Of course the big political story was the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. I have been talking for years now about the dangers of the extremist rhetoric of hate coming from the right wing almost daily, though not just trash media outlets like Fox News but also from the mouths of supposedly respected Republican politicians. This rhetoric has already led to scattered violence as well as many threats of violence. Often, though not always, there is a measure of racism or anti-Semitism or anti-Islam behind the hate rhetoric. But it is also directed against any politician who doesn't buy into the racist, extremist views of the modern Republican Party. I have written about this before as have others. It isn't new.
It remains uncertain to what degree this right wing hate rhetoric influenced the seemingly mentally ill man who shot Congresswoman Giffords. But it is within the violent climate generated by the violent right wing rhetoric aired frequently on Fox News and right wing talk radio as well as from the mouths of Republican politicians.