if they don't have family that can care for them - and no family is prepared to provide the kind of care that someone as ill as Jared Loughner needs. There simply aren't any alternatives left except jail - and that only *after* someone commits a crime. Instead, we spend more on defense as a nation than all the other countries of the world put together. The biggest threat to our national security comes from ourselves, not the outside: the cuts are destroying our economy, social fabric, educational system... our future. All to feed a military machine that eats 66% of our tax dollars.

[uisignorant]

Why to spread that lib lie!!!! DOD is about 25%. Social programs are closer to your 66%