Blaming Tucson on the right wing is easy, but inaccurate

Thoughtful, On-Target Palin Responds To Attacks; Left Loses Last Grip On Reality
I know, my use of the term on-target makes me a vitriolic, hateful Rhetoric espouser in the eyes of some. It’s not conducive to the “new tone” we are all supposed to embrace for some unfathomable and delusional reason. Of course, this new tone doesn’t apply if one is speaking about Sarah Palin, who is apparently the cause of All Bad Things Ever, in perpetuity. Even here, we are on day three of no school due to snow. In South Carolina. Does Palin’s evil reach have no...

Require youths to listen to Rush
I know how to save the nation from this violence caused by people who do not watch Fox News, do not know who Sarah Palin is and who do not attend Tea Party rallies. Make them listen to Rush Limbaugh. I got my idea from Rush Limbaugh’s commentary today: RUSH: This morning on Good Morning America a portion of an interview Ashleigh Banfield did with Zach Osler, who is a High School friend of the shooter Jared Loughner.  Ashleigh Banfield: “What was his motive in Saturday’s atta...

The Plum Line: The right-wing narrative about Clinton, the Oklahoma bombing, and Obama
President Obama is heading to Arizona to commemorate the Victims of Saturday's events in Tucson, and Conservatives are already expressing concern about a replay of Bill Clinton's 1995 Speech denouncing "purveyors of hatred and division" on the airwaves in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing. In a preemptive strike, Conservatives are already misrepresenting the history of that event, arguing that Clinton politicized the bombing for his own gain. At National Review, John J. Mil...

Some Democrats seek to dial back overheated rhetoric on shootings
ANALYSIS: Some Democrats are calling for a cease-fire in a heated liberal campaign to pin blame for the Tucson, Ariz., massacre on conservative Speech and specifically on former Republican vice-presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. No evidence has surfaced that the shooting suspect, Jared Lee Loughner, was motivated by any Political Speech, left or right. News reports tell of a deeply troubled man who thinks the government orchestrated the 9/11 attacks, hates The Bible and was thrown out of coll...

In Which I Dare The Corner To Publish Quotes From Popular Conservatives
Arguments that the liberal community is less prone to reckless Speech, or has far less tolerance for those within it who use violent imagery and language than does the Right, are unconvincing. I don’t remember a Krugman column or a Sen. Patrick Leahy speech on the toxic Nicholson Baker novel, the Gabriel Range Bush Assassination docudrama, the Chris Matthews CO2-pellet-in-the-face/blowing-up-of-the-“blimp” comments about Rush Limbaugh, the “I hate George Bush” embarrassment at

Liberals now seekban on metaphors
After the monstrous shooting in Arizona last week, surely we can all agree that we've got to pass Obama's agenda immediately and stop using metaphors. At least I think that's what the Mainstream Media are trying to tell me. Liberals instantly leapt on the sickening massacre at a Tucson political event over the weekend to accuse tea partiers, Sarah Palin and all Conservatives who talk out loud of being complicit in Murder by inspiring the shooter, Jared Loughner. Of course, to make their cas...

Loughner Friend: 'He Did Not Watch TV' or 'Listen to Political Radio'
It's become clear since Saturday that some in the media are determined to blame outspoken Conservatives for the Tucson massacre. So there's really no reason to believe that yet another fact contradicting that attack will put it to rest. But in the spirit of journalism - that thing the left's media attack dogs profess their reverence for - it should be noted: a friend of the killer, Jared Lee Loughner, told "Good Morning America" that Loughner "did not watch TV. He disl...

Was the 18th century a 'climate of hate'?
In the aftermath of the Tucson tragedy that killed six and wounded 14 others, the Left has attacked Talk Radio, Fox News, Sarah Palin and anyone else it can smear. Never mind there is not a shred of evidence that the accused gunman, the mentally disturbed Jared Lee Loughner, ever watched Glenn Beck or listened to Rush Limbaugh (Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, a Democrat, irresponsibly suggested Limbaugh incited Loughner). Even if Loughner had watched and listened to conservative media, wha...

Casting Stones
Too often, those who are most outraged over a supposed “climate of hate” and its purported incendiary effects have been quiet about their own role in, or tolerance of, personal vilification.  So we get Paul Krugman warning about the dangers of Sarah Palin’s martial metaphors, never remorseful for his own comments calling for the hanging of Senator Lieberman in effigy (“by all means, hang Senator Joe Lieberman in effigy”), or Andrew Sullivan arguing for maturity...

Partisan Finger-Pointing Is Hypocrisy
The drumbeat continues blaming Conservatives exclusively (or at least disproportionately) for overheated, violent Rhetoric. But it is not that simple.  In fact, some of the exact same people now posturing about a need for “civility” have themselves been guilty of the exact same overheated, violent rhetoric that they now (with no evidence) think is responsible for the Tucson attacks. The fact is that we have a general problem with abusive, dehumanizing political Rhetoric.  It didn

The Tucson memorial service | Michael Tomasky
Barack Obama's Speech was one of his best in some time, I thought. He sounded a little more like Candidate Obama than President Obama, which is to say, he returned to some of the inspirational language and themes of old. It was almost as if he was relieved not to have to be talking about The Economy or Afghanistan. The ideas that were appropriate for tonight, about civility and the need to be better, are ones he's more comfortable with. I gather from the television that some Conservatives are ap...

Thoughtful, On-Target Palin Responds To Attacks; Left Loses Last Grip On Reality
I know, my use of the term on-target makes me a vitriolic, hateful Rhetoric espouser in the eyes of some. It’s not conducive with the “new tone” we are all supposed to embrace for some unfathomable and delusional reason. Of course, this new tone doesn’t apply if one is speaking about Sarah Palin, who is apparently the cause of All Bad Things Ever, in perpetuity. Even here, we are on day three of no school due to snow. In South Carolina. Does Palin’s evil reach have ...

