Hillary Clinton started her week on a shameful note, terming crazed Ari zona shooter Jared Loughner an American “extremist” of a sort with the 9/11 hijackers.
She went back for a second helping yesterday in a chat with CNN: “When you cross the line from expressing opinions . . . [to] violent action, that is a hallmark of extremism — whether it comes from the right, the left, from al Qaeda, from anarchists, whoever it is.”
What she means: A maniac with a gun is no different from the 9/11 terrorists. A lone nut is the same as a global network inspired by religious nihilism.
It’s scary that America’s diplomat-in-chief could possibly really believe what she said yesterday.
But since Clinton argued Loughner was “motivated by his own political views,” it’s worth examining what he was espousing online in recent months:
* “Being alone for a very long time will inevitably lead you to rape.”
* “I was fired from five places . . . Terrible situation. Mental breakdown.”
* “Would you hit a Handy Cap Child?”
Extreme language? To be sure.
But political views? Hardly.
A friend made it all clear: “He disliked the news. He didn’t listen to political radio. He didn’t take sides. He wasn’t on the left. He wasn’t on the right.”
Jared Loughner was no political extremist. For Clinton to say otherwise means she’s deluded, disingenuous — or deranged herself.