Others have noted that Kos used bullseyes in much the same way; I can't verify that since I find that site as extreme (for Obama, not liberalism per se, which is worse) and out of touch as anything on the left. However, it's just as irresponsible for all the same reasons; the left as a whole may have less love for guns, but we've got as many nuts as any other faction, and it's stupidly dangerous to put ideas in their heads. Again, I don't think Palin intended anything like this anymore than Markos whatshisname, but tempers are on edge and too many people view this as a figurative war with no quarter asked or given. ANYTHING that might reasonably cause a whackjob to see that literally (and targets of any kind count) is irresponsible, IMHO. An arrow is SLIGHTLY better; it's far more often used to indicate direction than are crosshairs, but it's just as effective and far less provocative to say, "we want a big push to win every district in yellow; the green ones are safe".