Congresswoman Giffords Clings to Life; Political Discourse Gets Ugly

The would-be target of the mass shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that left six people dead and many others injured is still clinging to life 48 hours after the horrific incident. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head by alleged gunman Jared Lee Loughner while Giffords was meeting with her constituents. Giffords was later stabilized by the medical staff at the University of Arizona medical center. According to CBS News, Dr Michael Lemole, a neurosurgeon at the medical center, told reporters Giffords was able to respond to simple commands and seemed to be stable.

More information about the alleged gunman has also begun to surface, including a disturbing picture of Loughner with a cynical smile on his face in a mug shot taken by the FBI. He met with a judge for the first time on Monday. Judge Lawrence Anderson denied Loughner bail; he was charged with five different counts, including attempted assassination of a member of Congress and assassination of a federal judge. More than likely, there are many more charges awaiting Loughner in the future.

The tragic events in Tucson, has raised questions about the role of the rhetoric currently being used in today's political climate. Outspoken liberal comedian Bill Maher criticized conservative figures like Sarah Palin and Glen Beck during a CNN interview. Maher criticized conservatives for embracing people he referred to as "nuts." He compared Beck to Loughner, implying he wasn't sure whether Glen Beck's and Jared Loughner's beliefs were any different. Maher also criticized Sarah Palin for the map she had on her website which clearly displayed cross hairs on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' district.

Conservatives have been quick to fire back, accusing liberals of playing politics with such a horrific tragedy. According to the Huffington Post, talk show host Rush Limbaugh defended himself and other conservatives, placing the blame on the parents; the local sheriff; and, in a surprising twist, rap music and heavy metal.

It seems like even in the face of tragedy, it is still impossible to stop the partisan bickering that has plagued politics in recent years. While most understand the present tone in politics has to change, less emphasis should be placed on finding who to blame and more on moving forward and figuring a better way to hold supposed leaders accountable for their words. Unfortunately, it has just begun, and the blame game will only intensify in the upcoming days and weeks.