The media seemed to have lost interest pretty quickly in the one-time Bernie Sanders volunteer who in June opened fire on congressional Republicans practicing for a charity baseball game, critically wounding Rep. Steve Scalise.
It’s not as though the big papers ignored the story completely; the New York Times sent someone to James T. Hodgkinson’s home in Belleville, Ill., to report back on the condition of his flowerpots and note that the shooter seemed to have “little to do with Democratic politics.”
There’s been a break in the case, though, and we’re closer than ever to finding out what truly did motivate Hodgkinson to fire on Republican lawmakers. The Washington Post on Saturday morning reported on a surly right-wing radio host broadcasting from the exact same town in which Hodgkinson lived.
In Alexandria shooter’s home town, rage-filled radio host channels middle America’s inner frustration https://t.co/dTHkhjosDN
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/status/883793506229157888
“I can’t say for sure if this Hodgkinson guy listened to me, but he probably did,” KQQZ-AM talker Bob Romanik said in an interview.
And, aside from an overlong probe into a single radio show on a 10,000-watt AM station … that’s it.
Revision of year: WP suggests, without evidence, Alexandria shooter was inspired by right-wing bigoted radio talker. https://t.co/97tHJDrofH
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 8, 2017
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) July 8, 2017
That's about as desperate a reach by Big Media as I have seen in — how long has it been since that NYT editorial? https://t.co/jQeSQHhIEs
— Patterico (@Patterico) July 8, 2017
That is surreal.
— John Sexton (@verumserum) July 8, 2017
The shooter was a leftist who campaigned for Bernie and had a list of GOP targets. Try again.https://t.co/t6wE1p7Bdj
— Raven (@KazeSkyz) July 8, 2017
Devoted Bernie supporter shoots up baseball field of Republicans. Washington Post blames pro Trump talk radio in his hometown for it pic.twitter.com/59HEvgBXZY
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) July 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/marianneconnor2/status/883803200431771649
The ideological angle is absurd, and so is nationally inflating the profile of a local radio nobody while alleging he incites violence.
— CamYzerman (@CamYzerman) July 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/AmericanusCivis/status/883835433129529344
The shooter's Facebook page was full of MSNBC. Why are you trying so desperately to falsely tie this to the right?
— Jake Domino (@jake_domino) July 8, 2017
What's the point of this? The shooter hated Trump and there's no indication in the story he listened to this pro-Trump host. https://t.co/7mb4nLIjT6
— Katherine Miller (@katherinemiller) July 8, 2017
The point is to obfuscate the fact that violence is a political tool for the left by pretending it is generic "rage"
— Brian O'Fall (@applecharlie5) July 8, 2017
We have a winner!
It's to promote "climate of hate" nonsense, whereby left-influenced homicidal lunatics can be blamed on the right. See Oswald, Lee Harvey.
— FriendsofCharlieCoyle (@TerriersFan) July 8, 2017
The point is to change the subject.
— ?It's?Almost ⛄️Christmas? (@jtLOL) July 8, 2017
This is so dumb.
A. The shooter was a Bernie Sanders supporter and fan of Maddow
B. Nobody outside of St. Louis knows who that is.
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) July 8, 2017
This is classic, grade F #FakeNews. This is how the immoral Left rewrites history. They create associations which lead to false conclusions.
— Discarded Virtues (@DiscardedVirtue) July 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/LeviathanLeap/status/883787349074653184
https://twitter.com/EF517_V2/status/883794734459875331
* * *
Related:
New York Times looks at Alexandria shooter’s troubled home life; ‘…little to do with Democratic politics’ https://t.co/gsCZgsvf85
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 18, 2017
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