CNN poll shows most do not blame Sarah Palin for Arizona shooting

Did Politics Play a Role in the Arizona Shooting?
I can't think of many events that have provoked as much instant and intense debate as the question of whether the Tucson gunman was influenced by political and media Rhetoric. [Read the U.S. News debate: Has political rhetoric become dangerously extreme?]His Killing Spree had hardly ended before some commentators were accusing Sarah Palin and others of influencing his actions. More nuanced criticism followed, singling out the Tea Party, Talk Radio, Arizona's political climate, and Gun Laws­...;

Giffords Shooting in Arizona Spurs Gun Law Debate
The tragic shooting in Arizona, which left six people dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords seriously wounded, immediately swept aside business as usual for Congress, possibly altering its agenda for the rest of the year. As legislators mourned those who were lost, they also mulled how to move forward in a very new political climate. [See photos from the Arizona shooting.] Although the House had been scheduled to debate a healthcare Repeal last week, that vote and all other major votes were postpon...

'Heated Rhetoric' Not to Blame in Arizona Shooting, Poll Finds
At the Washington Post (full survey here). The poll does not break down by party. I'm still tripping on the 56 percent of Democrats in yesterday's CNN poll who blamed "heated right-wing Rhetoric" for the attacks. It's 100 percent untrue, of course, and is thus a bigger statement on the ideological denial of reality that's the hallmark of radical progressive thinking in recent years. John Hawkins has more on this, "Understanding How The Left Thinks: It’s Not About What’s True, It&#...

NYT Public Editor Arthur Brisbane Almost Admits Liberal Bias Skewed Tucson Coverage
On Saturday, the New York Times's Public Editor offered a milquetoast apologia for the paper's leading role in falsely ascribing blame for the Tucson massacre to conservative pundits and politicians. Nowhere in the column did Public Editor Arthur Brisbane address columnist Paul Krugman's false smear of Rep. Michele Bachmann, noted in a letter sent by NewsBusters to Brisbane's office on Friday. Brisbane attributed the rush to blame, at least in part, Sarah Palin and other conserva...

Palin Calls Out Media for Implicating Her in Tucson Shooting, CBS Has Amnesia
On Tuesday's CBS Early Show, congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes reported on Sarah Palin's first interview since the Tucson shooting: "She accused the Left and the News Media of trying to destroy her message, trying to destroy her, said she was being accused of being an accessory to Murder." Cordes forgot to mention her role in furthering those accusations against the former Alaska Governor. After playing a clip of Palin's Monday interview on Fox News' Hannity, Cor...

New CNN Poll: 54% Believe harsh rhetoric and violent metaphors will lead to another AZ shooting type incident
While the Villagers try to erect their own narrative about the Arizona shootings, and as right-wingers try to deflect the fallout from the Giffords shootings, something important is finally penetrating into the minds of Americans: Right Wing vitriolic Rhetoric that has permeated our airwaves is dangerous to our society. Only 32% believe they have no impact at all. 54% believe the use of a harsh Rhetoric and violent metaphors by politicians and commentators would cause a future incident similar t...

Rush Limbaugh: Ban liberals from having guns, e-mail
PALM BEACH, Fla. – In the aftermath of the Tucson massacre that left six people dead and 14 injured including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, radio host Rush Limbaugh proffered his own solution to help make the nation a safer, more civil place: prevent "liberals" from owning guns and sending e-mails. "I've got the solution to most crime in America," Limbaugh said today on his top-rated program. "From this day forward, somebody propose it. Liberals should not be allowed to buy guns. Just tha...

"Sarah Palin, she won't listen to their bunk. Sarah Palin's coming south to hunt some skunk."
Via Andrew Sullivan, who calls this "a fantastic nugget of hathos." I call it awesome. I do think "hunt some skunk" is an inappropriate metaphor after the Tucson massacre (though this performance predates that). I got to Sullivan through the commenter 1jpb, who said: "Sully's got some funny stuff up. And, it's very civil (as it is when cons mock the BHO tribute videos)." Singing to the glory of politicians should always appear ridiculous if not repulsive. Let's remember the classic benchmark...

CNN Poll: No change on gun law opinions after Arizona shootings
Washington (CNN) - Americans' overall attitudes toward Gun Laws have not budged an inch in the wake of the shootings in Arizona, according to a new National Poll. But a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday also indicates that majority of the public favors restrictions on semi-automatic guns and high-capacity ammunition clips, as well as Background Checks and limits on the number of guns that can be purchased. The poll indicates that the two sides of the gun debate are evenly b...

Poll: 69% Say Az. Shooting Has Not Changed Their Opinion on Gun Control
*18 Have the shootings in Arizona made you more likely to support stricter Gun Control laws, less likely to support stricted Gun Control laws or has your opinion on Gun Control not changed as a result of the Arizona shooting? CNN poll Politico Most Americans have not changed their views on Gun Control following the shooting nine days ago in Tucson, according to a CNN/Opinion Research poll out Monday. Sixty-nine percent of those polled said the shooting that left six dead and injured 13, includi...

Arizona shooting hasn't changed views on gun control
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows that Americans aren't any more likely to support stricter Gun Control laws in the wake of the Arizona shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. In the latest poll, 28% of those surveyed said that they would support stricter Gun Laws as a result of the attack, while 69% had no change in opinion regarding the nation's Gun Control measures. Still, although the shooting did not change minds, a full majority of Americans blamed lax Gun Control either a g...

