President Barack Obama is in a different city but still in an all-too-familiar place as he leads the nation in honoring more lives cut short by gun violence, this time five police officers slain by a black man who said he wanted revenge for the killings of blacks by police.
Obama landed in Dallas Tuesday to help the grief-stricken city begin to heal less than a week after its officers were killed and others wounded by an Army veteran-turned-sniper. Obama has denounced the shooting as a "vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement" by a "demented" individual. And he has argued that, despite the heated public outcry of the past week, the country is not as divided as it may seem.
Obama planned returned to that message in his speech Tuesday and his choice of traveling companions underscored the theme. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California both joined Obama on Air Force One for the flight to Dallas.
"At a time when our country is feeling so divided I think it is important that the country's leadership come together across party lines, despite significant differences to emphasize our shared desire to unify the country," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.
Earnest said the president worked late into the night writing his speech and consulting scripture for inspiration.
Just a few weeks ago, Obama spent hours in Orlando, Florida, consoling the loved ones of 49 people who were killed in a shooting rampage at a nightclub.
In what has become an unwelcome but regular duty of his presidency, Obama was preparing to address an interfaith memorial service in Dallas for the officers. They were killed last Thursday while standing guard as hundreds of people peacefully protested the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota earlier in the week.
The attack ended with the gunman, Micah Johnson, 25, blown up by a bomb delivered by a police robot. The black Army veteran portrayed the attack on the officers as payback for the fatal police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban Minneapolis.
Portions of both shootings were videotaped and broadcast nationwide, leading to fresh outrage, protests and scores of arrests. The killings also put the country on edge, heightened racial tensions and pushed the issue of the use of deadly force against black males by white police officers to the forefront.
Obama will seek to bridge those issues with his tribute to the fallen five, which include a former Army Ranger, a Navy veteran and a newlywed starting a second family.
Some police officials blame the president for the rise in racial tension, saying he is insufficiently supportive of law enforcement. In comments since the Dallas shooting, Obama has urged the public to recognize and respect that police officers have a tough job.
Meanwhile, Obama has criticized by others for going to Dallas before visiting Louisiana or Minnesota, a sign that he is aligning with police over protesters.
As Obama landed in Dallas, Earnest said the president had called the families of Alton Sterling, the man shot by police in Baton Rouge, and Philando Castile, the Minnesota motorist shot by an officer, to offer his and first lady's condolences.
The president, joined by his wife, Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, will also meet privately with the families of the slain officers as well as the injured to convey the support and gratitude for their service and sacrifice that has been expressed around the country. At least nine other officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, will also attend. Bush, a Dallas resident, also is speaking at the service.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama recognizes that people across the U.S. are grieving with Dallas.
"The president is hoping to offer some measure of comfort," Earnest said.
Obama and Biden met Monday with police chiefs, sheriffs and rank-and-file officers to discuss adopting a series of reforms that were drafted by a White House task force on policing, as well as how to restore trust between police officers and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect.
Obama also planned a meeting Wednesday with a broader group that includes law enforcement, activists and academics.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
