Last updated: 13 january, 2011 - 14:01 GMT

Tucson shooting: Obama pays tribute to victims

President Obama and his wife attend a memorial honouring the Tucson shooting victims

The President paid tribute to the victims and praised the bravery of those who had stopped the gunman as he tried to re-load

President Obama has paid tribute to the victims of last week's shooting in Arizona, in which a gunman killed six people and tried to assassinate a congresswoman.

Speaking at a memorial service in Tucson, Mr Obama called for the vitriolic political debate that's followed the attack to be toned down.

In recent days, the prominent Republican Sarah Palin has come in for particular criticism: the use of gun-sights on her campaign website and her exhortation to supporters "don't retreat, reload", was seized upon by some as an incitement to Saturday's killings.

In a video posted on her Facebook page on Wednesday, she defended herself against the criticism and said journalists and pundits should not manufacture a "blood libel" that served only to incite the very hatred and violence that they purported to condemn.

Gina Loudon is a Tea Party activist and talk-show host in Missouri.

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Sidney Blumenthal is a former advisor to President Clinton.

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First broadcast 13 January 2011

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