U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to a nation in mourning Wednesday evening, pleading with Americans not to use last Saturday's deadly shooting as a reason "to turn on one another" but as an occasion to talk "in a way that heals."
"Our discourse has become so sharply discoursed . . . it's important for us to pause and make sure we are talking to each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds," the president said at a memorial in Arizona for the six victims.
"I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved lives here -- they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us."
Obama said despite imperfections, Americans "are full of decency and goodness."
Obama spent most of the early part of his speech memorializing the victims; U.S. District Judge John Roll, Gabe Zimmerman, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, Dorothy Morris and nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green.
"The six people that lost their lives on Saturday, represented what was best in us, what was best in America," Obama said.
The Obamas visited Rep. Gabrielle Giffords before the memorial and had good news to tell the nation about her recovery.
"Right after we went to visit, Gabby opened her eyes for the first time," Obama said to massive applause. "She knows we are here, she knows we love her and she knows we are rooting for her for what undoubtedly will be a difficult journey.
It was the third time since taking office in the White House that Obama spoke to the nation following a tragedy.
Thousands attended the memorial, which took place at the University of Arizona. The university said more people lined up to get into the memorial than the arena had capacity for.
Standing alongside Obama in the front row of the memorial was his wife, Michelle and Daniel Hernandez, the young intern who has been credited with helping save the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot.
Hernandez received a nearly-minute long standing ovation when his name was announced. He gave a short speech, where he rejected the notion of being called a hero and said the real heroes were those who dedicated themselves to public service.
After speaking, Hernandez was embraced by both Obama and the first lady.
In his speech, Obama said Hernandez may try to avoid the label of "hero" but he is one, regardless.
Also in attendance at the memorial was Giffords' husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, and Secretary of Homeland Security and former Arizona governor Janet Napolitano.
The Obamas visited Giffords immediately after flying to Arizona Wednesday.
Obama spent about 10 minutes with Giffords and her husband, Kelly. He also saw four others wounded in the attack, including two of Giffords' staff members.
Giving comfort to a nation in mourning is a duty that Obama has faced before, such as when he led the memorial for those killed and wounded in a shooting at an Army post in Texas and when he eulogized the 29 coal miners who died in West Virginia last year.
A bipartisan delegation of politicians came with Obama on Air Force One in a show of solidarity.
Obama was joined by Republican members of Arizona's congressional delegation, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, Attorney General Eric Holder and Napolitano.
Palin backlash
Meanwhile, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin took a shot at her critics in the U.S. media for stories that have suggested there is a link between America's contentious political climate and the violence in Arizona last weekend.
In a video posted to the web on Wednesday morning, Palin said any suggestion that politics are responsible for the Arizona violence is preposterous.
Palin said that "acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own" and they cannot be attributed to a society at large.
In the nearly eight-minute-long video, Palin also said "journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence that they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible."
Palin's use of the phrase "blood libel" has drawn criticism from Jewish groups. The term has been generally used to refer to the false accusation levelled at Jews that they murdered Christian children for aspects of the religious rituals.
The false claims were made over the centuries, particularly in Europe, to incite anti-Semitism.
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who has been outspoken since the shooting of the need to tone down the political rhetoric, issued a statement condemning Palin's use of the "blood libel" phrase.
Palin's statement was particularly insensitive because Giffords is Jewish, Wasserman Schultz spokesperson said.
The Anti-Defamation League issued a statement saying: "We wish that Palin had not invoked the phrase ‘blood-libel' in reference to the actions of journalists and pundits in placing blame for the shooting in Tucson on others. While the term ‘blood-libel' has become part of the English parlance to refer to someone being falsely accused, we wish that Palin had used another phrase, instead of one fraught with pain in Jewish history."
However, the ADL also said it was inappropriate to blame Palin for any part of the shooting.
Parents speak out
The parents of the accused gunman, Jared Loughner, are also grieving in Tucson.
Randy and Amy Loughner released a statement to the press Tuesday, offering an apology and expressing their condolences to the victims.
"There are no words that can possibly express how we feel," the couple wrote in a statement handed to reporters waiting outside their house. "We wish that there were, so we could make you feel better. We don't understand why this happened.
"We care very deeply about the victims and their families. We are so very sorry for their loss."
Police have revealed that Randy Loughner discovered his son had stolen a black bag from the family car hours before the shooting.
When he confronted his son about the issue, Jared Loughner fled from his father, police said.
Hours later, a shooting killed six people and left 14 others injured.
Giffords remains in hospital after being shot in the head during the rampage in Tucson. Though her health is slowly improving, doctors still do not know what her long-term challenges will be.
Jared Loughner was taken into custody after the shooting and soon charged with five federal counts: the attempted assassination of a member of Congress; two counts of killing an employee of the federal government; and two counts of attempting to kill a federal employee.
Since Loughner's arrest, his friends and peers have described the 22-year-old as a loner who was becoming isolated and increasingly distant from mainstream beliefs and behaviours.
Loughner's odd behaviour and verbal outbursts got him kicked out of college and estranged from an animal shelter where he volunteered.
He was living with his parents in Tucson at the time of his arrest.
Neighbour Linda McKinley, 62, told The Associated Press that she had lived near the Loughner family for decades.
She watched Jared Loughner grow up and developed misgivings about him.
"As a parent, my heart aches for them," she said.
McKinley said Loughner could often be seen riding on his bike, talking to himself and yelling out random statements.
McKinley recalled that once he yelled to some children on the street: "I'm coming to get you!"
With files from The Associated Press
