While addressing the nation Thursday, President Barack Obama at least twice wipes his eyes, visibly fighting back tears. President Obama told the nation we’ve been through events like this too many times, referencing some of the United States’ most recent tragedies, which include this week’s mall shooting in Oregon, the August killings at a Wisconsin Temple, and in July the mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater. He said, “These neighborhoods are our neighborhoods and these children are our children.”
“This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another but there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight and they need all of us right now,” said President Obama. “In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans and I will do everything in my power as president to help.”
Obama asked the nation to put politics aside and come together in an effort to keep these types of tragedies from happening again.