Poll: Most Americans Feel Rhetoric, Tucson Shooting Unrelated  —  Nearly six in 10 Americans say the country's heated political rhetoric is not to blame for the Tucson shooting rampage that left six dead and critically wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, according to a CBS News poll.

The Politicized Mind  —  Before he allegedly went off on his shooting rampage in Tucson, Jared Loughner listed some of his favorite books on his YouTube page.  These included: “Animal Farm,” “Brave New World,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,” “Through the Looking Glass” and “The Communist Manifesto.”

Peter King, Leading Republican, To Introduce Strict Gun-Control Legislation  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … Rep. Peter King, a Republican from New York, is planning to introduce legislation that would make it illegal to bring a gun within 1,000 feet of a government official …

Blizzard Mystery Solved?  Air Bloomberg Was Seen in Bermuda  —  On the day after Christmas, a request came into the Bermuda airport: a private plane needed to be pulled out of its hangar and readied for takeoff.  —  The pilots seemed a bit anxious to depart.

Quote of the Day: No, Both Sides Aren't Equally Guilty  —  From George Packer, who notes (correctly) that he called out the left for its ugly rhetoric in the runup to the Iraq War, on where today's ugly rhetoric mostly comes from: … This is too obviously true to need much defense.

And Speaking Of Krugman And Double Standards At The Times...  OK, I am back in Arizona.  Pejman has a great piece on inflamed rhetoric which reminds me of this jaw-dropper - a Democratic Congressman who last fall said a Republican candidate for Governor should be shot has a guest piece in today's NY Times talking about civility.

Doc: Giffords ‘100 percent’ certain to survive  —  Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is “100 percent” certain to survive, said Dr. Peter Rhee, a surgeon treating her for a gunshot wound to the head.  —  “As a physician I'm going to get into a lot of trouble for this, but her prognosis for survival is 100 percent …

WikiLeaks  —  “WikiLeaks: treat incitement seriously or expect more Gabrielle Gifford killing sprees.”  —  Wikileaks today offered sympathy and condolences to the victims of the Tucson shooting together with best wishes for the recovery of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

Arizona lawmakers plan to block protesters within 300 feet of funerals  —  For more information, visit CNN affiliates KGUN, KOLD, KVOA, KPHO and KMSB.  Read the federal charges against Jared Lee Loughner (PDF).  —  Tucson, Arizona (CNN) — The Arizona Legislature is expected …

Downturn's Ugly Trademark: Steep, Lasting Drop in Wages  —  In California, former auto worker Maria Gregg was out of work five months last year before landing a new job—at a nearly 20% pay cut.  —  In Massachusetts, Kevin Cronan, who lost his $150,000-a-year job as a money manager in early 2009 …

Pima County sheriff should remember duty  —  On Saturday afternoon, with his friend Gabby Giffords in surgery fighting for her life, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik railed against the tense partisan politics - “the anger, the hatred, the bigotry” - that prompted the mass murders outside Tucson, in his view.

What Obama Should Say  —  I find the contrast between Palin's emails to Beck and the president's decision to go directly to Arizona telling.  Frum urges Obama to go all in on mental health: … My own view is that Obama should not use the occasion to duck it.

FROM ‘SPECIAL’ TO FRACTIOUS, HOW THE ROOTS OF FRICTION BETWEEN BRITAIN, FRANCE AND THE U.S. GO BACK TO THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE  —  While the apparent froideur of Barack Obama towards the British may stem from his Kenyan family's history during colonial rule it could be argued …

Kerry warns against a government ‘too limited to have invented the Internet’  —  Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) warned incoming Republicans Tuesday morning against cutting back the size of government so much that it cannot contribute to U.S. productivity.  —  “Do they want a government too limited …