On his CNN program on Monday, wildly liberal commentator Don Lemon said, “I don’t see Democrats killing people” over politics. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was shot last year when an unhinged leftist opened fire on Republican lawmakers practicing for a Congressional baseball game, quickly helped him remember.
During a panel discussion on Monday, CNN’s Don Lemon argued that President Donald Trump’s rhetoric had contributed to Saturday’s synagogue attack in Pittsburgh and the pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats last week, saying, “I don’t see Democrats killing people” over politics.
But conservative commentator Mike Shields countered and said that people on both sides of the political spectrum have created the current climate; it’s not just Republicans who are guilty of engaging in violence. Shields offered the example of James Hodgkinson, who shot and nearly killed Rep. Steve Scalise last year.
Hodgkinson fired at least 70 rounds and managed to wound six during the June 2017 melee at a GOP baseball practice. Prior to opening fire in Alexandria, Virginia, the 66-year-old had confirmed that those on the field were Republicans, leading the Virginia attorney general’s office to conclude that he was “fueled by rage against Republican legislators.”
CNN even reported that the shooter, a Bernie Sanders presidential campaign volunteer, had posted on social media that “Republicans are the Taliban of the USA.” In another post, Hodgkinson wrote, “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”
However, on Monday’s program, Lemon argued that the baseball shooting is a false equivalent to the attacks carried out by “right-wingers.” He told Shields, “You’re not being honest. This is not equal, and I understand the whole argument about both sides.”
“Bernie Sanders is not the president,” said Lemon. “So why do you keep bringing up other people instead of talking about the person who is the president of the United States, the rhetoric that is being spouted by one network (Fox News), and the conservative media? Why not just take ownership of that and talk about how you can correct it on that side instead of this whataboutism?”
“For both sides to understand this, they both have to realize they contribute to it, OK?” said Shields.
But Lemon disagreed. “The right-wing group killed the woman in Charlottesville. This guy is a right-winger who killed the people in the synagogue. The right-winger sent bombs to CNN and to Democrats. I don’t see Democrats killing people because of political — yeah, there may be democratic operatives who are out there,” he said.
“Well they tried to,” Shields countered.
“OK, fine, they tried to, and that’s not right,” said Lemon. “But for the most part, what do you see here, Mike? You see these extreme right-wingers.”
Panelist Max Boot sided with Lemon, saying to Shields, “It is not equal contribution. There is nobody on the Democratic side who is engaging in the kind of dehumanizing language that Donald Trump engages in. There is nobody on the Democratic side who is encouraging violence like Donald Trump does.”
Of course, we all know that’s a crock. Hillary Clinton said “civility can start again” only when the Democrats are back in power. And let’s not forget how she called Trump’s supporters deplorable Americans. During an appearance in Georgia, Barack Obama’s former Attorney General Eric Holder told activists that they should kick Republicans and Trump supporters.
Interestingly, the Democrat leaders who spoke some of the vilest words against Trump supporters are the same people who were sent the ineffective mail bombs. Should they accept some of the blame for what a crazed man in Florida decided to do all on his own?
For his part, Steve Scalise responded with a simple tweet:
— Rep. Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 30, 2018
If for some reason you needed more proof that the mainstream media is shamelessly biased, look no further than this conversation between Don Lemon and Mike Shields. Lemon owes Rep. Steve Scalise an apology. The man’s life was nearly lost but Lemon would prefer to sweep that all under the rug simply because his attacker shares the same political persuasions as the folks over at CNN. It’s despicable, really.
