Poll: Most Americans Feel Rhetoric, Tucson Shooting Unrelated

Members of Congress and staff members observe a moment of silence Monday on the East Steps of the Capitol.

/ AP

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

Nearly six in 10 Americans say the country's heated political rhetoric is not to blame for the Tucson shooting rampage that left six dead and critically wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, according to a CBS News poll.

Giffords Remains Critical, but Doctors Hopeful
Pawlenty, Kennedy Knock Palin for Gun Imagery
Special Section: Tragedy in Tucson

In the wake of the shooting, much focus has been put on the harsh tone of politics in Washington and around the country, particularly after a contentious midterm election. Rhetoric and imagery from both Republicans and Democrats have included gun-related metaphors, but the majority of the country isn't connecting the shooting to politics.

The lone suspect in the attack, 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, had expressed in recent years a deep-seated distrust of the government and personal animosity toward Giffords, according to evidence collected by authorities, YouTube videos he made and accounts from former acquaintances.

Overall, 57 percent of respondents said the harsh political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who felt it did. Republicans were more likely to feel the two were unrelated - 69 percent said rhetoric was not to blame; 19 percent said it played a part. Democrats were more split on the issue - 49 percent saw no connection; 42 percent said there was.

Independents more closely reflected the overall breakdown - 56 percent said rhetoric had nothing to do with the attack; 33 percent felt it did.

The telephone poll was conducted Jan 9-10 among 673 adults across the country. The margin of error is +/- 4 percent. 

6 Photos

Arizona Shooting Victims

Poll: 45% Say Politics Motivated Jared Loughner
Poll: In the Wake of Arizona Shootings, Americans Split on Gun Control
Read the Complete Poll

---

This poll was conducted by telephone on January 9-10, 2011 among 673 adults nationwide first interviewed by CBS News December 17-20, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Poll.

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

Let me get this straight the same crowd from the right who is always suspicious of "Mainstream Media" polls now buys in from the get go! The issue is too hot be know how people really think or how the question was even phrased. You guys mocked the Noble Peace Prize cause Al Gore got it for his global warming film and work. That was researched over the course of two years as opposed to less than two days with this survey. Later ones I'm sure will reveal more reflection than early ones which are tend to one conciliation.

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

This instant unscientific poll is total BS and any statistician would tell you so!

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

You never called anyone a murderer? Really? Standard tactic of the anti abortion crowd but that isn't you huh? No...not you not when you are trying so hard to gain the high ground in an argument? HUH?

[6591Hou]

Well the shooters friends say the film series Zeitgeist had a profound impact on his life and his personality, and that he didn't identify with either the left or the right, he didn't listen to political radio and hated to watch the news - it sort of makes it obvious that the uncivil political discourse didn't influence this individual, he was completely apolitical.
So what do you do? So many people noticed his actions prior to this tragedy, that you cannot say it went unnoticed - a lot of people were aware of it and failed to act.
Remember the saying "Evil flourishes when good men do nothing"....

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

The police couldn't act cause carrying a gun there is not even a misdemeanor and having more then 9/10 bullets in a gun clip is no longer illegal either only the store's policy of no guns allowed on premises if posted so would have cleared anyone in Arizona to actually stop him! That is why we need gun control all you gun positive folks! By the way I own 8 rifles and 3 handguns and two compound bows. So don't try to write me off as some anti hunting non sportsman.

[Amused_By_It_All]

What would give any American the idea that heated, often violent rhetoric from the right has contributed to the shooting of a Democratic member of Congress? Maybe stories like this one:

A South Carolina gun and accessories company is selling semi-automatic rifle components inscribed with "You lie" - a tribute to the infamous words of 2nd District Republican Congressman Joe Wilson when he shouted at President Barack Obama during a congressional speech about national health care reform in the fall of 2009.

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

Thank you for posting this. We need more factual stuff like this to make the point!

[Sccoon]

Once again the American people have demonstrated greater intelligence and common sense that the political pundits.

Of course, this tragic shooting had nothing to do with the bitter partisan divide of our nation. It was the deed of an ill young man who increasingly was losing touch with sanity and the world around him.

Although his various Internet posting reflect some of the extreme beliefs of a few fringe groups, it is obvious to most Americans that he acted along and his act was an individually-motivated crime.

Equally sad is that too many liberals, conservatives and so-call media experts have jumped on this moment and reduced themselves to pandering opportunists eager to further stir the caldron of ideological tension for their own benefit.

Again, this was one sick man who was not influenced by the current poisoned political climate. Anyone who thinks otherwise is suffering from his/her own form of schizophrenia.

[coriolana]

A CBS poll? That says it all right there. Most Americans don't think the rhetoric was the single cause but you'd better believe we do think it was one of them. Don't believe spin-doctored politically-motivated polls. We all know CBS is a thug machine.

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

And Fox News is "Fair and Balanced" so much so that they have to tell people every day! LOL!

[caldodge]

Behold the all-powerful Sarah Palin! She caused an incompetent Democrat sheriff to drop the ball because he didn't want to cause trouble for a fellow government Democrat.

[AngryOldWhiteGuy]

And your Goddess Sarah Palin couldn't hold a job for more than two years and left office in a cloud of investigations on her crossing the line on personal versus business expenses as Governor!

[AlexVallas]

I don't buy it. First, the poll shows that the majority of GOP and Independents don't think politics played a role. Well, they are the ones who supported and voted for the GOP so they are not likely to admit they made a mistake or tht they are part of the ugly rhetoric that is prevalent today.

[whatithink-2009]

After 9/11, most people thought Iraq had something to do with it also.