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CBS Poll: Nearly 6 in 10 Americans Don't Blame Political Tone for Tucson Shooting

By Philip Klein on 1.11.11 @ 11:02AM

A new CBS news poll shows that nearly six in ten Americans don't think the political tone had anything to do with the Tucson shooting:

Overall, 57 percent of respondents said the harsh political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who felt it did. Republicans were more likely to feel the two were unrelated -- 69 percent said rhetoric was not to blame; 19 percent said it played a part. Democrats were more split on the issue -- 49 percent saw no connection; 42 percent said there was.

When even a plurality of Democrats don't think harsh rhetoric had anything to do with the shooting, it's clear that liberals' desperate attempts to pin this attack on conservatives have been failing. This is largely a result of the fact that a) there has been no evidence to support such a link and b) conservatives did a good job pushing back against the left-wing effort to exploit this tragedy.

Dave Weigel notes that this will likely cause Republicans to moderate their rhetoric in the near term, and I agree with him. But I think it's silly to make hay out of the fact that Republicans' repeal bill is called, the "Repeal of the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act." To the extent that there will be a moderation in tone -- and I think this applies to both parties -- it will more apply to the way lawmakers refer to each other or suggest anything that can suggest a call to violence (i.e., Democrats referring to Republicans as "terrorists" and "hostage takers" or Republicans calling Obama a socialist in the context of talking about how we may be on the verge of a revolution). But I imagine harsh attacks on policies themselves will still be fair game, even in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

View all comments (18) | Leave a comment

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.11.11 @ 11:42AM

Philip,
You can count on me to NEVER use the word "socialist"!

I will continue to call them precisely what they are.
They are communists, (pardon the shorthand), frustrated as hell with the results of the 2nd amendment that has been a continual deterrent to their plans.
The despicable would-be tyrants now in the administration do NOT want a "soft European nanny state".
I want to puke every time I see that phrase.

These guys want total dictatorial power.

I am afraid that sooner than later these communists, (again pardon the shorthand), are going to cross "the line that cannot be crossed" .

See, Philip, they are running out of time, and they know it. In addition, they have lost control of Congress...due to the ballot box. They have lost control in many States.

It seems to me that they have no choice but to launch a political/social "Battle of The Bulge".

Finally, I believe enough of us understand that so that we won't be caught off guard as our Army was in 1944. We KNOW we won't be home for Christmas.

Loughner FAQ| 1.11.11 @ 3:32PM

The problem the teapartiers have is that their leaders are corrupt, using useful idiots to make money for themselves or others. The TP base are some of the dumbest, least stable people I've run across in politics.

On the plus side, the next time a teapartier throws a tantrum at a public meeting, they're at least going to have a meeting with Mr. Taser.

Troll Alert| 1.11.11 @ 3:45PM

Proof please troll. Otherwise you're talking to yourself. GOD bless!

Gene| 1.11.11 @ 4:16PM

loughner faq,, Could you please give me evidence of the leaders of the teapartiers being corrupt.

Loughner FAQ| 1.11.11 @ 7:37PM

If you want proof, the first thing you need to do is find my site. To do that, travel to outer Nunavit where Gen. JohnsonJamieson will introduce you to Maj. EdDames. The Major will then conduct an RV session, in which the HatMan will inform you of my site.

After you find out my site, you need to use your SuperDecoderRing to find the hidden link that's in the center right portion of every page at the site containing my extensive coverage of the 'partiers. 99.9999% of visitors won't notice that link, because you need the SuperDecoderRing to find it.

Then, after that, you'll have the answer.

Patriot| 1.11.11 @ 7:46PM

Sounds like you should have a meeting with Mr. Straitjacket, troll.

martin j smith| 1.11.11 @ 12:25PM

The 40% who buy the garbage of the left are despicable. They fail to recognize that in a instance of so severe trauma where a dozen are shot and six killed these malcontents would use the rantings of a paranoid schizophrenic for political hay--Its beyond shame on them. There are no words that i would be willing to use to describe my contempt for people who manipulate for their political advantage a community that has suffered as well as our nation. They will make healing impossible until they are stopped. And the fact that they lie makes it even more so. This sheriff Dupnick should be asked to resign. he is not capable of being a justice of the peace.

