Giffords Worried about Sarah Palin Putting Her in Crosshairs

Saturday, January 08, 2011
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), was shot through the head on Saturday, January 8. Back on March 22, 2010, just hours after Giffords voted to pass the health reform bill, the glass door of her office in Tucson was smashed  The following evening, Sarah Palin revealed her list of 20 Democratic members of Congress she urged her followers to defeat. She illustrated her list with a map of the United States that displayed a rifle scope on top of each of the 20 districts she was targeting. One of the targeted districts was that of Gabrielle Giffords. Palin also tweeted, “Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!”
 
On March 25, MSNBC invited Giffords to comment on the attack on her office. Giffords noted that “We're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district, and when people do that, they've gotta realize there are consequences to that action.” MSNBC co-host Chuck Todd was quick to defend Palin. “In fairness,” he said, “campaign rhetoric and war rhetoric have been interchangeable for years….I understand that in the comment it may look bad, but do you really think that’s what she intended?”
 
Unfortunately, it was Giffords who got it right and Todd who got it wrong.
 
Here is the MSNBC interview. Giffords’ comments about Palin appear at the 2:20 mark.
 
 
-David Wallechinsky
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Comments

DallasGoldBug 11 years ago
It's amazing that people still cant understand that Jennifer Greenberg Sexton is the actor that plays bot Palin, and Giffords. They are one in the same. go to http://Wellaware1.com for more info on this massive lie.
jude 13 years ago
While it is true the gunman was no doubt mentally ill, that's the very kind of person who is likely to take someone literally when they tell them to reload and target individuals. Look, I have a few guns myself, but I don't have pictures of me with them plastered all over the place, nor do I tell people to use their guns as some type of difference of opinion enforcer. Fox News and Limbaugh and Beck and Hannity et al often use very subtle bullcrap to make their points, too. Just today he was saying "Americans" voted in November this and "America" doesn't want that, implying somehow that to disagree with them is somehow un-American. Well I'm as red, white and blue as anyone else is, and I don't like this Bilderburg-inspired vision for America that Fox keeps advocating and broadcasting 24/7. They are worse than any propoganda machine Hitler, Mao or Stalin were ever able to put together. It NEVER stops. It's as if there would be an all Black Panther channel that was on all day and we all had to listen to a maniac like Reverend Wright blapping his big mouth constantly, and on talk radio all day, and if every black person in this country fell for it and had the money to stick it your face and buy Congress as well. They ARE far right wing extremists- my God! they are trying to get rid of Social Security now, heaven help grandma!Yet, they try to act like they are just good ole, sensible Americans, when they are actually insane. This is waht happened in Germany in the 1930's, people. Hitler was a RIGHT winger, not a left winger. Fascism is ultra conservatism, not liberalism. The American public is so uneducated, under-educated and gullible. They jump on that like a weasel in an open chicken coop. They are the biggest danger to this country since Hitler. Heaven help this country if the people don't see the dangers of what they are preaching for it, outside of assassination. They didn't expect that, but words have power. If you think they don't, ask anyone who said, "I love you" and either meant it or lied about it. Inflammatory words inflame the non-insane- gee whix, what the hell do people think they can do to the crazy ones?
cj 13 years ago
The Republicans have engaged in hate speech and behavior for the last 2yrs and it's time for them to take resp for their actions. Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Bachman push hate daily and they disgust me. All the talk about taking their country back - back from who- I think they mean back from the black guy occupying the white house. They have called him a terrorist, un-American a foreigner and so much more! They are pushing pure racism and hatred.
lisa williams 13 years ago
Ivan I agree with you words have significant ways to cause anyone to have emotional highs and lows. Sarah Palin, tea partyers, Glenn Beck, Rush limbaugh know there are many crazed individuals who will do exactly what they imply , reload, hatred words like saying they hope Obama dies of cancer. Health Plan to give people a plan and not allow the medical community to not treat people with pre-existing conditions is called a form of what the Conservatives claim is a form of socialism well Sarah Palin you knew exactly what you meant by reload ! You are respnsible for hate talks, inciting unbalanced individuals etc . You need to stop all rhetoric , and take responsibilty that yes you did create what happened in Arizona .................you , Glenn Beck, Rush limbaugh all are haters. Grow up how many more lives before you realize disagreeing with the president doesn't mean "reload" .
Gela 13 years ago
Bull- sh-- ASTARBUCK!!! POLITICIANS are the most dangerous.. They set the tone for their followers. They set the example!! Sarah Palin and talk Radio crazy Reps. get the masses stirred up. That's what they want!! Republicans should be ashamed right now and John Boehner is full of it too. I don't believe that he cares!! He's done nothing on a bi-partisan level since Obama has been elected. Republicans and a bunch of phonies!! They truly disgust me.
astarbuck 13 years ago
Come on everyone, calm down. This is a very sick person who acted on his own illness. Don't play the blame game. I don't know this todd person, but see how you are acting, attacting his looks, and calling him an idiot. People full of anger cause violence. Not politicions..Maybe we should have a law that when there is a red flag, getting kicked out of school, until he can prove he is not a threat to himself, or others, that they don't send him out in the world, but maybe to a Doctor to see what he needs.
tacrepus 13 years ago
The bad hair dye and the comb over show Todd as a self deceiving fool long before he opens his mouth. Then he speaks and confirms the first impression.
Ivan 13 years ago
What's wrong with White people? Todd is an idiot saying war and politics have always been interchangeable in terms of terminology. It has always been proven that words can lead to violence.Just ask Booth, Oswald, and the KKK. Words are used to incite violence. Any idiot knows that, you just need one unbalanced person (like names mentioned) and there will be an unspeakable acts.
Paul 13 years ago
Personal threats.. she should be prosecuted.
Steve O 13 years ago
Palin should be prosecuted. Saying "This is war." in a generalized way, is a hell of a lot different that putting crosshairs on map and telling people to reload. Palin is, in my mind, an accessory to murder. At the very least she has incited violence. Words carry meaning and consequences, and Palin, every the idiot bimbo with a big gun, a fat head, and bigger mouth, has gone to far.

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