Comedian and activist Sarah Silverman confused fans late Monday by saying Hillary Clinton is responsible for “capturing Osama bin Laden.”
Ms. Silverman told her nearly 9 million Twitter followers that the former secretary of state would have received “1,000 Purple Hearts” for “capturing” the al Qaeda mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks if she were a Republican. Members of SEAL Team 6, with the support of Joint Special Operations Command, killed bin Laden during operation Neptune’s Spear on May 2, 2011, in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
“It occurs 2me @HillaryClinton is responsible 4 capturing Osama Bin Laden. If a republican did that they’d get like 1000 Purple Hearts,” the Hollywood activist wrote.
Readers were unsure if Ms. Silverman’s muddled tweet was a joke because she is an ardent supporter of Mrs. Clinton, the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.
“[Hillary Clinton is] the only person ever to be overqualified for a job as the president,” the comedian said at the Democratic National Convention during a July 25 speech.
“Hope Hillary’s not mad Obama’s been taking credit for it. (FYI it was actually Seal Team 6 that killed him),” responded a Twitter user named Dave.
“Purple Hearts are for SOLDIERS wounded in combat, NOT ppl who LIE about ’landing under sniper fire,’ ” added another, a reference to an erroneous claim by Mrs. Clinton in 2008 that her helicopter arrived in Bosnia in 1996 “under sniper fire.”
The comedian responded to backlash by tweeting, “B4 I react to [expletive] I always try & think ’how would I feel if this were the other way around?’ but it doesn’t seem like every1 does that.”
It occurs 2me @HillaryClinton is responsible 4 capturing Osama Bin Laden. If a republican did that they’d get like 1000 Purple Hearts…
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) September 20, 2016
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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