Big Java| 1.11.11 @ 12:35PM

There will be no moderation from the left. They speak truth to power; we use 'hate speech'. Just that simple.

Loughner FAQ| 1.11.11 @ 3:35PM

If TP leaders had just concentrated on opposing "hate speech" and related topics and had done so using civil, pro-American tactics, they'd get a lot more support.

Instead, they've almost completely ignored those types of topics; they've been explicit about only focusing on money. Does that give you a clue? I'm going to guess not.

Troll Alert| 1.11.11 @ 3:47PM

Still waiting for proof please. Without posting proof you're just an example of someone with too much time on their hands. GOD bless!

Patriot| 1.11.11 @ 7:54PM

The Tea Party administered a November 2010 shellacking to the Leftocrat party--that's all the proof of support I need.

Thanks for your concern, though, Mr. Straitjacket.

martin j smith| 1.11.11 @ 12:41PM

The answer is to Saul Alinsky the Left. Lies to loss of power.

NVA Patriot| 1.11.11 @ 1:06PM

So moderation is in order for our speech as the communists h/t to Ken (Old Texan) continue to dimantle our Republic and slander men and women of courage who defend it -

Sorry Our VA Tea Party is NOT taking a bite of that apple. We're planning more action and structuring ourselves to turn anger into votes, votes into conservative legislators, and conservative legislators into conservative governance...

We'll be at this a while - probably the next 20 years - and WE.THE.PEOPLE. ARE. TARGETING. COMMUNISTS. AND. SOCIALISTS.

...and their financial underpinning of forced unionization for public bureacrats...

Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 2:52AM

Bravo, NVA Patriot!

BRUCE| 1.11.11 @ 1:44PM

THE USUAL TRAITORS WILL TRY TO CURTAIL OUR FREEDOMS BY GOING AFTER THE FIRST AND SECOND AMENDMENT BUT IT WILL NOT WORK.THE COMMIES IN CONGRESS DON'T HAVE VOTES ANY MORE AND PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF BONGO AND HIS COMMIEZARS PLAN TO DESTROY OUR REPUBLIC.WHAT THE LAME STREAM SORROS MEDIA WON'T TELL YOU IS THAT AZ.SHOOTER WAS A MARXIS NUT ONE OF THEIR OWN.BUT THEY RUSH TO BLAME ANY ONE WHO DISAGREES WITH THEIR COMMIE PLANS.

bruce| 1.11.11 @ 1:45PM

cap lock was cat on the key board.

Patriot| 1.11.11 @ 2:11PM

The Leftists just jumped the shark big time-- they're slow to realize that their Alinsky methods aren't working anymore. We have to fight back because our backs are up against the wall.

Obama revealed the Left's political philosophy best when he stated, "If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun." Yeah, we know, punk.

tonypal| 1.11.11 @ 8:58PM

This seems insane, unless you understand how the left operates. Recall that Obama's former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel once said never let a crisis go to waste. An attack on a member of Congress is a direct attack against our country and... our constitution, so this definitely qualifies as a crisis.

As with every other crisis real or imagined, the left must immediately cast itself and some constituency (minorities, gays, the homeless, the democrat party) as the victim and designate a political opponent to isolate and demonize. I suggest you read Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky. This whole event is straight out of the playbook.

In this instance, the assigned victim is the government itself. Who "hates" the government: Why it's Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin and the Tea Party. Voila! You have your bad guys. Throw in a compliant lap dog media that is utterly debased and you have your narrative.

Note also how comfortable the left is in using an attack on one of it's own to advance their cause, without any regard for the actual victim or victims themselves. Doesn't it seem sensible to give the devastated families of the real victims some time to come to grips with what happened? What about the poor democrat congresswoman lying in the hospital with a hole in her head? As I said, no regard for one of their own, because to the left people are disposable. If you think that's a bit over the top, go take a look at the 20th century and tell me how life turned out for people living under the command of leftist governments.