Danforth seeks more political civility

"What most people want is, simply good government'

U.S. Sen. John Danforth, shown above speaking to reporters, acted at the keynote speaker at the inauguration of Tom Schweich as Missouri's auditor. The noontime ceremony was held Monday in the state Capitol's rotunda.
U.S. Sen. John Danforth, shown above speaking to reporters, acted at the keynote speaker at the inauguration of Tom Schweich as Missouri's auditor. The noontime ceremony was held Monday in the state Capitol's rotunda.

Just two days after the Tucson, Ariz., shootings that left six dead and more than a dozen others injured, former U.S. Sen. John Danforth worried how American politics ultimately would deal with the situation.

"I think you have to look at this (incident) from the standpoint of the individual who did it, and what was in his head and what was the problem there," Danforth told Missouri reporters Monday, after delivering the keynote comments in Jefferson City at new State Auditor Tom Schweich's inauguration.

"I do think that the quality of public discourse now in America is terrible," said Danforth, "but I think that it's not right to try to build a direct line from general conditions anywhere to this one, demented individual.

"I think that would be stretching things considerably."