( 4UMF NEWS ) Gabrielle Giffords To Lead Pledge:
The final night of the Democratic convention will begin with an emotional punch when Gabrielle Giffords recites the Pledge of Allegiance.
The former congresswoman was shot in the head at point-blank range in January 2011, in a rampage that left six people dead and another 12 wounded. The incident captivated the nation, sparking a debate about the need for civility in politics.
Although Giffords’ name is not listed in the podium schedule for tonight, her office confirmed her appearance to the Associated Press and other news outlets.
Much of the nation last saw Giffords when she said goodbye to Congress about nine months ago, blowing kisses and waving to her colleagues as her friend, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, read her resignation letter.
Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, recently announced the formation of a political action committee, Gabby PAC, to help elect Democrats. She had been undergoing physical and speech therapy in Houston, where Kelly was based as a NASA astronaut, but moved back home to Arizona last month.
