Vitriol spinners losing the battle for hearts and minds?

Sarah Palin calls out liberal hate merchants for creating "Blood Libel"
Sarah Palin came out swinging Wednesday by calling out the liberal media and pundits for creating "a blood Libel" for last weekend's Arizona shooting.  Palin said; "acts of monstrous brutality ... begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively" with Americans exercising their constitutional freedoms. "If you don't like a person's vision for the country, you're free to debate that vision. If you don't like their ideas, you're free to propose better ideas. But, especi...

Re: Defending the Tea Party
Katrina’s piece on the homepage looks at how Tea Party–backed lawmakers have responded to the whirlwind Rhetoric surrounding the Tucson tragedy. I caught up with Mark Meckler, co-founder and national coordinator for Tea Party Patriots, late last night. He confessed to having been bogged down in a “media frenzy” over of the past few days, and said he wasn’t exactly pleased with what he’d been hearing. “What we saw is an example of the depravity of people ...

Palin responds to the left-wing's 'reprehensible' 'blood libel'
Sarah Palin responds to the left-wing's despicable effort to blame her and the right for the evil act of a deranged shooter in Arizona. Especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, Journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood Libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible. There are those who claim political Rhetoric is to blame for the despicable act of this deranged, apparently apolitical criminal. And they c...

Vitriol spinners losing the battle for hearts and minds?
The view from our front porch at daybreak this morning: Deck cranes of the container ship "West Bay" out of Hong Kong catch the sun's early rays dockside at Eastern Minerals across the street. By Sissy Willis of sisu "It looks like the vitriol spinners are losing the battle for hearts & minds," we just twittered," referencing a brand new CBS News poll that finds "Most Americans Feel Rhetoric, Tucson Shooting Unrelated" … Oh, the humanity! Do you sup...

Palin charges critics with 'blood libel' (Politico)
Sarah Palin released a video statement Wednesday calling the rush to pin blame on Conservatives for the Tucson shooting a “blood Libel.” “Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own,” she said. “They begin and end with the criminals who commit them.” In the eight-minute video, Palin says, “…especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, Journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violenc

The Westboro Left, Calculated Lies, and Wellstone II
Matthew Sheffield has a very interesting post up at the Washington Examiner: Fred Phelps, the crazy leader of the Westboro Baptist Church cult, has become infamous for blaming any bad event on the evils of Homosexuality. Earthquake in Haiti? Blame the gays. Combat troop deaths in Iraq? Ditto. Phelps' Logic Works thusly: God literally hates people who engage in Homosexual conduct and unless societies take the steps to ban and punish such action, God is going to destroy them. Any natural disast...

Sharron Angle: I condemn all acts of violence (Daily Caller)
Read more stories from The Daily Caller Heavy metal band responds to allegations that their music had any influence on AZ shooter Chris Christie to Rudy Giuliani: Butt out Police visited Loughner's home before shooting Face of evil: Mug Shots of famous assassins [SLIDESHOW] Poll of Conservatives shows support for broad cuts to spending, including Military Spending Former Republican Senate Candidate Sharron Angle condemned Tucson shooter Jared Loughner and expressed concern about the politicize...

Talk radio under siege
As I reported on the main site today, conservative media figures’ fears that the left will use Tucson to clamp down on them are not entirely unfounded. Rep. Jim Clyburn wants to bring back the Fairness Doctrine – a move aimed directly at Talk Radio – while Media Matters CEO David Brock asked Rupert Murdoch to rein in or possibly even fire Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. It’s hard not to read today’s news that Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee plans to ban state em...

Beck claims 'I don't use [violent rhetoric] on or off the air': Oh really?
Beck claims 'I don't use [violent Rhetoric] on or off the air': Oh really? It sure seemed that everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- at Fox News was focused yesterday on beating down the horrifying idea that somehow Fox News' incendiary rhetoric might have played a significant role in fomenting Saturday's horrifying tragedy in Arizona. Of course, Glenn Beck -- being one of the chief purveyors of said incendiary rhetoric -- was out there leading the attack, devoting his entire hour to...

Media Matters For America Calls Out Rupert Murdoch, Fox News, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin
David Brock (r) and friends. (Hey, is that Bawney Fwank I see?) Oh please. Now David Brock has his panties in a bunch because Beck used vampire imagery and compared him to a “smelly kid in third grade.” (Media Matters) — Today, in response to the tragic shooting in Arizona and the increasing focus on the tone of political discourse, Media Matters for America founder and CEO David Brock issued an Open Letter to News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch asking him to rein in Fox News persona...

Media Matters Calls On Murdoch To Rein In Beck, Palin
In a letter delivered to News Corp.CEO Rupert Murdoch Monday afternoon, and obtained by TPM, Media Matters founder David Brock says the time has come for Fox News to take responsibility for its programming. Specifically, Brock is calling on Murdoch to make Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck tone down their Rhetoric on threat of termination -- or to be complicit in acts of political violence. "Beck and Palin are two of Fox's most recognizable figures," Brock writes. "Before this heartbreaking tragedy i...

Media Matters new gay rights initiative names staffer
Trevor Thomas, director of communications for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, is joining Equality Matters, a Gay Rights and advocacy offshoot of the liberal group Media Matters. Thomas has been named Director of Programs for the new group. The move comes as Media Matters grows and expands beyond media criticism into more direct advocacy. In October, Media Matters president David Brock told Politico that the group was slowly expanding beyond its traditional role, as it collected 15,000 si...

