Some Question Pep Rally Atmosphere At Obama Speech

Some question pep rally atmosphere at Obama speech
(01-13) 23:27 PST Tucson, Ariz. (AP) -- What was billed as a memorial for Victims of the Arizona shooting rampage turned into a rollicking rally, leaving some conservative commentators wondering whether President Barack Obama's Speech was a scripted political event. Not so, insisted the White House and host University of Arizona. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday he and other aides didn't expect the president's remarks at the school's Basketball arena to receive as much rousing applau...

Figures. White House Blames Pep Rally On University of Arizona
The White House wants you to believe that they had nothing to do with the planning of the Tucson pep rally this week even though the president, the First Lady and several top members of Congress would be attending the event. Of course, that’s utter nonsense. Every shooting memorial needs a special T-shirt. Workers place shirts on chairs before a memorial service for the Victims of Saturday’s shootings at McKale Memorial Center on the University of Arizona campus Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2...

Giffords intern handling sudden fame after speech
(01-14) 17:31 PST PHOENIX (AP) -- He sat next to President Barack Obama in the nationally televised event. People are lining up to shake his hand, seeking an Autograph or photograph. A mariachi band recognized him and rushed over with a spontaneous serenade. Intern Daniel Hernandez's brave and clear-headed actions in helping save the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot in the head last Saturday made him an unlikely hero. His appearance Wednesday at the Tucson memorial service fo...

Giffords Intern Experiencing Sudden Fame
PHOENIX (AP) -- He sat next to President Barack Obama in the nationally televised event. People are lining up to shake his hand, seeking an Autograph or photograph. A mariachi band recognized him and rushed over with a spontaneous serenade. Intern Daniel Hernandez's brave and clear-headed actions in helping save the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot in the head last Saturday made him an unlikely hero. His appearance Wednesday at the Tucson memorial service for the shooting victi...

Giffords intern handling sudden fame after speech (AP)
PHOENIX – He sat next to President Barack Obama in the nationally televised event. People are lining up to shake his hand, seeking an Autograph or photograph. A mariachi band recognized him and rushed over with a spontaneous serenade. Intern Daniel Hernandez's brave and clear-headed actions in helping save the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot in the head last Saturday made him an unlikely hero. His appearance Wednesday at the Tucson memorial service for the shooting vic...

Critics Assail Cheering and T-Shirts at Obama Tucson Speech
T-shirts reading "Together We Thrive: Tucson & America" were handed out to attendees at the event, prompting conservative pundit Michelle Malkin to complain: "Isn't the churning of the instant messaging machine a bit, well, unseemly? Can't the Democrat political stage managers give it a break just once?" Pointing to the fact that the slogan appeared on various items at the event, Malkin wrote, "Yes, the Tucson massacre is being branded." She later wrote that she had been informed that the...

In The Midst of all the 'madness': I think Dr. Martin Luther King..!!
Since the massacre in Tuscon, Arizona , as Americans we have come to acknowlege fully that our political Rhetoric has gone overboard and there are indeed consequences. At this stage of the discussion there is very little one can add other than to point out that our hearts are with the Victims and speedy recovery is hoped for Congresswoman Giffords (D- Az) whose life still remains in a balance. Without going out on a limb of satire at a truly 'dark moment' of our Democracy, one must concur, this...

Michelle Obama's open letter to parents about Tucson
First Lady Michelle Obama has penned an Open Letter to parents about how to talk to Children about the shootings in Tucson last weekend. The full letter: "Dear parents, "Like so many Americans all across the country, Barack and I were shocked and heartbroken by the horrific act of violence committed in Arizona this past weekend. Yesterday, we had the chance to attend a memorial service and meet with some of the families of those who lost their lives, and both of us were deeply mov...

Obama re-wrote Arizona speech on way to arena
In the hours before President Obama's Tucson memorial Speech, White House officials said he would likely be working on the speech up to the last minute. And that turned out to be literally true. In fact, one of the most reported moments of his speech -- Obama's revelation that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., had opened her eyes that day -- surfaced in the car ride to the University of Arizona Basketball arena, officials said. Giffords' husband and mother accompanied Obama in the presi...

Some question pep rally atmosphere at Obama speech
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Some conservative commentators are criticizing the cheering and peppiness of the Arizona Mass Shooting memorial that featured President Barack Obama. Some have wondered whether it was a scripted political event, but White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday he and other aides didn’t expect Obama’s Speech to receive as much applause as it did. The University of Arizona, which hosted the event, insisted it was not political. The school said it planned ...

Some question pep rally atmosphere at Obama speech (AP)
TUCSON, Ariz. – Some conservative commentators are criticizing the cheering and peppiness of the Arizona Mass Shooting memorial that featured President Barack Obama. Some have wondered whether it was a scripted political event, but White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday he and other aides didn't expect Obama's Speech to receive as much applause as it did. The University of Arizona, which hosted the event, insisted it was not political. The school said it planned the event with ...

Some question pep rally atmosphere at Obama speech
President Barack Obama greets Daniel Hernandez, a intern for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords who helped her after she was shot, at a memorial service in Tucson, Ariz., on the University of Arizona campus, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. Some conservative commentators are criticizing the cheering and peppiness of the Arizona Mass Shooting memorial that featured President Barack Obama. Some have wondered whether it was a scripted political event, but White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday he and othe...

