Live coverage of the Tucson memorial service (UPDATE: Video link added)

If you can’t get to a TV to watch the service, KVOA is livestreaming the event on their website.

[Note: Tried to post a live feed here but it had problems.]

My only thought so far is that I hope it doesn’t turn into a “WE WILL WIN” rally. I heard that earlier when Sheriff Dupnik arrived, he did so to loud applause.

Update – 9:21 PM: Wrote this on Facebook:

O has done a good job tonight. First time in a while I’ve been content with having him be our President. Only for tonight, though.

He did well. The crowd, on the other hand, I thought were very inappropriate at times – but it was a crowd mixed with college students, so I shouldn’t have expected too much better (should I have?).

Tonight’s one of the few times Obama has struck me as Presdiential. He has my respect tonight – but tomorrow is another day and, in the spirit of the democratic process, I will get back to strong criticism of both him, his party, and their disastrous ideas and policies. A great speech doesn’t change my fundamental disagreements w/ the Democrat agenda. I will get back to “refudiating,” as Sarah Palin would say.

Was glad he put the bit in there about discourse NOT causing this tragedy. REALLY happy to hear the news about Rep. Giffords opening her eyes for the first time.

Update – 10:24 PM: Here’s a full video of Obama’s speech.

15 Responses to "Live coverage of the Tucson memorial service (UPDATE: Video link added)"

William Teach says:

January 12, 2011 at 8:46 pm

Why does this memorial sound like a campaign event, with all the yelling and screaming and stuff? People don’t seem exactly sad.
Great White Rat says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:03 pm

Agreed. I had the TV on in another room, and thought I’d tuned to the wrong channel. Listen to the applause. It’s not reverent. It doesn’t sound like an event to pay respect to the dead. You have the screaming and yelling like this is a rock concert or campaign rally. Whoever organized this doesn’t know how to plan a memorial service.
proof says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:05 pm

Some of the applause seems appropriate, but much of it sounds a like political rally.

And that first scripture he read. Chosen by dart board? I expected him to comment why he chose that particular passage (which he seems quite ill at ease reading), but he just moved on to the next point on his list.

“We cannot use this tragedy to turn on each other” Really? Where has he been since Saturday?
proof says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:09 pm

The guy is Platitudes-R-Us.
William Teach says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:14 pm

So far, from the bits and pieces I heard of his speech, I’ve thought it has been good. A good tone. I would have liked to see him continue on from the beginning and stop the applause, speak through it so that people listen, instead of the breaks. This seems more like the State of the Union than a memorial.

Of course, for the civility points, he is going to have to step up to the plate as Chief Executive and back his words with action.

Overall, I like his speech.
ST says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:14 pm

Not crazy about the applause on the other speeches but Obama, for once, is acting presidential tonight. It’s about time.
proof says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:18 pm

If there are rain puddles in Heaven, then Obama is all wet there, too…
Phineas says:

January 12, 2011 at 9:36 pm

I didn’t watch. Something about this modern need for everyone to grieve together publicly (or watch the other guy grieve) is off-putting to me — almost ghoulish. On the other hand, I’m glad from what I’ve read that Obama gave a good, appropriate, speech. He can when he tries, as he’s shown a few times before. I’m glad he did this time.
puffpiece says:

January 12, 2011 at 11:32 pm

It was a political pep rally not a memorial service. And all I remember from the President’s speech was how his presence in Gifford’s hospital room created another miracle – she opened her eyes for the first time. At least that was the way he saw it.

Frankly I am exhausted from the over-hype of this tragedy and the blatant opportunism I have seen on display from the MSM and assorted politicians all week. Obama is irrelevant to America and this tragedy is not 9-11 or Oklahoma City.
Carlos says:

January 13, 2011 at 12:37 am

I’ve had far too much of his daily pontifications and pronouncements of eternal gravity, so avoided the speech and all commentary on it.

This is just a few days short of two years he’s been in office, and frankly, I haven’t heard one thing that has changed my mind about him. He is a pig (eat that, you muslim suckers!) that has yet to tell the truth about anything, and among my least favorite people not sitting on death row is a compulsive liar.
TWoPolitics says:

January 13, 2011 at 5:58 am

Memorial or campaign kickoff rally?
Kate says:

January 13, 2011 at 8:26 am

I passed on this event….and it sounds like it was more of a politcal event than a time of consulation and memorialization for those who were lost and hurt.

I think a more private event would have been more tasteful. Inviting college students? What? no one else would come? This is pure disrespect for the families. They should have been asked what they would have liked. I wonder if they were consulted at all.

So we have a longwinded speech…..what could have been expressed in a few “sincere” wishes and prayers is all that was required. If the President was truly concerned about the tenor of today’s political debates he would have said nothing and spent personal time with each family. Period. No cameras. No screaming fans.
teetem says:

January 13, 2011 at 12:30 pm

There has been a lot of flak about the t-shirts handed out at the service. I’ve heard that ‘Together We Thrive’ is Barack’s campaign slogan for the next election. Which would tell me that politics DID have a part in the event. Does anyone have any sites that confirm or deny this??
Of speeches and tweets: thoughts on yesterday « Public Secrets says:

January 13, 2011 at 1:00 pm

[…] for the victims of Saturday’s mass-murder in Tucson. I didn’t watch, for reasons I gave elsewhere, but I did follow the commentary on Twitter while working on other things and that prompted some […]
Neo says:

January 13, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Take a step back … if George W. Bush was still President of the US, he would have been blamed for this tragedy in Tucson … based on the fact that he ultimately would have been the chief law enforcement officer in the US.

I wonder why Obama escaped such a fate.

We all know the answer to that … they blamed it on some non-governmental civilian woman in Alaska.

Frankly, if this doesn’t sound like “the dog ate my homework” .. nothing does.

Comments are closed.