President Barack Obama took a break from campaigning to address this morning's tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, calling today for a day of prayer and reflection.
"There are going to be other days for politics," Obama said at was supposed to be a campaign event in Fort Myers, Florida. "This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection."
Obama cancelled his second campaign event in the Orlando area today.
As he frequently does at moments of crisis, Obama invoked his role as a parent to describe his feeling after the shooting.
"My daughters go to the movies," he said. "What if Malia and Sasha had been at the theater?"
"Such violence, such evil is senseless," he added.
Obama didn't mention gun control, saying the message from today's events is to appreciate the fragility of life.
"If there's anything to take away from this tragedy it's the reminder that life is very fragile," Obama said, calling for a moment of silence from the audience. "Our time here is limited and precious."
In a particularly odd moment, several of Obama's supporters in Fort Myers chanted "Four More Years" as he concluded the decidedly apolitical event.