My Name is Betsy. I'm a Killer
On the morning of January 8th, 2011, I intentionally entered a gathering held by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and shot her at near point blank range. I injured 14 others, killing six: among them a beautiful, curious, doe-eyed, nine-year-old girl. I didn't actually pull the trigger, but I'm as guilty as the psychopath who did. On occasion, I listen to Beck, Limbaugh, and Fox News. I've been known to pick up a book or two by conservative authors; Thomas Sowell, Andrew McCarthy, or the Foundi...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Today's Right Wing Is As Responsible For Rep. Giffords' Shooting As The Right Wing Of 1963 Was For The S
Actually... I agree! Every bit as responsible. Or not responsible. I wouldn't suggest reading that, by the way. Let's just say it's gone Full Loughner, and once again we are brought back to the dark chatter of Dallas '63, which, frankly, I have to admit sounds anti-American and despicable, but which also sounds like it had nothing at all to do with shaping the psyche of Marxist defector-to-Russia Oswald, Harvey Lee. The conclusion is that you're to blame for Giffords to the same extent Dallas "...

President Obama Speaks at the Tucson Memorial Service Complete Video 1/12/11
Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy Here is complete video of President Barack Obama’s remarks tonight at a “Memorial Service” in Tucson, Arizona in honor of the Victims of the Tucson Mass Shooting that took place this past Saturday. Obama spoke for just over half-an-hour, interrupted repeatedly by applause and cheering from the crowd gathered at the University of Arizona. Obama called for unity, and for a more civil public discourse, but...

Barack Obama has it both ways
By all the received wisdom of transatlantic analysis, Barack Obama’s Speech at the memorial service for the Tucson Shooting Victims had to (choose one or all of the following) transcend partisan politics, elevate him to the post of “healer-in-chief”, rescue his presidency by showing that he could deliver a unifying message at a time of great national tragedy. I am truly sorry to place such a terrible event in what appears a cynical, calculatedly political context but truly,...

Obama Speech Missed an Opportunity
Sure, the president provided his usual inspiration, but he failed to shut down the ridiculous media meme that right-wing Talk Radio was responsible for the Arizona shootings. And how are ordinary Americans to blame?...

Right Wing Leftovers
Businessman, right-wing Activist and Tea Party favorite Herman Cain establishes a presidential Exploratory Committee. Mike Huckabee already has problems with the Tea Party. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and Conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney get together to spew anti-Muslim diatribes. After the Tucson shooting, an Arizona Republican District Chairman opposed by the Tea Party resigned, saying, “I don’t want to take a bullet for anyone.” North Carolina State Rep. Larry Brown wants to end...

Right Wing Conservatives Going Nuts Over Seeing Themselves in Mirror
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much panic among Right Wing commentators, but it’s not hard to understand what’s driving their fear. Their almost uniform response to any frame connecting Saturday’s shootings with their own conduct and statements has been couched in anger that the media, never mind liberals, would “Libel” them as somehow complicit in the Murders. Except almost no one is making that connection. The broadly accepted view across the media...

More On Loughner And Right Wing Hysteria
Several friends have written in about my item arguing that Jared Loughner is not related to right-wing Extremism. The objection, in a nutshell, is, don't you agree that right-wing rage is a serious problem? I think it is a serious problem. I also think, despite the attempts of numerous Republicans to draw equivalences, that it's a far more serious problem than anything that occurred under George W. Bush. critics have focused on violent language and birtherism on the right. But there's a deeper ...

Right Wing Round-Up
Leo Gerard @ AlterNet: Rights Come with Responsibilities; the Right Shirks Theirs. Sarah Posner @ Religion Dispatches: Huckabee’s Second Bapticostal Bid for the GOP Nomination. Towleroad: Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy Says Providing Food to Anti-Gay Groups is Not an Endorsement. Iowa Independent: GOP Lawmakers Vow to Continue Push for Judicial Impeachment....

L.A. Times: Health Care Repeal Too Divisive What with Our New Need for Civil Rhetoric
The deck headline: “House Republican leaders are eager to fulfill their promise to vote to Repeal the Legislation, but taking up the divisive issue could hurt the party at a time of calls for rejecting partisan Rhetoric.” As lawmakers promise a new era of comity after the Arizona shooting attack that left six dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) in critical condition, Republican leaders grappled with how and when to return to an issue that brought political discourse to a boili...

Stephen Stromberg: Palin proves -- again -- that she's a terrible politician
Sarah Palin didn't retreat. She reloaded. And she proved, again, that she is a ruinously incompetent politician. Over the weekend, liberal pundits overeagerly speculated that she may have inspired the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). After learning more about alleged shooter Jared Loughner, many of those same commentators restrained their criticism of the former Alaska Governor, and polls showed that Americans are skeptical of any connection. People recognized Palin had been unf...

Foxs Greta Van Susteren Takes Sarcastic Shot At CNN And Piers Morgans Fancy Launch Party
Fox’s Greta Van Susteren clearly doesn’t go weak in the knees for “fancy” parties featuring plenty of bold faced names. Noting that CNN’s Piers Morgan was honored Tuesday night at just such a launch party in Manhattan in honor of his upcoming Piers Morgan Tonight, Van Susteren took to her Greta Wire blog to talk about “how different CNN and Fox” seem to her. Van Susteren points out that at Fox, they occasionally have a party, but usually it’s to c...

Roger Ailes Says He Told Fox News Anchors To Tone It Down
The man responsible for making Fox News the biggest Cable News network in the country says he thinks everyone needs to calm down in the wake of the Arizona...