Bill Clinton Tells BBC: Politics Must Change After Arizona Shootings

by Mark Joyella | 3:33 pm, January 11th, 2011

» 19 comments

Former president Bill Clinton is weighing in on the political implications of the shooting spree in Tucson, telling the BBC “we cannot be unaware of the fact that–particularly with the internet–there’s this huge echo chamber out there.”

Clinton argues that politics must change post-Arizona, and that disagreement must not “degenerate into demonization.”

The former president spoke to the BBC’s Matthew Price at a refugee camp in Haiti, where Clinton is continuing his work to aid victims of the earthquake. Clinton told Price he was praying for wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords:

Well, first of all, she’s an immensely impressive woman, and I am thrilled that she has survived this long and I hope that she will make a complete recovery.

Clinton stressed that nobody speaks with the intent of encouraging a person to become violent, but added:

We cannot be unaware of the fact that, particularly with the internet, there’s this huge echo-chamber out there, and anything any of us says falls on the unhinged and the hinged alike, and we just have to be sensitive to it.

I think this is an occasion for us to reaffirm that our political differences shouldn’t degenerate into demonization of the sense that, you know, if you don’t agree with me you’re not a good American. I think that that’s what I’d like to see, I’d like to see the House of Representatives lead the way.

The interview will air tonight at 7 p.m. on BBC World News America.

arizona shootings, BBC World News America, Bill Clinton, Haiti, matthew price

notsofast

And this from the guy who caused the Waco killings and tried to blame it on Limbaugh. Man, he needs to get a tailor to let his crouch let out because he has balls!

McVeigh specifically cited the Waco disaster and was AT Waco when it happened and it happened on Slick Willie’s watch.

“At the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the US Government asserted that McVeigh’s motivation for the attack was to avenge the deaths two years earlier of Branch Davidians near Waco, Texas, whom he believed had been murdered by agents of the federal government.”
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ed-Lascar/100000889579338 Ed Lascar

But, seeing it from abroad, Mr. Clinton should ask a humongous tune down from the left itself, in the first place, always fuming with a hateful rhetoric almost all the time.

Abs.
TfT

Uh huh…sure Slick:

Ex-Clinton Strategist Mark Penn: Obama Needs Event ‘Similar’ to OKC to ‘Reconnect’ With Voters (Video)

See gateway pundit for details since mediaite seems to be ignoring this part of the story.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Politics had NOTHING to do with the shooting and the lying dems are not going to get away with this line of bull.

January 11, 2011 7:08 AM
Poll: Most Americans Feel Rhetoric, Tucson Shooting Unrelated

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.
Nearly six in 10 Americans say the country’s heated political rhetoric is not to blame for the Tucson shooting rampage that left six dead and critically wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, according to a CBS News poll.
In the wake of the shooting, much focus has been put on the harsh tone of politics in Washington and around the country, particularly after a contentious midterm election. Rhetoric and imagery from both Republicans and Democrats have included gun-related metaphors, but the majority of the country isn’t connecting the shooting to politics.
Overall, 57 percent of respondents said the harsh political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who felt it did. Republicans were more likely to feel the two were unrelated – 69 percent said rhetoric was not to blame; 19 percent said it played a part. Democrats were more split on the issue – 49 percent saw no connection; 42 percent said there was.
Independents more closely reflected the overall breakdown – 56 percent said rhetoric had nothing to do with the attack; 33 percent felt it did.
tatboy

Translation: “I’m not saying anyone is responsible for this… but we all know who is responsible for this”. Wink… Wink…
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dronetek-Bulk-Vanderhuge/100000918732763 Dronetek

What fucking evidence do any of these assholes have that the shooting had ANYTHING to do with politics?
Victor Cornelius

Is it me or is Clinton, someone I see as being a pretty good leader, becoming a one trick pony.
Davo

tatboy said:
Translation: “I’m not saying anyone is responsible for this… but we all know who is responsible for this”. Wink… Wink…

Who started the mantra, “Republicans want to starve children and old people?” But it was OK back then, right? I mean, left? Oh……………..
dhg

Gee Bill,maybe you can start by calling on your Democratic brethren to stop demonizing Sarah Palin,Conservatives and Republicans since that’s a massive part of all the noise out there the hinged and unhinged are hearing from the media.

I suspect if you could make that happen things would quiet down in all corners.

So that mean people like Micheal Moore and Janine Garafalo etc etc can’t call those they oppose insane or brain damamged anymore,ok?
The Real Royal King

Davo said:
Who started the mantra, “Republicans want to starve children and old people?” But it was OK back then, right? I mean, left? Oh……………..

I was afraid Nutsofast’s and Michelle-in-Utah’s paranoia might be catching.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Treacher/542957672 Jim Treacher

The poor dear thinks it’s still 1995.
libra blue

What about the gun laws “hunter” Billy?
Big Eddie

You could always trust old Bill .
SmartAlec

Hey Bill – A change in politics is coming…I like to refer to it as November 2012.
tigerprez

What Clinton really means to say is “Because Democrats are being hurt because their policies are unpopular with the American people, we need to ban political speech so people no longer hear about these policies. It’s dangerous to Democrats’ careers to allow free and open debate.”

Slick Willie: no fan of the First Amendment.
Victor Cornelius

Nothing better than doubling with a 2 and 3 with an Ace showing, and everyone said the Dems cave to easy.
Davo

tigerprez said:
What Clinton really means to say is “Because Democrats are being hurt because their policies are unpopular with the American people, we need to ban political speech so people no longer hear about these policies. It’s dangerous to Democrats’ careers to allow free and open debate.”.

Perfect. That sums up the entire Democrat Party.
notsofast

Dave Noland said:
Who caused the Waco killings? Really? Whoever is moderating this sight needs to kick notsosmart off. I guess 20 shot isn’t enough for you to start being more civil. YOu’r pathetic

Hey, you pathetic lib- Clinton was responsible for Waco and that caused the slaughter in Ok. City! Those deaths are on his head too!
CAconservative

I find it interesting that hundreds of Arizona citizens have been raped, robbed, and murdered annually by illegal alien trespassers with little or no response by the Federal government, yet when one of their own is attacked, it suddenly becomes a crisis! Another excuse to crack down on legal gun ownership without ever once considering the fact that the only reason Arizona hasn’t been completely overrun by the illegals is the fact that the citizens have guns and can protect themselves.