(Host) The shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords two weeks ago in Tucson has sparked a national debate about civility in politics.
Senator Patrick Leahy is calling for politicians to turn down the temperature on political debate. He says he’s never been more concerned about the direction the U.S. Senate has taken.
(Leahy) "But I’ve talked to a lot of Senators-Republicans and Democrats. I think the desire is to lower the temperature. The desire is to be more substantive."
(Host) Leahy says he’s still optimistic that political discourse can improve. And he hopes Congress will heed the words of President Obama when he spoke at the Tucson memorial service.
(Leahy) "And he said, in words to the effect: ‘can we not pledge to be the kind of people – being those in government or elsewhere – to be the kind of people our children expect us to be.’"
(Host) Senator Leahy delivered a similar message in a major speech in Washington earlier this month.