Monday on MSNBC’s “MTP Daily,” Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) echoed a sentiment that many other Democratic politicians and left-leaning pundits have said, which is tying the rhetoric of Republican politicians to last week’s tragedy in Colorado.
While discussing her support for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Boxer said, “She is the candidate we need. But then, when you compare her to what we’ve got on the other side, frankly, I think we need Hillary to save this nation because some of these quotes that you’re putting out here from our esteemed Republican friends on the other side, who are running for president, they’re very frightening. When you say that a certain religious minority has to carry a card, when you say that immigrants, some of them are rabid dogs, when you hear Carly Fiorina say, oh, there’s nothing wrong with, you know, harping on Planned Parenthood day after day and blaming the liberals for the fact that we speak the truth when we say the witch-hunt has to stop. Planned Parenthood is serving three million people. They’re health care, preventing cancers and the rest. Now we need Hillary, not only that she’s the best qualified with the most gravitas, I think she’s mainstream, she’s what we need. We have to save the country from some radical voices on the other side.”
When asked if she sees a direct relationship between the rhetoric of some of the Republicans who oppose funding for Planned Parenthood and the shooting in Colorado, Boxer said, “Well, it’s a lot more than just saying that they don’t want to fund. They’re bringing up the issue of fetal tissue research, and they are making up stories about the videos, that they never even saw. That’s what Carly Fiorina did, and it’s very emotional. Listen, I’ve been around a long time. I think what we say matters. What we say matters. I was once on the floor in a debate with Rick Santorum and he had, you know, I can’t even go into it. He kept using the term killing babies, killing babies. Yes, it has an impact…Yes, I think there is a connection between when you say somebody is killing a baby, and you go into all of that, and harvesting parts from babies, this rhetoric is hurtful to the doctors, to the nurses, to the patients.”
She added, “I think there’s a connection between these horrible hate crimes and what people say. People in leadership, who have a lot of credibility, who say things that were on videotapes, that weren’t on videotapes, I think it makes a difference, and it creates a terrible atmosphere.”
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