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The Fallout, Tucson to Washington

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We hear perspectives on heated political rhetoric and violence in America. Former GOP Utah Sen. Bob Bennett talks about death threats he received in office.

A sheriff speaks to another officer at the scene of the shooting in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday. (AP)
A sheriff speaks to another officer at the scene of the shooting in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday. (AP)

The weekend’s mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, is still sinking in.

It’s not as though we haven’t known political violence in this country before. We’ve known too much.

But an ordinary member of Congress talking with regular constituents in an ordinary grocery store parking lot? This is now a target? What’s happened? What’s wrong?  How will we have a functioning democracy if rage and bullets threaten to overwhelm an ordinary “meet and greet” – a Congresswoman talking with regular folks on a regular Saturday morning?

We're trying to come to grips with the Tucson killings.
-Tom Ashbrook
**Our other show Monday, "The Shooting in Arizona," also focuses on this topic.

Guests:

Gail Chaddock, congressional correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.

Mark Potok, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project, which tracks extremist groups across the country.

Bob Bennett, former Senator of Utah. He was defeated in the primary last year by a Tea Party candidate.

Mona Charen, syndicated columnist.

Bill McKenzie, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Dallas Morning News.

Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst.

This program aired on January 10, 2011.

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