In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary??The White House said Friday that the shooting rampage at a Connecticut school "weighs heavily" on President Barack Obama as a father, but that "today's not the day" for a discussion about possible gun control steps in response to the massacre.
"Today's not the day to -- I believe, as a father -- a day to engage in the usual Washington policy debates," press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. "I think that that day will come, but today's not that day."
Carney's admonition came as news organizations reported that at least 27 people, including 18 children, were killed at an elementary school in Newtown, CT.
"As a father, incidents like these weigh heavily on him ? and, I think, on everyone who has children," Carney said, highlighting "the enormous suffering" of parents of those killed.
Obama got word of the tragedy at 10:30 a.m. from Homeland Security Adviser John Brennan. He later discussed the situation with FBI Director Robert Mueller and Connectictut Governor Dannel Malloy and shared his "condolences and concern," Carney said.
Pressed by a reporter, the spokesman said that renewing the assault weapons ban "does remain a commitment" of the president, though Obama has taken no serious steps to promote that on Capitol Hill.
Repeatedly pushed on when would be an appropriate time to discuss possible actions by Washington to prevent future tragedies, Carney declined to answer.
"Our minds and our focus need to be on what's happening there and providing assistance where we can to those who need it," he said at one point. Now is the time to "feel enormous sympathy for the families that are affected and to do everything we can to support state and local law enforcement, support those who are enduring what appears to be a very tragic event."
One reporter pointed to Obama's remarks in July just days after a shooting spree that left 12 dead and some 60 injured at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.
"I hope that over the next several days, next several weeks, and next several months, we all reflect on how we can do something about some of the senseless violence that ends up marring this country, but also reflect on all the wonderful people who make this the greatest country on Earth," Obama said at the time.
"I really encourage all of us to give a moment here to focus on what is an unfolding tragedy in Connecticut and not to engage Washington policy battles of long running," Carney replied. "We do that often, and it's appropriate, and I'm sure the day for this will come, but today is not that day."
But Obama has made similar comments before, including at a January 2012 memorial for the victims of a mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, in which then-Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was grievously wounded.
"We have to examine all the facts behind this tragedy.?We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence.?We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of such violence in the future," Obama said.?"But what we cannot do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on each otherThat we cannot do."
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