Watch CBS News

Campaigns Yank Political Ads In Colorado After Aurora Tragedy

DENVER (CBS4) - Elected officials across Colorado are sharing thoughts of concern after the mass shooting in Aurora, an event so tragic that the campaigns of both Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama canceled all of their campaign ads until next Tuesday out of respect for the victims and their families.

In addition, CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd reports the Super PACs American Crossroads and Priorities USA have also suspended all of their ads for the same block of time.

In all, there were 11 ads running in heavy rotation in the Denver television market. The campaigns have been spending tens of millions of dollars across Colorado, which is projected as a swing state in the 2012 presidential election.

In Colorado, the campaigns for several politicians campaigning for Congress have canceled campaign events this weekend, similarly out of respect.

The campaign of incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Coffman, who represents Congressional District 6, told CBS4 events they are calling off include a 200 person fundraiser that was scheduled for Saturday. Fellow incumbent Republican Rep. Cory Gardner also canceled events.

Democratic challengers State Sen. Brandon Shaffer, who is running against Gardner in CD4 and State Rep. Joe Miklosi, who is running against Coffman, made similar announcements.

Democrat State Rep. Sal Pace and Republican Joe Coors also canceled weekend campaign events.

Obama and Romney also canceled their national campaign events that had been planned for Friday, none of which were in the state. Both politicians spoke about the horrific shooting at the Aurora movie theater to the crowds that had come to see them at their day's first scheduled events.

"Such violence, such evil, is senseless. But while we will never know fully what causes somebody to take the live of another, we do know what makes life worth living," Obama told a somber crowd in Fort Myers, Fla.

Nation Reacts With Sadness To Shootings In Aurora
President Barack Obama makes his way onto the stage to speak about the shootings in Aurora at what was scheduled originally as a campaign event at Harborside Event Center July 20, 2012 in Fort Myers, Fla. (credit: read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GettyImages)

"There are going to be other days for politics," he said.

Romney told a crowd in Bow, N.H., "Today we feel not only a sense of grief but perhaps also of helplessness," he said. "But there is something we can do. We can offer comfort to someone near us who is suffering or heavy laden. And we can mourn with those who mourn in Colorado."

Nation Reacts With Sadness To Shootings In Aurora
Repubican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney pauses as he delivers remarks regarding the shooting at Colorado movie theatre July 20, 2012, in Bow, New Hampshire. Romney cancelled campaign events for the day in the wake of a shooting. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In addition to politicians, celebrities shared similar statements on Friday. Whoopi Goldberg said "We've got to stop looking for reasons here. There is no reason. Only irrational acts by irrational people. All we can do is try to bring comfort."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.