FBI Director Mueller.

I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the

nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource

that he needs to investigate this heinous crime,

care for the victims, counsel their families.

We've endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years.

And each time I learn the news I react not as a President,

but as anybody else would -- as a parent.

And that was especially true today.

I know there's not a parent in America who doesn't feel

the same overwhelming grief that I do.

The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful

little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.

They had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays,

graduations, weddings, kids of their own.

Among the fallen were also teachers -- men and women

who devoted their lives to helping our children

fulfill their dreams.

So our hearts are broken today -- for the parents

and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little

children, and for the families of the adults who were lost.

Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as

well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home

tonight, they know that their children's innocence has been

torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will

ease their pain.

As a country, we have been through this too many times.

Whether it's an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping

mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in

Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago -- these neighborhoods

are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.

And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful

action to prevent more tragedies like this,

regardless of the politics.

This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent

in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter

and we'll tell them that we love them, and we'll remind each

other how deeply we love one another.

But there are families in Connecticut who cannot

do that tonight.

And they need all of us right now.

In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our

best as Americans.

And I will do everything in my power as President to help.

Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or

loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need -- to

remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying

for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures

not just in their memories but also in ours.

May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words

of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind

up their wounds.