But the “unruly mobs” are on the left, according to Trump
Soros received a pipe bomb in the mail yesterday. This morning, it was reported that Clinton and Obama received one too. Then, about an hour ago, CNN offices in the Time Warner Building of New York (in Columbus Circle) were evacuated because they also received a bomb.
In fact, CNN was discussing the Clinton and Obama bombs when a fire alarm went off there (video below)
The device sent to Time Warner Center was constructed with a pipe and wires, according to an NYPD source. Law enforcement authorities are treating the device as a real explosive. The device was discovered in the mailroom of Time Warner Center in New York. https://t.co/iIxKk6HUko
— CNN (@CNN) October 24, 2018
All the bombs seem to have the same “signature”, i.e., it looks like they were all made by the same person or persons. Of course, nobody knows how many other ones are out there, but if I were MSNBC, the NY Times, and Nancy Pelosi (the targets are clearly the targets of the crazed right), I would check my mail closely.
All this is slightly more dangerous than getting yelled at it a restaurant, which the right has been moaning about as “incivility”.
There is a FALSE report that the White House also received a suspicious package. Or, to be blunt, Republicans are spreading a lie that a bomb was sent to the White House to try and make this a “both sides” issue.
BREAKING: Secret Service: Reports that it intercepted suspicious package sent to White House `are incorrect’
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 24, 2018
The threat to the left is real. Today is a reminder that when outlets like Breitbart and Fox News dedicate their coverage to demonizing individuals to gin up their readership and when social networks freely allow abuse and harassment, it can have real world implications.
Jim Scuitto and Poppy Harlow were in the middle of co-anchoring CNN Newsroom when an alarm started going off.
“Excuse me, that sounds like a fire alarm here,” Scuitto said on-air at 10:09 a.m. ET.
Scuitto and Harlow left the building.
The DC bureau picked up CNN Newsroom coverage, with CNN crime and justice reporter Shimon Prokupecz still reporting from NY:
So as we were coming on the air just a short time ago with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto, who were anchoring from our set in New York, the fire alarms started going off. Our viewers perhaps could see that. Our building in New York has been evacuated because the NYPD is now investigating a suspicious package, something that was sent to the building at 10 Columbus Circle, which is in New York, and the building that houses our offices in New York.
I’m told by a law enforcement official that the bomb squad is responding to the office to check on this suspicious device. We don’t know if the package was actually addressed to CNN or to someone else in the building, but as a precaution, the building there, the NYPD along with the bomb squad, have said the building should be evacuated. They’re going to respond and investigate the package.
A workday in 2018 pic.twitter.com/eSjVQlwby1
— Tom Kludt (@TomKludt) October 24, 2018
Having bombs sent to your house sounds awful, and should lead us all to reflect once again on the agony Alan Dershowitz endured this past summer on Martha’s Vineyard.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 24, 2018
Every day, I am grateful to the women and men of the United States Secret Service. Thank you.
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) October 24, 2018
Big updates:
#BREAKING: Law Enforcement sources are reporting that the suspicious package sent to CNN in Manhattan, New York was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan.
— BreakingNNow (@BreakingNNow) October 24, 2018
Brennan serves as a senior national security and intelligence analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, so sending this to CNN is… stupid. Definitely, a right wing nut.
#BREAKING: Police confirm they are investigating a suspicious package sent to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Sunrise, Florida. We are working to learn more details now. https://t.co/AGj0K0dOtH
— Gayle Guyardo (@WFLAGayleG) October 24, 2018
UPDATES — Hitting local West Coast news outlets:
Trump weighs in by piggybacking off Pence:
I strongly condemn the attempted acts of violence against President Obama, the Clinton family, @CNN & others. There is no excuse—America is better than this.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 24, 2018
Gratitude to the @SecretService and law enforcement for all they do to keep this nation safe.
And…. is this related?
BREAKING NEWS: @FBI Arrests White Nationalist Robert Paul Rundo Who Fled the Country https://t.co/egQp81TysX with @awinston
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanNYT) October 24, 2018
BREAKING: Return address on at least 2 suspicious devices belongs to DNC official Debbie Wasserman-Schultz – NBC
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 24, 2018
Not surprisingly, right-wing media figures at supposedly reputable conservative outlets reacted by immediately alleging that Democrats may have sent their own leaders and a prominent donor explosives in order to politically damage Republicans.
On Reddit’s most popular pro-Trump discussion board, top posts alleged that Democrats had orchestrated the attacks on themselves.
Two of the top four rising posts on r/The_Donald right now are the false flag narrative.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 24, 2018
About an hour ago, a post said this was “straight out of the Democrat playbook.”