CNN Poll: Blame game in Arizona shootings
Washington (CNN) - Americans feel sadness, anger and shock in the wake of the tragic events in Tucson, Arizona, according to a new National Poll. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday also indicates there's plenty of blame to go around over the shootings, but two-thirds of the public is pessimistic that the government or society can prevent something like this from happening again. A total of 19 people were shot January 8 at the "Congress on Your Corner" event at a Tucson sup...

Obama's ratings surge in two polls (Politico)
President Barack Obama’s Approval Ratings have surged in two polls conducted since he delivered his well-received Speech on the Tucson shooting - with even the vast majority of Republicans giving the president high marks for how he’s handled the tragedy. In a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday morning, 54 percent of Americans said they approve of how Obama is doing his job, while 43 percent disapprove. His approval rating is the highest it’s been in the poll since A...

Political Circus: Battle Hymn of the Sarah Palin Republic
Washington (CNN) - Politics is serious business - but not all of the time. From the halls of Congress to the Campaign Trail to the international stage, there's always something that gets a laugh or a second glance. Sarah Palin has been a polarizing political figure - popular with Conservatives, a villain for those on the left and even musicians. Two Palin supporters/amateur musicians are singing about their love for the former Governor of Alaska to the tune of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."...

Polls: Favorable to Obama Arizona Response and Mixed on Palin Crosshairs Map
The poll numbers are coming out now on how Americans are perceiving the tragic shootings in Arizona and the response of some politicians to it. The verdict: Obama rising and Palin at the very best did not impress or unimpressed. ABC News reports: Americans divide on the risks posed by the tone of the country’s political discourse but approve overwhelmingly of President Obama’s attempt to redirect it. Most also hold some hopes of political conciliation in the aftermath of the Tucson ...

Obama's Civilian Army, SEIU et al, "Targets" Wal-Mart and the Poor
Below is a flyer targeting America's favorite retailer. Notice the target the left was decrying after the Arizona shooting. Worse, they are attacking the man doing business with Wal-Mart at his home. His home with his family. These people should be jailed. Imagine how terrified his family is. The left incites their uneducated armies to violence and destruction. Where is their leadership denouncing such hateful Rhetoric? Bloodthirsty hypocrites. Redstate: The head of the SEIU purple people ...

No intention to move Arizona shooting trial: Justice Dept
Stumble This! WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There are no plans to move from Arizona the trial venue of the suspect in the Tucson shooting that killed six and wounded 13 others including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday. After saturation media coverage of the event and Federal Judges in Arizona recusing themselves, there was some media speculation the trial would be moved to another state. However, Department of Justice officials threw cold water on those suggestions. ...

No intention to move Arizona shooting trial: Justice Dept
WASHINGTON | Tue Jan 18, 2011 12:57pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There are no plans to move from Arizona the trial venue of the suspect in the Tucson shooting that killed six and wounded 13 others including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday. After saturation media coverage of the event and Federal Judges in Arizona recusing themselves, there was some media speculation the trial would be moved to another state. However, Department of Justice officials threw col...

Half (or more) of Americans Back Repeal of Obamacare
According to a CNN/Opinion Research poll released today, half of the country would like to see Obamacare repealed, forty-two percent would like it to remain law. Eighty-four percent of Republicans and 47 percent of Independents favor Repeal. Among Democrats, that number shrinks to 24 percent. Only 6 percent of adults surveyed said they favored all aspects of Obamacare. Sixteen percent disliked the entire piece of Legislation, while 34 percent disliked most of it.These findings contrast with the ...

Palin answers critics
Published: Jan. 18, 2011 at 11:14 AM Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says it's ridiculous to think the Tucson shooter was inspired by a political map her political action committee put up. UPI WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says it's ridiculous to think the Tucson shooter was inspired by a political map her political action committee put up. The map featured crosshairs over Congressional Districts including the one represented by Gabrielle Giffords who was shot i...

Sarah Palin refuses to 'shut-up'
Sarah Palin has attempted to redefine the phrase "blood Libel" saying it means to wrongly accuse someone of having blood on their hands after being widely condemned for her use of the term following the shootings in Arizona....

The folly of gun control
Some want bans on the extended-capacity ammunition clips that allowed Loughner to fire more than 30 shots from his Glock semi-automatic pistol without reloading. Others want improved background screening to prevent mentally unstable individuals from purchasing guns. Would these or other laws prevent incidents like the Arizona shooting? Probably not. And such laws, along with existing Gun Controls, not only harm responsible gun owners but may even increase violence. Gun-control laws fall into two...

Say What? January 18, 2011 Edition [Reader Post]
You will note how much liberals decided to tone down their Rhetoric this week, after claiming that it causes violent attacks upon politicians.  Although a couple of these quotes are a week old, most are from the previous week: NY Time columnist Paul Krugman : “We don’t have proof yet that this [shooting in Arizona] was political, but the odds are that it was. She’s been the target of violence before. And for those wondering why a Blue Dog Democrat, the kind Republicans mig...

Many questions, few answers left in Tucsons wake
By Nicholas Wilbur What is government if words have no meaning? That was the question Jared Lee Loughner posed to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in their first meeting. In their second meeting, he shot her in the head. The round-the-clock media circus has taken a swipe at every minute detail of Loughner's life in an attempt to understand his motivations for killing six and wounding 14 others in the attempted Assassination of a congresswoman. Unfortunately, the 24-hour-a-day speculation-based coverag...

Rep. Giffords continuing recovery
A little over a week after being shot in the head by a deranged person, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) is continuing to put up a miraculous fight to recover: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords smiles at her husband and has even given him a back rub, her doctors said today. The tracheotomy tube in the throat of the badly wounded Arizona congresswoman prevents her from speaking to her husband, Astronaut Mark Kelly, but the doctors said the smiles were important indicators. “It implies she is recognizin...