Gabrielle Giffords quitte la politique

 La politique est un sport extrême, une épreuve qui ne pardonne rien et dans laquelle on peut à la fois tout gagner et tout perdre en peu de temps. Mais il y a place pour l'émotion et pour la noblesse aussi. Difficile de demeurer insensible devant une histoire à la fois terrifiante et inspirante. Gabby Giffords a échappé de peu à la mort et effectué une récupération extraordinaire. Le couple Giffords-Kelly, habitué à "performer" et à viser les plus hauts sommets, est demeuré soudé dans l'épreuve alors qu'il n'y avait pas de "gain" à en tirer. La politique peut parfois être encore inspirante.

 "“I have more work to do on my recovery so to do what is best for Arizona, I will step down this week,” she told supporters in a video message. “I’m getting better, every day.”

 Giffords says she will resign this week from Congress so that she can devote herself to her rehabilitation, which has been under way for more than a year since a bullet pierced her brain during the mass shooting in a Tucson parking lot that left six people dead.

Giffords will make an appearance at the State of the Union address this week before she officially steps down.

 Democratic insiders said that Giffords had been considering whether to step down for several weeks. There was some discussion over whether Giffords would resign or retire.

 Democratic officials are looking at Mark Kelly, Giffords’ husband and a former astronaut, as a possible replacement for her.

Under Arizona law, Gov. Janice Brewer (R) has 72 hours from the day the seat is officially vacant to announced a date for a special election to replace Giffords. The party primary must be held 80-90 days from date of vacancy, with a general election 50-60 days after that. That sets up a primary in a seat that could be tough for Democrats to hold in mid to late April, with a general election in mid June The Giffords shooting — and her remarkable recovery — shocked and captivated the nation in January of last year, and her long road of rehabilitation has often played out in public. In her video, Giffords speaks clearly but deliberately — her speech functions have slowly returned during her year-long recovery. “Arizona is my home. Always will be,” Giffords says. “A lot has happened over the past year. We cannot change that. But I know on the issues we fought for, we can change things for the better. Jobs. Border security. Veterans. We can do so much more by working together.”"

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71787.html