Prominent Tucson Republican to Obama: End Politicization of Shooting
As President Obama prepares to address the tragedy in Tucson at a memorial Wednesday evening, a prominent Pima County Republican offered advice to the "consoler-in-chief," asking Mr. Obama to take the opportunity to end the politicization of the shooting involving Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
"I am hopeful the President will lead by example. I am confident he will and that he will ask for people to stop the finger pointing," Pima County GOP Chairman Brian Miller said in an appearance on "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday.
"Now is not the time for blame or political finger-pointing. Now is the time for healing," he told CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante. "That is what we are focused on here in Tucson and in Pima County and throughout the state. And I hope nationally people can respect that."
Miller intends to lead by example, working with his counterpart in Pima County, Democrat chairman Jeff Rogers. "We have agreed to stand arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder," the Republican said.
On the same day of President Obama's eulogy, Sarah Palin released a video commenting on the tragedy, accusing the media of "blood libel" for connecting her organization's swing map, which featured crosshairs "targeting" certain members, to the shooting. Giffords was included in Palin's March 2010 list of Democrats in Republican districts who voted for the health care reform.
Miller called it "unfortunate" that political leaders have characterized the accused shooter's motives as "political." "There is ongoing investigation and the fact is we don't know motive," he said. "Anything that people ascribe motive to is pure conjecture and I think it is unfortunate that certain people have done that, especially leaders in the political realm and on the national level."
"There is a very human face to this and when you take away the political professions of two of the victims, at the bottom line, this is a massacre in our backyard," Miller said.
Watch the video above. CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder and president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence Paul Helmke also appeared on "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday.