President Obama discussed the Connecticut school tragedy during his weekly radio and Internet address this morning, calling for politicians to put partisanship aside in order to better address gun violence.
“Our hearts are broken today,” Obama said in the address, echoing sentiments from his Friday press conference. “We grieve for the families of those we lost. And we keep in our prayers the parents of those who survived. Because as blessed as they are to have their children home, they know that their child’s innocence has been torn away far too early.”
The Newtown shooting rocked the nation, leaving 20 children and six adults dead. The gunman, identified as Adam Lanza, 20, turned the gun on himself after storming Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Obama referenced recent mass shootings during his address, including the July movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado and the August shooting at a Wisconsin Sikh temple.
“As a nation, we have endured far too many of these tragedies in the past few years,” he said. “Any of these neighborhoods could be our own. So we have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this from happening, regardless of politics.”
Today’s statement followed Obama’s Friday speech when he choked on his words – and wiped a tear from his eye – while addressing the nation.
Republicans normally issue a counter-statement to Obama’s weekly addresses, but this week they ceded their time so Obama could speak for the nation.
With AP