Sanders says it was 'distressing' to learn the congressional baseball shooter backed his campaign


It was "distressing" to learn that the shooter who attacked congressional Republicans' baseball practice was a volunteer for his presidential campaign, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper.
"I just want to wish [Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)] a very, very quick recovery," Sanders said. "What happened was a tragedy. Unacceptable. There should not be any violence associated with politics in America." On a more personal note, he added, "Obviously it was distressing to find out that this particular person had been a volunteer, I believe, in Iowa."
Scalise's condition was upgraded from critical to serious Saturday night. He has undergone at least three surgeries this week but is now "responsive, and is speaking with his loved ones," said a statement from the hospital where he is being treated.
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Watch an excerpt of Sanders' interview below. Bonnie Kristian
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Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
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