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Sarah Sanders: ‘Outrageous’ Media Tries To ‘Blame The President’ For Synagogue Shooting, Mail Bomber

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Mike Brest Reporter
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White House press secretary Sarah Sanders accused the media Monday of essentially blaming President Donald Trump for the mail bomber and the man who killed eleven people Saturday in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Her allegations came during the White House’s first press briefing since the man accused of sending pipe bombs to Democratic leaders was arrested and since another man reportedly shot and killed eleven people in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

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“Sarah, the president said over the weekend that he could tone up his rhetoric. What does he mean by that? Does he have any concern at all that his words could inspire, provoke, trouble people to do awful things?” ABC News’ Jonathan Karl asked.

“Certainly the president wants in moments where our country is hurting like we’ve seen in the last several days, find ways to bring our country together. We’ve seen him do exactly that,” Sanders responded. “He has certainly I think found those moments to bring our country together and certainly focus on some of the things that all of us can support and all of us can condemn as well.” (RELATED: Tree Of Life Rabbi Doesn’t Blame Trump For Pittsburgh Shooting After CNN Presses [VIDEO])

“How does he do that when, in the case of the pipe bomber, this was somebody who went to Trump rallies? This is a man who had a van covered with attacks on the media and praise for the president,” Karl followed up. “On the shooter in Pittsburgh is somebody who was provoked, it seems, by the caravan the president has spent so much time talking about. When you say he’s trying to unite the country, why is he out there making these attacks?”

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 29: White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders speaks to the media during a briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on October 29, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 29: White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders speaks to the media during a briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on October 29, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

“The very first thing that the president did was condemn the attacks both in Pittsburgh and in the pipe bombs,” Sanders responded. “The very first thing the media did was blame the president and make him responsible for these ridiculous acts. That is outrageous that that would be the very first reaction of so many people across this country. I’m not finished.”

She continued:

The only person responsible for carrying out either of these heinous acts were the individuals who carried them out. It’s not the president no more than it was Bernie Sanders’ fault for the individual who shot up a baseball field of congressional Republicans. You can’t start putting the responsibility of individuals on anybody but the individual who carries out the crime.

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