Obama cited Scripture to call for healing, and said “we’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.” He called the shooting a “heinous crime” against “beautiful little kids.”
“We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years, and each time I hear the news I react not as a president but as anyone else would, as a parent,” Obama said. “And that was especially true today.”
As Obama spoke, several of his aides looked on, weeping as he spoke.
“I know there isn’t a parent in America who doesn’t feel the overwhelming sense of grief that I do,” Obama said.
Live blog: Updates on the Newtown school shooting