...I have to say that I don't think this should be equated with violence, however cartoonish.
The type of statement the good doctor made were not a step toward such an act (or implied threat, however cartoonish) but were off in a completely different direction.

I don't mean to be all "after 9/11 everyone should watch what they say" on you, but really we have to be not fall into the trap of equating, or appearing to equate, dissent with unlawfulness.
That false equation is ground in enough by the right wing.
A father of a newborn who has just lost so much should not be going after politicians with wooden stakes, even figuratively.
And it's not because of Cheney's evil powers... I'd say the same if someone made a wooden stake crack about the (good) Sen. Leahy.