The GOP is in full spin mode and we are being responsible.

[chieftain]

Kyle is attacking the sheriff. Palin is denying that those were gun sights on Gabby's district. Alexander is shilling for the Tea Party. Meanwhile our spokespeople are being measured in our remarks being very careful not to make statements that are inflammatory.
This situation underscores our inability to influence a story line.The nation was already in an uproar before we clarified that the mosque at ground zero was really a community center at a former Burlington Coat Factory. We need one of our people would go on record citing the incidents of violence, threats and intimidation that have been recently unleashed on Democrats.Those attacks on our democratic procedures are related to this event. We ought not be afraid to shout it from the housetops.

[hlthe2b]

1. We need to call the media talking heads out in masse

EVERY single time they afford an apology for the RW extremists they need to be called on it and their "journalistic integrity" questioned, publicly and very loudly.

[whathehell]

2. Amen....n/t

[still_one]

3. You want to call them out in masse, turn the channel. Let the their sponsers know. /nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. That's what I'm talking about!

[IntravenousDemilo]

4. I mean, it's not as if we haven't been warning all along that something like this would happen. n/m

[Wednesdays]

5. GOP in full spin mode, indeed...

:(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=146541&mesg_id=147068

[eleny]

6. "Palin is denying that those were gun sights on Gabby's district. "

What are they then, vintage tv patterns?

[Kerrytravelers]

9. She's now claiming they were "surveyor's symbol."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110109/ts_yblog_theticket/in-the-aftermath-of-the-giffords-shooting-a-debate-over-heated-political-rhetoric

For her part, Palin offered her "sincere condolences" to the victims in a statement on Saturday. At the same time staffers removed the map from the ex-Alaska governor's political site, though it remained available on her Facebook page. Rebecca Mansour, a Palin aide, told a GOP radio host that the graphics on the map was not a gun sight but a "surveyor's symbol." (Palin, herself, referred to the graphic as a "bullseye.")

[eleny]

15. Too late since she already claimed what they are, as you've illustrated

[stubtoe]

20. WHAT?!!

Oh for the luvva ...

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

7. the sadness in me is turning into gut wrenching agony

It seems nothing will change. The hate rhetoric will keep coming from one side and the victims from the other.

[Rageneau]

8. I am preparing to accept the "fact" that this was the Clintons' doing/

[Kerrytravelers]

11. In T-minus 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2...

[vaberella]

17. It's already been Obama's fault because of the health care bill.

That was said from the get-go. So Clinton isn't to far away.

[karynnj]

12. Don't worry that much about them - and especially Palin making those comments

Think back to grade school - when something wrong happened in the school room, remember that the normally good kids weren't the ones protesting their innocence. They have played the Congresswoman's comments from last summer on the Palin ad. She sounds moderate, reasonable and right - and Palin is arguing that there was no problem - in something where there was enough problem she took it off her site. That action says it all.

The comments by Democrats have been very thoughtful and are speaking to the need to end the angry, divisive speech.

Who will sound better to people - few as they have become - who are not aligned?

There is no need to label the shooter as a tea partier - the fact that someone with the problems he was already known to have could get a gun is a problem.

[chieftain]

16. I was not suggesting that we label the shooter a teabagger.

My point is that the GOP is in the process of building a firewall between the excesses of the RW radio and teabaggers that can affect an unstable mind like this guy and what happened yesterday.There ought to be a national discussion about demagogic language and the damage it can do. The Republicans are trying to suppress it at the outset.

[karynnj]

22. Sorry - I was not trying to say you were

I was trying - rather incoherently to say that their protests only hurt them. IMO, by making excuses for themselves they prolong not shorten the discussion.

Just like with Oklahoma City, the high level of violent political speech and the demonization of the other side will be seen as part of the cause. The difference with Oklahoma City is that then it was loud mouth talk radio jerks, this time it was a possible Republican Presidential candidate and their last VP nominee. That really does say something.

[chieftain]

23. No problem.

I agree that we should not make unconfirmed accusations.It is clear to me that the RW knows that this could be a big problem for them and so they are out in force to frame the conversation. I get very frustrated when the truth and facts bear out our point of view but by the time we are making our rational, well-grounded and nuanced cases, the public discourse has been hijacked by the other side.

[Still a Democrat]

13. What Republican has blamed Democrats or liberals for the shooting?

I'm not talking about media blowhards like Limbaugh, I'm talking elected officials.

[vaberella]

18. Every republican has suggested that because of the health care bill there has been heated rejection.

This to me is them suggesting it's the Dems fault, in particular Obama.

[chieftain]

21. We are being responsible in our comments to the media,

not in causing the event. The RW know that this event can be damaging to them so they are spinning the story that the guy was a nut and/or their rhetoric has been within the bounds of normal political discourse. Failing making those points, they say that both sides engage in inflammatory speech. They are setting the framework for the national discussion and except for the Tucson sheriff very few of our spokespeople are refuting the GOP talking points.

[RBInMaine]

14. The message WILL be brought home that irresponsible political vitriol should be CONDEMNED.

[Vinca]

19. I hope they find a darn love letter to Palin in the kid's safe.

He was a loon influenced by a bunch of loons and this is the end result.