While many have called for the political rhetoric to be toned down following the mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, the results of a CBS News poll released on Tuesday showed that a majority of Americans think that the harsh political tone and the shooting were unrelated.
The poll showed that 57 percent of Americans think that the political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who believe that it did.
A notable majority of Republicans, 69 percent to 19 percent, said that the political rhetoric and the shooting were unrelated, while Democrats were more split, 49 percent to 42 percent. The feelings among Independents closely reflected the overall breakdown, 56 percent to 33 percent.
CBS News said that the telephone poll was conducted January 9-10 among 673 adults across the country. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Jared Lee Loughner, 22, allegedly killed six people, including U.S. District Judge John Roll and a 9-year old girl, and wounded fourteen others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in a shooting spree at a political event outside of a local supermarket.
In light of reports suggesting that Loughner is mentally disturbed, the shooting has raised concerns about the impact that the recent rise in vitriolic political rhetoric can have on certain segments of the population.
Particular criticism has been leveled at former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who published a map with the crosshairs of a gun on Democratically-held districts that she wanted to target in the recent midterm elections, including Gifford's 8th district in Arizona.
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