“They are doing it to themselves,” it said. pic.twitter.com/cSGgwBXdsM
Frank Gaffney’s “Center For Security Policy” sent an email earlier this month titled “George Soros: The Anti-Christ or Just His Right-Hand Man.” https://t.co/ZIifhjk63L
— Astead (@AsteadWesley) October 24, 2018
dude who obsessively tweets about the clintons suddenly wants to know who cares about the clintons pic.twitter.com/z8RvMd0M0q
— amy b (@arb) October 24, 2018
top “false flag” tweet after today’s bombs. pic.twitter.com/qA3oVAkxY9
— Josh Russell (@josh_emerson) October 24, 2018
Whenever they say false flag, they are proclaiming their own victimhood, ie “our side’s leaders & media didn’t incite potential bombings by constantly demonizing the specific ppl targeted; they sent them to themselves to pick on us!” Personal responsibility, you sick cowards?
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) October 24, 2018
If your first reaction to some evil person sending bombs to a variety of politicians on one side of the aisle is “FALSE FLAG,” you are officially deranged.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 24, 2018
Wow. Even more.
BREAKING / NBC News: Secret Service intercepted another suspicious package, this one sent to Former Attorney General Eric Holder.
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) October 24, 2018
Reported by Pete Williams.
Ah… this makes sense.
CNN reports that the package bombs had the (fake) return address of “Debbie Wasserman-Schultz,” and there was a package that was addressed to Eric Holder, but it had the wrong address and was sent “back” to Wasserman-Schultz’s office in FL, prompting evacuation of her office.
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) October 24, 2018
… and one less.
All clear at the Fresno TV station offices, thankfully. https://t.co/BZFnGUC4kN
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) October 24, 2018
The “suspicious package” sent to San Diego Union Tribune (see above) was deemed safe too.
More…
NEWS: Suspicious package intercepted by Capitol Hill police was addressed to Democratic California congresswoman Maxine Waters, according to three sources.
— Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) October 24, 2018
Welp, there you have it. The Alex Jones-i-fication of Fox News is complete. https://t.co/ADi4JGKYPr
— Crooks and Liars (@crooksandliars) October 24, 2018
Fox News expert claims mail bombs could be sent by liberals ‘trying to get Democratic vote out’ https://t.co/Ou72xev7cJ
— Raw Story (@RawStory) October 24, 2018
And now Trump weighs in…
President Trump on bombs sent to Officials: “We have to unify. We have to come together and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.” pic.twitter.com/1AeNJcdP6Z
— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) October 24, 2018
Your reminder of Trump rhetoric:
“I’d like to punch him in the face”
“Maybe he should have been roughed up”
“Part of the problem…is no one wants to hurt each other anymore”
“I don’t know if I’ll do the fighting myself or if other people will”
“The audience hit back. That’s what we need a little bit more of”
Suspicious packages have been sent and/or addressed to:
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 24, 2018
• Hillary Clinton
• Barack Obama
• Eric Holder
• CNN / former CIA Director Brennan
• Office of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
• Rep. Maxine Waters
• George Soros (Monday)
Latest: https://t.co/lNQXMURP9f pic.twitter.com/H6bauB3oaR
Trump backers who have suggested the bombs are a liberal hoax:
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) October 24, 2018
Ann Coulter
Rush Limbaugh
Michael Savage
James Woods
Mike Flynn Jr.
Frank Gaffney
Kurt Schlichter
Candace Owens
David Horowitz
John Cardillo
Laura Loomer
Jacob Wohl
Chadwick Moore
John Lott
CNN President strikes against Trump:
Statement from CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker: pic.twitter.com/OXyIT6oSLT
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) October 24, 2018
From FBI Statement:
BREAKING: @FBI releases photo of a package w “potentially destructive device” says others look similar. “We ask anyone who may have information to contact the FBI. Phone: 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://t.co/UYEqhrFHX4. Via @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/Xf2BMgRHoQ
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) October 24, 2018
The president’s son liked this two minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/e3SGaDVWKx
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 24, 2018
NEXT DAY UPDATE — More bombs…..
LATEST: Suspicious packages are known as of Thursday morning to have been sent to:
— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) October 25, 2018
• Barack Obama
• Joe Biden
• Hillary Clinton
• Eric Holder
• John Brennan / CNN
• Maxine Waters (2)
• George Soros
• Robert De Nirohttps://t.co/OnIV8pOfn5
John Brennan, former CIA director who had a bomb package sent to him, responds to President Trump:
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 25, 2018
"Stop blaming others. Look in the mirror. Your inflammatory rhetoric, insults, lies, & encouragement of physical violence are disgraceful." pic.twitter.com/9O9al1751g
Trump preached civility and unity after the discovery of pipe bombs sent to prominent Dems and CNN.
— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) October 25, 2018
But the president doesn't practice what he preached.
This morning's @NBCFirstRead https://t.co/oU0yb1iDcu pic.twitter.com/AJ4UrKxMy5
Explosive devices sent to Brennan & CNN featured parody ISIS flag inscribed 'Get Er Done' “created in 2014 by the right-wing parody site World News Bureau”—founded by guy permanently suspended from twitter—has been “a meme on right-wing websites & forums”
— Philip Gourevitch (@PGourevitch) October 25, 2018
https://t.co/qAvJpBpt5F