Conservatives came to Chelsea Clinton’s defense after a video surfaced of a New York University student verbally berating her on Friday at a vigil to honor the people who died in the New Zealand shooting.
The confrontation took place a day after a man opened fire inside two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that left at least 49 people dead.
WATCH:
“This right here is the result of the massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you have put out into the world,” one student said to Clinton. “I want you to know that. I want you to feel that deep inside. The 49 people died because of the rhetoric you put out there.”
Clinton, who’s pregnant, responded by apologizing for making the students uncomfortable. The students were angry about her interactions with Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.
The student was referencing the comments Clinton made about Omar last month after the Minnesota congresswoman accused the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) of buying pro-Israel support. (RELATED: House Overwhelmingly Approves Motion To Condemn Anti-Semitism Amid Omar Fallout)
Clinton tweeted to Omar after the accusation, saying, “Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism.”
The two of them then tweeted to each other, both showing a willingness to discuss Clinton’s discomfort with Omar’s tweet.
It’s sickening to see people blame @ChelseaClinton for the NZ attacks because she spoke out against anti-Semitism. We should all be condemning anti-Semitism & all forms of hate. Chelsea should be praised for speaking up. Anyone who doesn’t understand this is part of the problem.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 16, 2019
The student seemed to suggest that her comments led to an avalanche of criticism against one of the first Muslim congresswomen in Congress. Omar’s comments were widely criticized by members of both political parties, and she eventually apologized and deleted the tweet. Conservatives and liberals both tweeted defenses of Clinton.
The woman who did this is not helping stop hate in the world. She is making it worse. @ChelseaClinton has been a voice of compassion and justice for years. She has called at hate at all levels. https://t.co/Y3Up1o5rmt
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) March 16, 2019
The video of the students confronting Clinton went viral and conservatives like Donald Trump Jr. and Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld tweeted their support of Clinton.
“Fox & Friends” also ran a segment about the confrontation on Saturday with Ed Henry saying she had nothing to apologize for.
when the left has led the right to staunchly defend Chelsea Clinton, then the left must be irretrievably lost.
— GregGutfeld (@greggutfeld) March 16, 2019
You posted the video publicly on Twitter of you linking Chelsea Clinton calling out anti-Semitism to a massacre that left 49 innocent lives slaughtered and then had the audacity to ask people to venmo you for your “work”
You deserve all the criticism in the world right now. https://t.co/hATiUWuLb7
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 16, 2019
this is absolute horseshit. chelsea clinton calling out ilhan omar’s anti-semitism is not islamophobia and blaming her for christchurch is completely uncalled for. i’m muslim and i thought omar crossed the line into anti-semitism.
muslims need allies. this video ain’t it, chief. https://t.co/uGncCxphxx
— siraj hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) March 16, 2019
Apparently the logic is that, because Chelsea Clinton denounced Omar’s anti-Semitic remark, she is guilty of Islamophobia and therefore the NZ massacre. https://t.co/vWePKeG6Nl
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) March 16, 2019