President Obama and Republican
challenger Mitt Romney set aside the rising vitriol that has marked
the presidential campaign in recent weeks, in response to a deadly
cinema shooting spree in Colorado.
The Obama campaign said it was pulling all advertising from
Colorado television stations as the president rushed back to the
White House from what was to have been a day of campaigning in
Florida.
Both Obama and Romney took pains to stress that the nation was
coming together in the wake of the tragedy, and that it was no time
for politics.
"I know many of you came here today for a campaign event," Obama
told a crowd in Fort Myers, Florida, at what had been scheduled as a
rally, where Obama instead delivered a brief and sombre speech about
the shooting.
"I was looking forward to having a fun conversation with you about
some really important matters that we face as a country and the
differences between myself and my opponent in this election. But this
morning, we woke up to news of a tragedy that reminds us of all the
ways that we are united as one American family."
Campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that Obama decided it was "the
appropriate step" to suspend campaigning and focus on mourning the
victims. He would be briefed on the investigation from the White
House but had already received updates from staff while in Florida.
Obama, who was awakened at 5:26 am (0926 GMT) with with news,
about three hours after the shootings, ordered all US flags flown at
half staff for five days in honour of those killed.
Romney offered condolences rather than his standard campaign
speech in New Hampshire.
"I stand before you today not as a man running for office but as a
father and grandfather, a husband, an American," he said. "This is a
time for each of us to look into our hearts and remember how much we
love one another and how much we love and how much we care for our
great country. There's so much love and goodness in the heart of
America."
