© Ho New / Reuters
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords remains in critical condition, but she’s showing encouraging signs of recovery, doctors say. The congresswoman has adjusted her own gown and felt her own wounds, a dramatic improvement. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) were both in the hospital room Wednesday when Giffords opened her eyes. “It was a miracle to witness," Gillibrand said. Obama also mentioned Giffords' recovery in his speech Wednesday, saying Giffords "knows we love her." The new movement is possible because doctors have greatly reduced the sedation she is under. There is little question, they say, that she’ll suffer from permanent brain damage—the question is, what kind and how much. The next two days, doctors say, are crucial.