Beck, Limbaugh respond to shooting
Conservative media figures like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh are raising fears that liberals could use the Tucson shootings as an excuse to clamp down on their voices, even as two prominent liberals made public statements urging that the FCC and Fox News do just that. Limbaugh and Beck, along with other conservative voices like Sarah Palin and Bill O’Reilly, had come under fire in the hours after the shooting from liberals such as Keith Olbermann and Paul Krugman, who accused them of us...

My Take: Is Arizona shooting an individual or shared sin?
Editor's Note : Stephen Prothero, a Boston University religion scholar and author of "God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Run the World," is a regular CNN Belief Blog contributor. By Stephen Prothero , Special to CNN After the shooting, the vitriol. First came the thunder from the left, blasting the right for creating a climate of hatred in which taking out your Glock and aiming it at a congresswoman might seem to be the next logical thing to do. Then came the thunder...

Jewish Republicans muted on Palin's 'blood libel' comment
Jewish Republicans had a muted reaction Wednesday to Sarah Palin's accusation that the media manufactured a "blood Libel" while covering the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.)  The term "blood Libel" refers to historical, false accusations that Jews used the blood of non-Jewish Children for religious purposes. Persecutors of the Jews employed a "blood Libel" mentality to justify acts of violence against them. Former Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, a member of the Re...

New Media Soundly Defeats Left-Wing Medias Political Witch Hunt
For nearly 20 years now I've been a conservative, which means that for nearly 20 years I've watched the hopelessly corrupt Mainstream Media do their dishonest dirty work on behalf of their allies on the left. And I would love to say that what happened over the weekend surprised me, but as soon as I learned of the tragic shootings, I knew exactly what was coming because we've seen it all before. Those of you old enough to remember the Assassination of President Kennedy also remember the media bla...

If you really believed political rhetoric caused Jared Loughner's killing spree, you wouldn't dare to say it.
Some people displayed a crazed Hunger for a vicious murderer who was inspired by the criticism of the government that has been so powerful over the last 2 years. Jared Loughner was not that guy, and, of course, they looked ridiculous and despicable jumping to say that he was. Now, what if it were really true that incendiary political Rhetoric pushed mentally unstable individuals over the edge and caused them to act out murderously? Picture such a mentally unstable person reading and listening t...

Sharron Angle defends rhetoric in wake of Arizona (The Ticket)
Former Nevada GOP Senate Candidate Sharron Angle is pushing back against critics aiming to link her campaign Rhetoric to the shootings in Arizona. "I condemn all acts of violence. The despicable act in Tucson is a horrifying and senseless tragedy, and should be condemned as a single act of violence, by a single unstable individual," Angle said in a statement, per CNN. "Expanding the context of the attack to blame and to infringe upon the people's Constitutional liberties is both dangerous and ...

First Comes Fear
By ROBERT WRIGHT NYT People on the left and right have been wrestling over the legacy of Jared Loughner, arguing about whether his Shooting Spree proves that the Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks of the world are fomenting violence. But it’s not as if this is the only data point we have. Here’s another one: Six months ago, police in California pulled over a truck that turned out to contain a rifle, a Handgun, a shotgun and Body Armor. Police learned from the driver — sometime after he opened

murdoch gets letters
and let's hope he takes action on this one. David Brock calls on murdoch to tone down the violent Rhetoric. ...you have the power to order them to stop using violent rhetoric, on and off of fox's air. if they fail to do so, it is Incumbent upon you to fire them or be responsible for the climate they create and any consequences thereof. - Media Matters...

Does Sarah Palin's Handling of This Week's Events in Tucson Tell Us Anything about her Presidential Ambitions?
Sarah Palin today release a video on Facebook expressing her grief and outrage over Saturday's shootings in Tucson. She also explained her Rhetoric and hit back at those who have suggested that the level of political discourse in the country is, in part, to blame for Jared Lee Loughner's unhinged rampage. “We know violence isn't the answer. When we ‘take up our arms', we're talking about our vote,” Palin says in the seven-and-a-half minute video. “Yes, our debates are ful...

Palin Calls Criticism of Her Rhetoric "Blood Libel"
Sarah Palin, addressing critics and pundits who have said her use of violent Rhetoric may have contributed to the shooting in Arizona that left a congresswoman injured and six others (Read more...) ...

Palin: 'Journalists and Pundits Should Not Manufacture a Blood Libel'
Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo. Like millions of Americans I learned of the tragic events in Arizona on Saturday, and my heart broke for the innocent Victims. No words can fill the hole left by the death of an innocent, but we do mourn for the victims’ families as we express our sympathy. I agree with the sentiments shared yesterday at the beautiful Catholic mass held in honor of the Victims. The mass will hopefully help begin a healing process for the...

Sarah Palin: America must be stronger than evil displayed last week
Responding to criticism that political Rhetoric was to blame for the tragedy in Tucson that killed six and injured 14 others, Sarah Palin posted a video early Wednesday titled, "America's Enduring Strength." Palin said she had "listened at first puzzled, then with concern and now with sadness to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event." "If you don't like a person's vision for the country, you're free to debate that vision. If you don't like...

Left Lays Seige After Arizona Shootings
Sheriff Dupnik’s comments immediately after the horrific weekend shootings wherelaid the blame on conservative Talk Radio have caused the American left and right even further apart. Though there is no proof that the suspect Jared Loughner ever listened to talk radio, and in fact may actually have leftist beliefs, Sheriff Dupnik continued to pound the airwaves and lengthened his fifteen minutes of fame into a fifth day. Despite the fact that he’s responsible for the investigation of ...