Obama's Tucson speech: A presidential turning point?

President Obama's words honoring the Arizona shooting victims met with nearly universal approval. Will that help restore his power to lead?

Obama's memorial speech was lauded by some of his harshest critics, including Fox News host Glenn Beck.
(Image credit: Getty)

In a rare moment of agreement, pundits and politicians across the political spectrum have praised the speech President Obama delivered at a service honoring the Arizona shooting victims. Even those who've clashed with Obama over the past two years said his message was just what the nation needed to hear. "This was above partisanship," said Ed Rollins, a Republican political consultant in The Wall Street Journal, "which is a good place for a president to be." Will the speech's positive effects help Obama reach across party lines, or fade all too quickly? (Watch a CBS discussion about Obama's speech)

This was a "turning point" for the president: The speech was a "defining moment" for Obama's presidency, says Steven Thomma at McClatchy Newspapers. It allowed him "a new chance to connect with the American people." By winning over even his "most vocal critics" — even Fox News host Glenn Beck approved — Obama has "recaptured" the appeal that got him elected, "the sense that the country is a family that yearns to be united, not divided."

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