WASHINGTON — President Obama was wracked with sorrow yesterday, choking on his words and tearing up as he tried to console a grieving nation after the ghastly massacre at a Connecticut elementary school.
“The majority of those who died today were children, beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old,” said Obama, himself the father of two daughters, wiping a tear from his eye with his index finger.
Brimming with emotion, the president had to take a long pause to regain his composure before proceeding with his address from the White House.
“They had their entire lives ahead of them — birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own,” he said.
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In response to the tragic shooting spree that cut short the lives of 20 children and six adult victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Obama promised “meaningful” action to combat gun violence.
But mostly he mourned.
“We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years,” Obama lamented as White House aides standing nearby wept.
“Our hearts are broken today, for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children and for the families of the adults who were lost.”
“Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them.”
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Obama, the father of Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, added a personal note.
“This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter,” he said. “And we’ll tell them that we love them and we’ll remind each other of how deeply we love one another.“But there are families in Connecticut that cannot do that. And they need us now.”
“I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.”