Democratic Congresswoman Among 12 Shot in Arizona

By the way, almost all Klan members were Democrats.

 

OK, it's Chris Matthews. OK, it's MSNBC. But tonight I think he brought up a fair point that Sarah Palin -- herself -- needs to say something -- and not just to Glenn Beck -- about her "crosshairs" map. Fair or not, it's turning into a PR disaster for her. If not because of the shooting, but because of Republicans' and Democrats' self-examination of political rhetoric.

Heck, all she has to do is say, look, I used this imagery, and I understand it's upsetting a lot of people right now. Of course, I never intended to send a message of violence. I will continue to speak passionately about what I believe is best for the country, and I will continue to speak passionately in favor of -- and against -- those politicians who I feel are doing what's best. I will use words and images that make that clear, while doing my best to engender a healthy, respectful debate.

Instead, she's got one of her lackeys telling a friendly voice that the gun sights weren't gun sights -- they were surveyor marks. Who is she kidding? Just cop to what you've done. When John Shadegg was asked on NPR today whether equating the health care bill was Russian gulag politics was over-the-top, he said, yeah -- and I paraphrase the rest -- that sometimes in the heat of the moment, to make a point, you can go to extremes that you later realize wasn't the best choice of words. Unlike "it was surveyor's marks," that's an explanation that washes.

I don't think every politician who's said even the least uncivil thing needs to step up and put on a hairshirt. But for Palin, her future as a political kingmaker or candidate is at stake. Politico had a good take on it here, saying Palin at this moment has to decide it she's a media figure or a presidential candidate. If she's a media figure, then she can get away with more incendiary language.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47351.html

It's not fair, necessarily, but it's the position she, uniquely, is in.

 

The surveyor marks line was idiotic.

A good one from Matthews yesterday. In lamenting the shooting and other assassinations/assassination attempts in America, he asked, "what is it about America?"

Then he said, "I don't see political leaders getting killed in Canada or Mexico."

Have you followed the news coming out of Mexico at all Chris? They're killing Mayors and police chiefs like crazy down there.

 

Wonderfully said. The disappointing part was that the low-road taken, the denials and closing ranks, was incredibly predictable.

 

Southern Democrats. Nearly all of whom became Republicans after passage of the Civil Rights Act. But you knew that, didn't you? And if you didn't, you should sue your high school for doing you a grave disservice.

 

Democratic Party ideals, just like Republican ideals, have shifted over the years. They were not always solely representative of the current way we think about them.

 

What if this guy wasn't motivated by political rhetoric or literal calls to arms by politicians? Does it really matter? Isn't the fact that we all feared that might be a possibility (Sarah Palin included, judging by her reaction) an admission that there's a real problem here?

 

It's like these people don't know that google exists and that their previous words have been documented.

 

No doubt, but I figure a backlog of cases, the MLK holiday and attending Judge Roll's funeral will put Westboro's case on ice - for about a week or so.

 

That's what I get for commenting without reading. The law is fairly narrowly tailored and should pass Constitutional scrutiny. It's not a blanket ban on funeral protesting. It's a time-place-manner ban on protesting within 300 feet for up to one hour before or after. That's fine.

 

Disappointed he couldn't use this tragedy for political gain, Dem Congressman hopes he can use the next one: