hobbs
Governor Hobbs Says Inflammatory Speech Needs To Stop, But Not Her Speech

July 17, 2024

By Staff Reporter |

Governor Katie Hobbs said people need to pump the brakes on inflammatory rhetoric aimed at political opponents, but brushed off questions about whether she was guilty of using similar rhetoric.

Hobbs made the remarks in brief during her press conference Monday announcing an apprenticeship program partnership with Intel. The governor offered her opinion on what constitutes appropriate and safe political rhetoric as a response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump over the weekend.

“Political violence has no place in this country, and voicing our political opinions peacefully is absolutely paramount to preserve the sanctity of our democracy,” said Hobbs. “We have to come together and we have to stop inflaming this kind of rhetoric, using this kind of rhetoric.” 

Hobbs added that political discourse has become unhealthy and a hindrance to a healthy society. 

“Too often our communities are being torn apart by politics,” said Hobbs. “We need to come together and remember that we are neighbors, friends, and American citizens all united by a love for our country.”

However, when pressed by reporters to address her past usage of inflammatory political rhetoric, Hobbs refused to justify her remarks. The governor dismissed concerns about her own actions as a different type of “politics” than what she was addressing. 

“I’m not going to get into that,” said Hobbs. “I’m not thinking about politics right now.” 

Hobbs has spent years framing Republicans as dangerous extremists, namely in reference to her gubernatorial opponent (now Senate candidate) Kari Lake and Trump. 

“The extremist Republican majority had the chance to do the right thing for their constituents, and they failed. While extremists in the legislature refuse to protect our rights, I will do everything in my power to protect reproductive freedoms for Arizona women.”

“Hate speech and religious discrimination have absolutely no place in our state. Kari Lake and her extremist allies’ rhetoric is harmful, and to give them statewide platforms to spread it would be seriously dangerous for Arizona.”

“Kari Lake is too dangerous for Arizona.”

“Kari Lake has gone radical and is far too dangerous for Arizona.”

“Kari Lake’s campaign spends more time spreading conspiracy theories and inciting fear than providing real solutions to Arizona’s very real challenges. Her dangerous rhetoric and ideas pose a serious threat to our state and country.”

Several days before the 2022 election, Hobbs urged Republican voters in an opinion piece for Fox News to back her because Lake and other modern Republicans were “extremist, radical stone throwers” that represented an insanity and chaos that would override the Constitution and upend democracy. 

Even before becoming governor, Hobbs engaged in inflammatory rhetoric against the former president. During the first year of Trump’s presidency, Hobbs accused Trump of pandering to Nazis.

“[Donald Trump] has made it abundantly clear he’s more interested in pandering to his neo-nazi base than being [President] for all Americans,” wrote Hobbs.

During Trump’s initial presidential campaign, Hobbs accused Trump of “promot[ing] rape culture” and “bragg[ing] about sexually assaulting women.” Hobbs also claimed that Trump posed a serious, existential threat to our country. 

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