This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 10, 2011 - WASHINGTON - The tragic shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords and 19 other persons at a town hall forum in Arizona spurred an outpouring of sympathy and anger on Saturday from members of the Missouri and Illinois congressional delegation -- many of whom regularly participate in similar meetings with their constituents.
"I pray for Rep. Giffords, the other victims, and their families," said U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., in a statement. "I'm mad and deeply saddened that this violence is an attack not just against these innocent people, but also does real damage to all things good about our country and our democracy. And no criminal punishment will be able to fix it."
Calling Giffords a "good friend and colleague," U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, said he was "praying for the swift healing and speedy recovery of all who have been wounded. And I send my deepest sympathies to the families of all those who have been victimized by this unconscionable act of violence."
Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, who has served on the House Science and Technology Committee with Giffords, said in a statement that he was "shocked and saddened by the tragic and senseless shooting ... I am heartened by reports that she is out of surgery and the doctors are optimistic for her recovery and my thoughts and prayers go out to her husband Mark and to all the families of the other victims."
Costello was among many members of Congress who said such violence had no place in the nation's politics. "Such sudden and needless violence is always tough to fully comprehend," said Costello. "And, while we do not know all of the circumstances involved here, I hope as a country we can ratchet down the intensity level around our political discourse, to always remember that we are human beings first, and not just liberals, conservatives or any other party label."
Expressing similar concerns was U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., a fellow alumnus of Cornell University who until November was a U.S. House member who served with Giffords on the U.S.-China Working Group. "I commend the heroes who tackled the gunman and pray for the victims and loved ones suffering as a result of this despicable act," Kirk said in a statement.
"We take this attack on the congresswoman very seriously," added Kirk, saying that he and others in Congress "will work with Capitol police and federal law enforcement to contemplate security measures, which ensure that decisions made by Americans through elections cannot be changed or threatened by violence."
Kirk described Giffords, a generally moderate Democrat, as "a thoughtful, effective legislator whom I enjoy working with in Congress."
U.S. Rep.Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, said, "I am honored to serve with Gabby Giffords. She is a talented and devoted public servant. Like all Americans, I am shocked at this senseless tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family, as well as with the other victims of this horrific attack."
On Monday, Missouri's newest senator posted his thoughts on his Facebook page. Roy Blunt, a Republicanm said he was "joining the nation in praying for the victims and families impacted by this weekend's tragic shooting in Tucson. Gabby Giffords was doing what all members of Congress should do -- staying in touch with people we work for. We cannot let this senseless tragedy keep us from talking to people we represent."
At the White House, President Barack Obama said Giffords "is not only an extraordinary public servant, but she is also somebody who is warm and caring .... It's not surprising that today Gabby was doing what she always does -- listening to the hopes and concerns of her neighbors. That is the essence of what our democracy is all about.
"That is why this is more than a tragedy for those involved. It is a tragedy for Arizona and a tragedy for our entire country. What Americans do at times of tragedy is to come together and support each other."
Calling Giffords "a dear friend," Vice President Joe Biden said Giffords "is a principled leader and a consensus-builder. She has spent her time in office working her heart out to improve the lives of the people she represents."
Biden said "we do not yet know the motivation behind these shootings. But what we do know is that there is simply no justification, no rationale for such senseless and appalling violence in our society."
House Republicans announced late Saturday that they would postpone a vote to repeal the health-reform law, which had been scheduled for Wednesday. In a statement, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said that "all legislation currently scheduled to be considered by the House of Representatives next week is being postponed so that we can take whatever actions may be necessary in light of today's tragedy." He said he had spoken with leaders of both parties before making the decision.