Poll: Most Feel Tucson Shooting, Political 'Tone' Unrelated

Poll

A CBS NEWS poll said that while a plurality of Americans think TUCSON shooter JARED LEE LOUGHNER was "probably" motivated by politics to shoot Rep. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (D-AZ), a majority -- 57% -- do not think that the "harsh political tone" in AMERICA had anything to do with the shooting.

A majority of Republicans (69%) and almost half of Democrats (49%) agreed that the political tone did not play a part in LOUGHNER's actions, although 42% of Democrats saw a connection while only 19% of Republicans did. 56% of independents thought there was no correlation, while 33% said there was a connection.

The TUCSON incident has touched off a debate over whether talk radio and cable news, or the "Tea Party" movement, played a part in LOUGHNER's attack, although no evidence has yet been turned up to show any connection.

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