This story was originally published on nationaljournal.com on June 13, 2016. It is all too predictable. A tragic event occurs, and it appropriately dominates broadcast and cable news, talk radio, internet news sites, the front pages of newspapers, and conversations between friends and neighbors. Then come the cable pundits and news stories suggesting it will be a dominant factor in the next election—never mind that the voting is almost five months away. The rampage in Orlando on Saturday night was horrific and a mar on civilized society. But it is no more likely to be a decisive factor in the Nov. 8 election than the San Bernardino shootings or a dozen other unspeakably awful events this year and last. It’s human nature to want to try to imagine what effect the traumas of today will have months from now, but we need to assess these painful moments with our heads, not just our hearts. Whether one sees Orlando as a hate crime against gays, the act of a radical Islamic extremist, an example of why high-capacity ammunition clips should not

More from the Cook Political Report

Amy
First Person
Cook Politcal Logo