Washington (CNN) -- In a symbolic gesture toward more civil political discourse, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer and Republican Sen. Tom Coburn said Sunday they will sit together at the upcoming State of the Union address. Appearing on the NBC's "Meet the Press," Schumer and Coburn called for political debate based on issues and ideology, rather than motives and personal attacks, in the aftermath of the Tucson, Arizona, shootings last week that killed six people and critically injured Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Schumer acknowledged that sitting with Coburn for the president's annual speech to Congress would be symbolic, "but maybe it just sets a tone and everything gets a little bit more civil."
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NEW: Tone of debate should change, not intensity, politicians say
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Democrat Schumer, Republican Coburn want to symbolize civil discourse
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Schumer says the the move may help tone down the rhetoric
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Coburn says question ideology, not motives, of political foes
"And so if we can actually come into that chamber and instead of me going to the left, I go to the right, and the Republicans do the opposite, what you're going to create is an image of the @placeholder deciding that we are going to work as a body, not as two separate sides.