Obama Calls for Unity in Tucson

Speaking at a memorial for the victims of last Saturday’s shooting rampage, the president cautioned against seeking “simple explanations” for the tragedy.

In what will likely become one of the hallmark speeches of his presidency, Barack Obama told Americans that heated political rhetoric was not behind Jared Lee Loughner’s shooting spree, and that to politicize the event would be a disservice to those who died. Loughner’s rampage left six people dead and severely injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is believed to have been the target of the attack. Obama told the thousands gathered in the University of Arizona’s gymnasium that shortly after he visited her, Giffords opened her eyes for the first time since being shot. "She knows we're here, and she knows we love her and she knows we are rooting for her," he said. Doctors say Giffords is in stable condition.