So, Is it Still the "Blame Game" When Nobody is Blaming?

Much of this blog over the last week has been focused on the Arizona assassination attempt of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, and the offshoot discussions it generated. While there of course has been discussion about gun control (a topic which oddly is widely believed to be futile), the bulk of the chatter has been about political rhetoric, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Sharron Angle, and other tangents. The right wing in particular has been in hyper-defensive mode, vociferously denying that their rhetoric could incite violence, while simultaneously advocating their right to use violent rhetoric (and don't forget, the left does it too! and just as much!).

But more than that, they've also nattered on about how the left "blamed" Sarah Palin for the shootings. And blamed the right and everything about it, and that's just wrong, it was too soon, and it isn't true! Well, it isn't true. I've been saying this for a while now. Pointing out that Palin said and did incendiary stuff, or that the political air is toxic isn't the same as "blaming." I'd say the furthest most mainstream pundits or politicians went was to say it could have contributed to a climate that could lead to such actions. And it could.

[Excerpt]

NYT: No widespread blame of the right for Arizona shooting

Conservatives are outraged -- outraged! -- that the traditional media has spent the last week blaming them and their violent rhetoric for the shooting in Arizona.

Just one problem: it's not true. . .

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