Mayor Bloomberg, who has already used the assassination attempt in Arizona to push his gun agenda, was asked today about the role of rhetoric and right-wing politicians like Sarah Palin in the tragedy. And—not surprisingly for a man who has been a Democrat, a Republican and an Independent and is constantly eyeing the White House—he instead chose to take target at the shooter and his weapon:
I think we should focus on somebody with a gun that has killed six people. And I think the president put it very well yesterday—the rhetoric should be at a discourse on the facts, and have more civility in it. I don't know whether I would blame—I don't think I'd blame Sarah Palin or any other individual," he said. "We should be talking to each other more and have more civility.
He did leave himself a little wiggle room though, continuing later: "I don't think any of that had anything to do with this, but I don't know the facts, and who knows what will eventually come out with this man? What I do know is that six people are dead and others are seriously wounded, and our prayers go out to the families and those that are injured.”
The Daily Politics has a full transcript of his remarks here.
