Giffords Called Responsive After Attack  —  TUCSON — Representative Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who was gravely wounded in a shooting rampage, remained in critical condition on Sunday but has been able to respond to simple commands, and her doctors described themselves as “cautiously optimistic.”

Palin staffer calls using tragedy to score political points ‘obscene’  —  The news was barely out today when social networks were erupting, blaming Sarah Palin and the tea party for inciting the 22-year-old alleged gunman who shot U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona …

Should We Blame Sarah Palin for Gabrielle Giffords' Shooting?  —  Already, people are pointing fingers at Sarah Palin and her “target map” for fostering the tragedy in Arizona—but Howard Kurtz says military terminology has been part of politics for ages.  —  I hate to say this, but the blame game is already under way.

Violence and threats have no place in democracy  —  The political rhetoric of the country must be changed to prevent acts of domestic terrorism  —  Below:  —  on msnbc.com -  — More from: - TODAY - Nightly News - Meet the Press - Dateline - Morning Joe - Hardball - Countdown - Rachel Maddow - msnbc tv

A 'SURVEYOR'S SYMBOL'?.... On March 22, the day before the Affordable Care Act became law, former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin (R) published a list of House Democrats with crosshairs, like that of a rifle scope, over their districts.  A day later, she sent a message to “commonsense conservatives” …

Bloodshed Puts New Focus on Vitriol in Politics  —  WASHINGTON — The shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and others at a neighborhood meeting in Arizona on Saturday set off what is likely to be a wrenching debate over anger and violence in American politics.

It Doesn't Matter Why He Did It  —  Judging from his Internet postings, Jared Lee Loughner is a delusional young man whose inner political landscape is a swamp of dystopian novels, left- and right-wing tracts, conspiracy theories, and contempt for his fellow human beings.

Arizona Suspect's Recent Acts Offer Hints of Alienation  —  WASHINGTON — Jared Lee Loughner had become increasingly erratic in recent months, so much so that others around him began to worry.  —  He had posted on his Myspace page at some point a photograph of a United States history textbook, on top of which he had placed a handgun.

Arizona shooting suspect may be linked to anti-Semitic group  —  THE suspect being held over Saturday's shooting of US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords may have links to anti-Semitic race hate group American Renaissance.  —  An internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) …

A disgrace to nuts everwhere  —  The race is on to place Jared Loughner among conservatives and attribute responsibility for yesterday's murders to the political opponents of President Obama.  It is a handy device to stifle resistance to the left.  As you might expect — see, e.g. …

Born, died between 2 tragedies  —  Aspiring politician Christina-Taylor Green was born in the midst of tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, and died Saturday morning while trying to meet Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.  —  The strong-willed 9-year-old third-grader had gone to meet Giffords with a neighbor when she was shot.