Clyburn: Words Do Have Consequences
In the wake of Saturday’s tragic shooting in Arizona, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn had harsh words regarding “the political discourse in the U.S.,” as Fox News Sunday fill-in host Bret Baier put it. “I think that what has happened here is the vitriol has gotten so elevated, until people feel emboldened by this,” Clyburn said. “And people, who are a little less than stable, and people aren't thinking for themselves or are so easily influenced, they go out and do things that all of us pay a great price for.”
Kyl: Don’t Rush to Speculate
Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, meanwhile, told Face the Nation: “I don’t think we should rush to speculate.” In regards to the alleged shooter, Kyl continued, “It’s probably giving him too much credit to ascribe a coherent political philosophy to him. We just have to accept that there are some unstable people in this country. Who knows what motivates them?”
Daniel Hernandez, Giffords’ Hero Intern
From the ashes of Saturday’s tragedy, a few uplifting stories have come to light, among them that of Daniel Hernandez, the intern to Gabrielle Giffords who rushed to the congresswoman’s side after the first shots were fired. He shared his harrowing ordeal with Christiane Amanpour on This Week.
Durbin: Toxic Rhetoric Must End
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin told State of the Union that while we do live in a world of violent images and words, we need to fight the "toxic" rhetoric that often invades political discussion. When asked if Democrats are as guilty as Republicans, Durbin refused to point fingers. He was, however, willing to single out Sarah Palin's use of the phrase, "Don't retreat, reload" and a "target map" as unacceptable discourse with the dangerous potential to push unstable people over the edge.
AZ Congressman: Shooter a “Deranged Monster”
On Meet the Press, Arizona Rep. Trent Franks, Gabrielle Giffords' colleague from the other side of the aisle, talked about the irony of a portion of the Constitution Giffords chose to read in front of Congress last week, specifically about the ability to "petition for redress of grievances," and "freedom of speech." Franks went on to blast the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, as a "deranged degenerate" who shot down a woman doing her job. "I think that's an attack not only on freedom and the country itself," he said, "It's an attack on humanity."
Clooney: Obama “Dropped the Ball” in the Sudan
On Fareed Zakaria GPS, George Clooney said that the Obama administration “sorta dropped the ball for about a year” when it came to dealing with strife in Sudan. However, “It’s understandable there were a few things going on in the United States that had to be taken care of.”
Columnists Debate Palin's Influence
In a heated discussion on Reliable Sources, Politico columnist Roger Simon and San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra Saunders debated whether Sarah Palin deserves any of the blame for sparking the Arizona shooting. Does complaining about political rhetoric cheapen the deaths, or does it give them added meaning?