Was Matt Lauer trying to diminish the significance that political vitriol has on murderers?

[mtnsnake]

This morning on Today he kept asking Sheriff Dupnik, "Yeah, can people, though, be held responsible, though, for the actions of the .0001% of people living in this country based on something they say? Do we have to completely alter the way we speak in this country and the subject matter we cover because of the .0001% of people living in this country?"

Maybe I misinterpreted Lauer, but it seemed as if he was saying that the people who incite hatred shouldn't be held responsible when it's such a small number of people who actually go out and kill someone. The key word here by Lauer is the word "though" and how he used it, but watch it for yourself in case I read him wrong.

Then Tom Brokaw, who was also getting interviewed at the same time, piped in with his two cents by saying, "In the 1960's the rhetoric on the Left spilled over to the violence of the (and he finished the sentence with a word that sounds like "weatherman"?)." Thanks, Tom, for using the anger of the Left as your prime example. Idiot.

Of course, Sheriff Dupnik handled himself with dignity, nailing the subject right smack on the head again.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/40999371#40999371

(edit to add two words I inadvertently left out)

[LiberalEsto]

1. Matt is a corporate tool

who can't distinguish his ass from his elbow.

[mtnsnake]

6. He's a prime example of what excessive amounts of money often do to someone

When he first started out, he seemed fairly neutral. Over the years, he has developed into little more than a corporate tool, as you noted. You nailed it.

[seabeyond]

2. ya matt. in the past, use to be called decency, civility. go figure. i know a time past

but it really did work, as a whole.

[whathehell]

3. Probably. Most, including Tom "both sides" Brokaw, are trying to avoid of blaming the Right.

[indepat]

4. F*** Laurer and Brokaw with a rubber hose, metaphorically speaking of course as

always. ;)

[patrice]

5. If people can't be held responsible for the actions of others what is their case against LGBTs?

Whether it is actually possible or not, aren't we supposed to fear that others will catch "the Gay"?
Why are LGBTs held responsible for the actions of others?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. He continues to pimp Palin.

[Johonny]

8. a lot of the media all week end was trying to kill this story angle

hate puts people in seats. The media heads do not want to tone down the act for fear of losing ratings. So the lone nut, would of killed someone eventually angle is being pushed hard.