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Obama meets with Gabrielle Giffords

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and astronaut Mark Kelly. AP

President Obama met with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords for about ten minutes on Friday in Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to a White House official.

The president and the Arizona Democrat, who is recovering from a shooting attack in Tucson, had come to Cape Canaveral to view the (now delayed) launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, which is being commanded by Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly.

According to the White House official, Mr. Obama greeted Kelly in a corridor before going in to see Giffords.

"I bet you were hoping to see a rocket launch today," Kelly said, according to the official.

The president responded: "We were hoping to see you." The two men then shook hands and embraced.

Kelly updated Mr. Obama and first lady Michelle Obama on Giffords' condition, and then they went in to see her.

The meeting was not on camera, and there is not yet word on what took place.

Giffords, who was shot in the head nearly four months ago in an attack that left six dead, has spent the time since the assassination attempt relearning how to walk, speak and perform other functions. Kelly says her personality is "100 percent there."

Endeavour launch scrubbed

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