It’s not just the left anymore making a connection between Republicans and the assassination attempt on a Democratic congresswoman, and the assassination of a federal judge. Now it’s a GOP Senator:

Others acknowledged what they called an unavoidable reality—flamboyant or incendiary anti-government rhetoric of the sort used by many conservative politicians, commentators and tea party activists for the time being will carry a stigma. A senior Republican senator, speaking anonymously in order to freely discuss the tragedy, told POLITICO that the Giffords shooting should be taken as a “cautionary tale” by Republicans. “There is a need for some reflection here – what is too far now?” said the senator. “What was too far when Oklahoma City happened is accepted now. There’s been a desensitizing. These town halls and cable TV and talk radio, everybody’s trying to outdo each other.”

Let it be noted that the Republicans control the majority of talk radio and cable TV shows that try outdo each other. The GOP controls talk radio. From Dr. Laura to Limbaugh to Hannity, O’Reilly, Beck, Savage and the rest. As for cable TV shows that try to outdo each other, CNN doesn’t even try to do shows like that, MSNBC is new to the game (and in any case, shows left and right), whereas FOX News has given the GOP an entire network all to itself and has been broadcasting vitriol, with incendiary hosts and guests, for 15 years. There is no equivalence. And finally, the town halls. Who has been using angry mobs to disrupt town halls in a manner that is one hair away from violent? Republicans. Not Democrats, but Republicans.