Community Corner

Updated: Obama Gives Impassioned Speech on Gun Control at University of Hartford

The president took to the podium with a tear in one eye after listening to an introductory speech by Nicole Hockley, whose son Dylan was killed in the Newtown shootings.

In a sometimes fiery speech at the University of Hartford President Barak Obama lauded Connecticut for its passage of tough gun laws and said "Now it's the time for Congress to do the same."

He also promised the families of the Newtown victims that he and the country has not forgotten their anguish or the promise that lawmakers made them and that he will continue to stand with them. 

"Newtown, we will not walk away from the promises we made." 
In particular the president said Congress needs to address the issue of background checks for gun purchases, saying 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks and drawing laughter from the crowd when he added, "How often do 90 percent of Americans agree on anything?"

"It's time for Congress to act ... so people who are dangerous to themselves and others cannot get their hands on a gun," he added. "Yet some folks back in Washington are ... saying they'll do anything the can to even prevent votes on this."

Those comments prompted chants from the crowd of "We want a vote." 

"This is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about preventing this from happening again. This is not about politics. This is about these families."

He said politicians, like those here in Connecticut, need to start talking to one another, and "not past each other," on the issue of gun control. "Now's the time to push back on fear, frustration and misinformation." 

"The day Newtown happened was the toughest day of my presidency but I gotta tell you, if we don't respond to this, that will be  a tough day too. We've got to expect more from ourselves and we've got to expect more from Congress. Every now and then we have to set politics aside and just do what's right." 

Updated 5:16 p.m. 
The president is meeting backstage at the University of Hartford with the families of Newtown victims and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is addressing the audience while it awaits the president's arrival. 

Malloy said Connecticut stands proud to serve as an example to the rest of the country in standing up to gun lobbyists and passing tough gun laws. 

President Barack Obama has landed at Bradley International Airport. The president's plane touched down shortly before 5 p.m., according to reporters on board the plane with Obama and his security detail. 

He was expected to speak at the University of Hartford at 5:15 p.m. and his motorcade arrived at the university shortly after 5 p.m. 

The president stepped off the plane at around 4:30 and was greeted by a number of dignitaries and well-wishers, including Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy traveled aboard Air Force 1 with the president, along with representatives Rosa DeLauro and John Larson.  

"How's it going everybody?"the president greeter well-wishers as he got off the plane. "Good to see you," he said repeatedly as he worked his way down the line, according to reporters at the airport.

Original Post

When he leaves Connecticut tonight President Barack Obama will bring back to Washington D.C. with him the relatives of 11 victims of the Sandy Hook shootings. 

The family members will fly with Obama on Air Force One when the president completes his speech at the University of Hartford, television news station WTNH is reporting. Obama is expected to wrap up his comments, many of which will focus on gun control, around 7 p.m. tonight.

The relatives of the Newtown shooting victims are expected to join efforts to lobby the U.S. Senate in Washington to support a gun control package, the blog Capitol Watch is reporting.  The Newtown families also will meet privately with legislators expected to vote on a related federal bill to expand background checks for gun purchases, Capitol Watch says. 

Obama's Connecticut visit is widely viewed as his last-ditch effort to get a gun control package through the Senate. His visit here comes on the heels of Connecticut's passage last week of a broad gun control bill that included an expanded ban assault weapons and high capacity gun magazines, as well as background checks for gun purchases.

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