Pres. Obama Traveling to Ariz. Wednesday

By: David Riedel
Topics: In The News

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama observe a moment of silence on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2011, to honor the victims of a shooting at an Arizona political event that left people six dead.

(Credit: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Updated at 10:27 p.m. ET

(CBS) - A senior administration official tells CBS News that President Obama will go to Tucson, Ariz., for meetings with families of shooting victims Wednesday.

Earlier Monday, the White House said they expected Mr. Obama to find ways to commemorate the victims. Six people were killed and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and remains in intensive care. Nineteen people were shot in all.

Complete Coverage: Tragedy in Tucson

Mr. Obama led the country in a moment of silence Monday. The president appeared somber. He and first lady Michelle Obama stood together on the South Lawn of the White House with their heads bowed and their eyes closed.

Following a meeting with French president Nicholas Sarkozy, Mr. Obama said, "We're in close consultations with the families who have suffered these losses, as well as Governor Brewer, congressional leadership. There is no doubt that we will establish some mechanism, memorial, during the course of the next several days. And when we have that, we will announce it."

The University of Arizona released a statement Monday night that read in part, "President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have accepted the University of Arizona's invitation to visit Tucson in response to the tragic shooting that occurred on Saturday.

President Obama will speak at a memorial event at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12 to support and remember victims of the mass shooting in Tucson, and to lift the spirits of those who have been personally affected by this tragedy."

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by Riverjump January 11, 2011 9:46 AM EST: Where should the president be? This was a tragedy, perceived by some to be politically connected. The president's job is to reassure the nation in times of tragedy.; Reply to this comment

by ikimono21 January 11, 2011 9:37 AM EST

fake sake what is wrong with you people people died and you still talking those tea party *****,enough is enough if you don't like president Obama wait you have choice of election 2012 so you voices can be heard

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by debi48 June 16, 2011 4:47 PM EDT: Now that we know the President ok'd the 'walking' of guns into Mexico and that one of those 'walked' guns wound up killing an ATF agent, and he did NOT mourn that death on the White House lawn, maybe YOU can understand conservatives anger at our president. And never fear, WE will elect someone else in 2012.


by brnfream January 11, 2011 7:14 AM EST: I wonder what the president will feel (proud?) if he sees those signs he had erected, telling Americans that they are in an unsafe area in the USA. While he lets the illegal invasion of our country continue. If the president wants to calm the rethoric he should govern by the Constitution and protect our borders and not by pass the congress and write laws and regulations that the people do not want. He cannot calm us by writing more laws and taking away more freedoms from LEGAL American citizens. Get out of our healthcare, get out of our internet. Stop wasting billions of our dollars on foriegn countries like Mexico and Afghanistan and Iraq on so on... It is his job to bring jobs back to America (batteries??how many battery factories do we need to support America?), keep our military the strongest and the best in the world, give our children the best education in the world, using American teachers, not foriegn teachers, forget about protecting the illegals and others (both here and abroad)that would just as soon kill us as not. We have laws Mr president, you should be following them to make America the BEST as it has always been. Until now, under your watch.; Reply to this comment


by brnfream January 11, 2011 7:08 AM EST: I wonder what the president will feel (proud?) if he sees those signs he had erected, telling Americans that they are in an unsafe area in the USA. While he lets the illegal invasion of our country continue. If the president wants to calm the rethoric he should govern by the Constitution and protect our borders nad not by pass the congress and write laws and regulations that the people do not want. He cannot calm us by writing more laws and taking away more freedoms from LEGAL American citizens. Get out of our healthcare, get out of our internet. Stop wasting billions of our dollars on foriegn countries like Mexico and Afghanistan and Iraq on so on... It is his job to bring jobs back to America (batteries??how many batery factories do we need to support America?), keep our military the strongest and the best in the world, give our children the best education in the worls, using American teachers, not foriegn teachers, forget about protecting the illegals and others (both here and abroad)that would just as soon kill us as not. We havw lwas Mr president, you should be following them to America the BEST as it has always been. Until now, under your watch.; Reply to this comment


by terminator63 January 11, 2011 6:57 AM EST: It's really sad that Muslim Dictator Obama is taking advantage of a situation because his socialist policies are failing back in Washington. This socialist says that we're heading in the right direction and the unemployment is still at 9.4%. But then again, Muslim Dictator Obama did say that we have 57 states. Who said that a Harvard education is worthless.; Reply to this comment

by bamio January 11, 2011 2:10 AM EST

Obamie loves a good photo-op, even whne he's not wanted.

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by LVwidow January 11, 2011 6:40 AM EST: Barnio: "even whne he's not wanted"

President Obama was invited if you read the article. An invitation usually goes out to some one whose presence is wanted. As far as a good photo-op, he doesn't need it for publicity, he gets coverage because he is the president whether you like it or not. Speaking of showing up for a photo-op, where's Sarah, that's what she usually does, anything for publicity. She always run her mouth on everything else, hmmmm.


by daffy64 January 11, 2011 9:41 AM EST: Well he's darned if he goes, darned if he doesn't. Isn't he, moron?


by RealiteBites January 10, 2011 11:51 PM EST: I hope Pres. Obama's re-thought his 'rising above partisanship' platform - it's a nice idea, but since the pressing issue of the day is how the West is supposed to adjust to and thrive in the new global economic world order and nobody has a roadmap while the economy's going down the drain, it just seems to fall kind of short.

Pres. Obama campaigned saying he was somebody who could bring sides together, but in reality I guess he's really more of like a nice person who wants to get along with everybody. I think that's a lot different from being somebody who is actually be able to bring sides together - somebody who's willing to put themselves in the shoes of others (from one extreme to the other extreme and everybody in between) to really try and understand their hopes and dreams and what makes them tick, who's also got ability to evaluate their ideas for efficacy and then synthesize differing points of view to create something new that's socially useful, who's also got the fortitude to then stand toe to toe with really strong opinionated personalities and then the ability to persuade those same people to try something new?

And substantively there's a world of difference between checking the sides for ideas and then culling the best from each side, and just letting the sides take turns having their way irrespective of efficacy.

Everybody makes fun of Bill Clinton and his triangulation - but that's only because he made it look so easy ... he's very charming, but he's incredibly shrewd and tough. I get the sense Barack Obama and many of those self-proclaimed 'centrists' have an aversion to disagreement so intense that they'll give up about anything to get it to stop - and that's key because the disdain they seem to have for people who have opinions seems to be at odds with the very climate of tolerance they claim to want above all else.

It'd be cool if Pres. Obama showed strong leadership, not just say the 'right' things to get praise, you know ... sometimes he comes across more like a Miss America contestant urging world peace, you know, like a little vacuous, lacking the gravitas ...; Reply to this comment

by sallychicago January 10, 2011 9:49 PM EST

This is going to be interesting. Do you think Gov. Brewer would be humble enough to stand beside the President and/or welcome him? I don't think so,because she's so "small" and vindictive....but we shall see when the President arrives how she responds to him.

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by stn_sage January 10, 2011 10:42 PM EST: Oh, they'll probably 'make nice'...afterall, they both are playing this tradegy for all the political grandstanding they can get out of it! Now, is the time to unite...because it doesn't advance the public's agenda whatsoever...so they'll pretend to be friends for the day!


by Multi-Basking January 10, 2011 9:40 PM EST: "Pres. Obama Traveling to Ariz. Wednesday." .
.
Better bring your I.D. and a Tea Party proof vest along.; Reply to this comment