Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was wrongly and inaccurately blamed when Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) was shot several years ago, is standing up for Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont saying he is personally not responsible for the actions of his apparent supporter.
Palin, in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, called for the media industry to be more careful than they were back when Giffords was shot—specifically asking for “media integrity” when it comes to learning the motives of the shooter of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise at the GOP congressional baseball practice on Wednesday morning.
“Prayers for healing are raised for all victims of today’s horrific violence, while we with lift up thankfulness that lives were not lost,” Palin told Breitbart News. “While justice is now sought upon the capture of the deranged attacker, an additional prayer must be for no acceptance of a rush to destroy anyone else in this horrible incident. Those seeking political advantage reacted so recklessly and irresponsibly the last time a member of Congress was brutally attacked, as media inexplicably played a knee-jerk blame game assuming that attacker’s motives. Today’s shooter appears to be a Bernie Sanders supporter and campaign volunteer. But Bernie Sanders is not to blame. Maybe the media have matured enough to allow coverage of this most recent violence to focus on facts, because media integrity will be crucial as America witnesses today’s events unfolding and, on behalf of our Congressional Representatives, we all seek justice.”
Palin’s call for unity, and media responsibility—and her statement standing up for Sanders despite the shooter being a Sanders supporter—comes after she has been the target of vitriolic media rhetoric for years. Perhaps the worst example of the media targeting Palin was in the wake of the shooting of Giffords, where Palin was blamed inaccurately.
Republicans and Democrats in Washington are calling for unity in the wake of this latest shooting, and for an end to the leftist and media driven vitriol in the national debate. While there are some initial signs of unity—from President Donald Trump’s reaction to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s to even Sanders’ statement and now this statement from Palin—it remains to be seen how long this will last. American leaders on both sides of the aisle—Republican and Democrat—tell Breitbart News they hope that moving forward Americans of all political stripes can work together.
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