Barack Obama speech at Tucson memorial

President of the United States Barack Obama delivered a speech at the Together We Thrive: Tucson and America memorial on January 12, 2011, held in the McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus.
The speech honored the victims of the 2011 Tucson shooting and included themes of healing and national unity. It was watched by 30 million Americans and drew widespread praise from many political circles, many calling it the most important speech of his presidency.
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Numerous presidential scholars called the speech a turning point in the Obama presidency. "It was his most important speech so far, one that history is going to reflect on," said historian Douglas Brinkley. "There was a bit of Dr. King to him. That’s simply been missing in his presidency so far. I was sitting there and I realized, ‘This guy might be a great man.’ I had forgotten about that."
The speech was notable for receiving acclaim from conservatives. Mike Huckabee called it "easily the best speech of his presidency." Charles Krauthammer effusively praised the speech, especially in regards to Obama's mention of Gifford's opening her eyes for the first time: "the way he seized the moment and he brought the audience to that and became so inspirational" and was "quite remarkable and extremely effective."
David Frum added that the "president's challenge, as so often, was to make a human connection. In that, he succeeded tonight. He paid tribute to the individuality of the lost, honored the pain of the bereaved, and was crucial in bringing together the collective community acknowledgment of grief that is the only available comfort to those who mourn."

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