FORT MYERS, Fla. — In their first public events since the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting that left at least 12 people dead and dozens more wounded, President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney set aside their campaign rhetoric Friday and urged Americans to unite at a time of national tragedy.
The two presidential rivals appeared at previously scheduled campaign events in Florida and New Hampshire, two of the most hotly contested battleground states in the November election.
But at neither event was there any sign of the blistering attacks that have marked one of the most negative weeks of the White House race to date.
"There are going to be other days for politics," Obama told an audience that had gathered for what was originally intended to be a political speech in Fort Myers. "This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection."
He led the audience in a moment of silence "for the victims of this terrible tragedy," their loved ones and for "all the victims of less publicized acts of violence that plague our communities every single day."
Obama then cut short his campaign swing through Florida and returned to the White House to deal with what he called the "senseless" shooting.
He later ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on government buildings and facilities until sunset on July 25.
In Bow, N.H., Romney also opted to forgo a planned campaign speech, instead delivering solemn and spiritual remarks abut the "unspeakable tragedy" in Colorado.
The shooting is a "reminder that life is fragile," Obama said to the convention center full of supporters. "Our time here is limited, and it is precious, and what matters at the end of the day is not the small things, it's not the trivial things which so often consume us and our daily lives. Ultimately, it's how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another."
At Romney's event at a lumber company, there were no campaign signs, no music, and the mood of the crowd was somber.
The two presidential rivals appeared at previously scheduled campaign events in Florida and New Hampshire, two of the most hotly contested battleground states in the November election.
But at neither event was there any sign of the blistering attacks that have marked one of the most negative weeks of the White House race to date.
"There are going to be other days for politics," Obama told an audience that had gathered for what was originally intended to be a political speech in Fort Myers. "This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection."
He led the audience in a moment of silence "for the victims of this terrible tragedy," their loved ones and for "all the victims of less publicized acts of violence that plague our communities every single day."
Obama then cut short his campaign swing through Florida and returned to the White House to deal with what he called the "senseless" shooting.
He later ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on government buildings and facilities until sunset on July 25.
In Bow, N.H., Romney also opted to forgo a planned campaign speech, instead delivering solemn and spiritual remarks abut the "unspeakable tragedy" in Colorado.
The shooting is a "reminder that life is fragile," Obama said to the convention center full of supporters. "Our time here is limited, and it is precious, and what matters at the end of the day is not the small things, it's not the trivial things which so often consume us and our daily lives. Ultimately, it's how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another."
At Romney's event at a lumber company, there were no campaign signs, no music, and the mood of the crowd was somber.