The video: The House was in the middle of voting on a bill to end the ugly debt-limit fight on Monday when Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) slipped in a side door to cast her first vote since she was shot in the head in January. Giffords voted "yes," afterward saying in a statement that she was "deeply disappointed" with the rancorous partisanship in Washington, and had returned to D.C. to make sure her colleagues didn't "crash our economy." Giffords' surprise appearance earned a bipartisan standing ovation on the House floor, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) welcomed the Arizonan's return with a short speech, calling Giffords the "personification of courage." (Watch the video below.)
The reaction: Thanks to Giffords, this was "one of the most emotional votes in recent memory," says David Weigel at Slate. The vote itself was remarkable, cutting "wildly across ideological lines." But when Giffords showed up, "the joy of the moment overcame all of the implications of this. Politics, briefly, didn't seem too relevant." Indeed, it's somehow fitting that Giffords should be the one to set off this "release of bitterness" in Washington, given the brief "moment of introspection" her shooting prompted, says Katy Steinmetz at TIME. Almost as miraculous as her return, "a Congress known for its petulance and ponderousness was suddenly warm and welcoming." Watch the House cheer Giffords:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nigeria's 'baby factories': a hidden crisisA secretive network sees women lured, locked upa nd forced to give birth for profit
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein filesspeed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Too Much: London-set romantic comedy from Lena DunhamThe Week Recommends Megan Stalter stars as a 'neurotic' New Yorker who falls in love with a Brit
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidentsThe Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: which party are the billionaires backing?The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to goThe Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala HarrisThe Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
