Fox News attempted to characterize Hillary Clinton's reaction to yesterday's bomb threats as hypocritical by repurposing a remark she made earlier this month regarding civility. It didn't go well.
It all started when Fox News Research, the network's research and analytics team, issued the following tweet.
"You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about," Clinton said in an interview with CNN on October 9, adding that civility could only be preserved if Democrats win back the House and the Senate.
But Clinton contradicted herself––at least in the world according to Fox News. Speaking yesterday after authorities discovered a live explosive on her suburban property, Clinton said: "It's a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together."
The tweet wants us to ask ourselves: How could the same woman advocate for uncivility only to call for unity mere weeks later? It's worth examining the context, however. Clinton, on October 9, pointed out that "the only thing that the Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength," and criticized "hardball tactics" from the Republican Party which can only be addressed by winning elections and creating a balance of power:
"I remember what they did to me for 25 years -- the falsehoods, the lies, which unfortunately people believe because the Republicans have put a lot of time, money, and effort in promoting them. So when you're dealing with an ideological party that is driven by the lust for power, that is funded by corporate interests who want a government that does its bidding, it's -- you can be civil, but you can't overcome what they intend to do unless you win elections."
There's a stark difference between winning elections and calling for murder, which many of Fox News's critics felt inclined to remind the network about.
As many pointed out, President Donald Trump has been criticized for advocating violence at his rallies and for making inflammatory statements to rile up his base, and now one of his past comments has come back to haunt him.
In September 2016, Trump suggested that the Secret Service agents assigned to protect Clinton during the presidential campaign should disarm.
"I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. I think they should disarm. Immediately. Let’s see what happens to her. Take their guns away, OK. It’ll be very dangerous," he said at the time.
Last night, hours after the bomb was discovered, the president's supporters directed chants of “Lock her up! Lock her up!” towards Hillary Clinton at a rally in Wisconsin.
The chants came during a speech by Republican Senate candidate Leah Vukmir, who spoke before the president made his appearance.
Earlier this week, an explosive was found on the property of billionaire George Soros, whom Trump has piggybacked off claims from conspiracy theorists who say he is in cahoots with Hillary Clinton to usurp the current world order.
Yesterday, a bomb was found on the suburban property owned by Bill and Hillary Clinton. An explosive device was also sent to former President Barack Obama and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama. The Secret Service said Obama and Clinton “did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.”
Later, CNN’s headquarters at the Time Warner Center in New York received a package addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, himself a noted Trump critic. The building was evacuated.
These developments unfolded rather rapidly. Soon after, a report surfaced that Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz also received a package because her office was listed as the return address on a package sent to Eric Holder, the former attorney general. A package sent to California Democratic Representative Maxine Waters was also intercepted, according to ABC.
A suspicious package was also intercepted at the offices of the San Diego Union-Tribune, which is near the field office of Senator Kamala Harris, a California Democrat. The San Diego police department closed the downtown area in response; the package contained miscellaneous items––including shoes and children’s books––and law enforcement allowed business to resume as usual. A package sent to the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was found to contain only a thumb drive.
