President Obama Arrives in Colorado to Meet with Shooting Victims

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 05:41:06 PM EST
Tags: Aurora shootings, Obama (all tags)

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President Obama arrived in Colorado this afternoon to meet with the victims of the Aurora shootings.

Air Force One landed at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, where he is expected to stay for a two-and-a-half-hour visit. He headed straight to the University of Colorado Hospital, one of several area medical centers that received shooting victims.

Obama will not attend a community prayer vigil, which is scheduled in Aurora Sunday night. He will be briefed on the investigation, officials said, and is expected to address the public before he leaves Colorado.

Aurora Police Chief Oates approves:

"These families need that kind of contact by our elected leader," Oates told CBS' "Face the Nation." ''It will be very powerful and it will help them. As awful as what they've been through and what they're going through has been, having the president here is very, very powerful."

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"I think the president coming in is a wonderful gesture," Hogan said on ABC's "This Week." ''He's coming in, really, to have private conversations with the families. I think that's totally appropriate."

I just noticed some unwarranted, mean-spirited bashing of Obama in another thread. If you haven't read our policy on such comments, please do so before commenting. If you are one of those who will criticize Obama no matter what he does, please find another site for your comments.

Update: Transcript of President Obama's remarks after meeting with the victims and their families:

6:40 p.m. MDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. I want to begin by just thanking all the state, local, and federal officials who have responded magnificently to this tragedy.
Governor Hickenlooper, who has already been dealing with a range of natural disasters here in the state, has been an extraordinary example of strength. The Mayor, who has only been on the job seven months, and obviously has responded with great strength and leadership. The Police Chief, who — we had an opportunity to speak over the phone — Chief Oates has been dealing with as difficult a set of circumstances as any law enforcement officer deals with, and