Bloodshed Puts New Focus on Vitriol in Politics (The latest spin from the NYT)

NYT ^ | 1/8/2011 | CARL HULSE and KATE ZERNIKE

[Qbert]

WASHINGTON — The shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and others at a neighborhood meeting in Arizona on Saturday set off what is likely to be a wrenching debate over anger and violence in American politics.

[Snip]

The original health care legislation stirred strong feelings that flared at angry town hall meetings held by many Democratic lawmakers during the summer of 2009...

[Snip]

Not since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 has an event generated as much attention as to whether extremism, antigovernment sentiment and even simple political passion at both ends of the ideological spectrum have created a climate promoting violence.

[Snip]

Tea Party activists also condemned the shooting. Judson Phillips, the founder of Tea Party Nation, noted on his Web site that Ms. Giffords is “a liberal,” but added, “that does not matter now. No one should be a victim of violence because of their political beliefs.”

But others said it was hard to separate what had happened from the heated nature of the debate that has swirled around Mr. Obama and Democratic policies of the past two years.

[Snip]

DeAnn Hatch, a co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party, said her group had never staged any rallies against the congresswoman elsewhere, and she did not believe there were any Tea Party protesters at the event Saturday.

“I want to strongly, strongly say we absolutely do not advocate violence,” she said. “This is just a tragedy to no end.”

But others said it would be hard to separate this shooting from the ideological clash.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

Fair enough. He could very well be a lib. Just trying not to jump to any conclusions...

[SuziQ]

But others said it was hard to separate what had happened from the heated nature of the debate that has swirled around Mr. Obama and Democratic policies of the past two years.

Hmmm. Would the Old Grey Lady be this upset if some whacked out lib had attacked Sarah Palin? After all, leftist websites, and national news groups have been attacking her since the minute she was named as GOP Veep Nominee, and it has been non-stop vitriol. I guess they'd say she had it coming because of HER angry rhetoric.

[Clink]

Not since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 has an event generated as much attention as to whether extremism, antigovernment sentiment and even simple political passion at both ends of the ideological spectrum have created a climate promoting violence.

Huh, I wonder why the author didn't mention Mark Penn's statement just two months ago that B.O. and the Dems "needed another event like Oklahoma City"? That's right because he's a DEMOCRAT. Statements such as this, and the "pearls" today by people such as Paul Krugman, Jane Fonda, Roger Ebert, Keith Olberman, to name just a few, show the radical left for the slimy bastards that they are.