Having just watched the memorial I have to say I think it struck just the right tone. I know some were put off by the applause and cheering since this was in part a memorial service. But it was more than that, it was a national coming together kind of moment and one that honored the bravery exhibited on Saturday.
I liked the fact that all of the speakers avoided politics, focusing instead on the national unity theme and the need to support those who were lost, help those who were injured and join in trying to see that these things do not happen again.
Looking around the net I was also pleased with most of the reaction on the political sites like Daily Kos (left) or Red State (right). Certainly in both cases there was some partisan rhetoric, but those who struck those tones were rare and most of the people were very respectful.
Hopefully we can maintain that tone.
For those who missed it the entire event can be viewed at CSPAN