[UPDATE: Ah, that’s why they’re not condemning: lessened tensions will interfere with fundraising. Hey, maybe they can turn the shot at Cantor’s office into a web Flash game!  Right up the DNC’s alley.]

Somebody shot at Eric Cantor’s office.

Let me repeat that. Somebody shot at Eric Cantor’s office.

Eric Cantor, after specifically condemning all acts of violence – which, considering that he’s a Congressman whose office got shot at, is damned charitable of him – called for the Democratic leadership to take responsibility of their own side’s hotheads and help cool this all down.

That is why I have deep concerns that some — DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen, and DNC chairman Tim Kaine in particular — are dangerously fanning the flames by suggesting that these incidents be used as a political weapon. Security threats against members of Congress is not a partisan issue and they should never be treated that way. To use such threats as political weapons is reprehensible.

The DNC’s spokesman Brad Woodhouse’s response (via AoSHQ: bolding his, but I agree)?

We disagree with the charge made by Rep. Cantor today that Democrats are using acts of violence for political gain. Let’s be clear: calling on Republican leaders who have contributed in part to this anger by wildly mischaracterizing the substance and motives of health reform to condemn these acts is entirely appropriate.

Instead of distracting from the issue with more attacks, we would again ask Mr. Cantor and other Republicans, as we did yesterday, to join Chairman Kaine in working to ratchet down the rhetoric, condemn deplorable behavior and find ways to disagree on these issues without the charged rhetoric that we’ve been hearing from Republican leaders.

Greg Sargent neglected to mention whether Woodhouse had his pants around his ankles at the time. To be fair, Greg almost certainly wasn’t in close enough physical proximity to see.

Moe Lane