UPI Sports Calendar for Saturday, Jan. 15
Published: Jan. 14, 2011 at 11:30 PM St. Louis at San Jose, 10:30 p.m. Pall bearers escort casket containing the remains of 9-year-old Christina Green during her Funeral at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Tucson, Arizona, January 13, 2011. Green was the youngest Victim of Saturday's shooting in Tucson that left six people killed and 13 wounded including Rep. Gabriella Giffords (D-AZ). UPI/Mamta Popat/Pool Man whose heart stopped for three-and-a-half hours is brought back to life. He's fin...

First Lady Michelle Obama's Open Letter to All Parents
Like so many Americans all across the country, Barack and I were shocked and heartbroken by the horrific act of violence committed in Arizona this past weekend.  Yesterday, we had the chance to attend a memorial service and meet with some of the families of those who lost their lives, and both of us were deeply moved by their strength and resilience in the face of such unspeakable tragedy. As parents, an event like this hits home especially hard.  It makes our hearts ache for those who...

Brooks and Shields on Obama's Tucson's Speech
In general, I'm opposed to everyone analyzing Obama's Speech as if every Speech he makes is a performance with a political end. With that said, David Brooks and Mark Shields make the Speech analysis bearable. Pay attention at the 5:40 mark: ...

McCain Praises Obamas Memorial Service Speech, Calls Him a 'Patriot'
McCain: "I believe he is a patriot sincerely intent on using his time in office to advance our country’s cause" (yawn) OK great, now would John McCain ever call someone like J.D. Hayworth a patriot? Not a chance... Wall Street Journal In the aftermath of the Arizona shootings, Sen. John McCain is generously praising President Barack Obama’s memorial service address, defending Mr. Obama’s character and vowing to do his part to bring more civility to political discourse . In an...

Text of Obama's Tucson memorial service speech
To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the Students of this university, the public servants who are gathered here, the people of Tucson and the people of Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today and will stand by you tomorrow. There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts. But know this: The hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn with you for the fallen. We join y...

Text of Obama's Tucson memorial service speech
Text of President Barack Obama's remarks at the memorial service for the Victims of the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., as released by the White House: To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the Students of this university, the public servants who are gathered here, the people of Tucson and the people of Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today and will stand by you tomorrow. There is nothing I can say th...

Text of Obama's Tucson memorial service speech
Text of President Barack Obama's remarks at the memorial service for the Victims of the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., as released by the White House: To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the Students of this university, the public servants who are gathered here, the people of Tucson and the people of Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today and will stand by you tomorrow. There is nothing I can say t...

Obama at Tucson memorial: "Gabby opened her eyes" Speech transcript
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Please, please be seated. (Applause.) To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the Students of this university, the public servants who are gathered here, the people of Tucson and the people of Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today and will stand by you tomorrow. (Applause.) There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in yo...

Business Selling Tucson Memorial Together We Thrive T-Shirts for Charity Gets Hate Mail
A focal point of the effort, by some, to cast Wednesday’s “Together We Thrive” memorial to the Victims of the Tucson mass shooting in a negative light has been the t-shirts that were distributed to the crowd. Businessman Kevin Wright , owner of Florida-based Thundershirts, sees the shirts in a different light, though. He’s selling copies of the “Together We Thrive: Tucson and America” shirts in an attempt to raise money for the victims, and getting Hate Mail f...

Site of deadly Arizona mass shooting to reopen Saturday
The Safeway store in Tucson where 6 people were killed last week will reopen at 7 a.m. local time (9 a.m. ET), according to Safeway spokeswoman Susan Houghton. The store has been repaired, according to Houghton. She added that a wreath will be placed on the property in honor of the Victims slain in the attack. Additionally, Safeway has donated $100,000 to assist Victims of the shooting....

Picture of our OTR at 10pm guest (she was shot) with President Obama
Pam Simon is one of the Victims of the Arizona shooting -- but luckily survived.  She will be ON THE RECORD at 10pm tonight ...she will tell you exactly what happened on Saturday..how far from Congresswoman when they were both shot..when she first saw the killer etc. While in the Hospital, President and Mrs. Obama stopped to see her...here is a pic: The pic is courtesy of the Office of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. ...

Cancer Full Moon, January 19, 2011
Every year at Winter Solstice, the world stops and holds its breath -" will Light and Life return for another year? We are blessed by having it so. Each year the Sun returns and brings new life with it. Ancient peoples and modern religions celebrate this return of the Sun with celebration and festivals. One of those "sons' is called the Prince of Peace at this time of year. He is called this at his birth on the Sun's return. The Light of the World wants Peace to reign in this world of ours. T...

The Hidden Costs of School Vouchers
“I support school choice,” said Candidate Rick Scott, the former Health Care Magnate and now Florida’s new Governor. Since winning the election, Scott has started to flesh out the details of his education policy. His plan is to have the state give parents as much as $5,800 for each of their school-age Children in the form of a voucher that can be used to pay Tuition at virtually any school they wish. With the Republican and Tea Party sweep of the Sunshine State’s legislature, it wi