CNN’s Kohn, Ben Shapiro in Twitter spat after controversial ‘killing spree’ Ryan tweet

CNN commentator Sally Kohn and conservative columnist Ben Shapiro traded blows on Twitter Wednesday after Kohn retweeted a sign that implied House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was a “troubled man” on a “50 state killing spree” regarding the new GOP healthcare proposal that would replace ObamaCare if it passed in the Senate.

This. #resist #NoAHCA pic.twitter.com/UKvILpuMe9

— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) June 27, 2017 

The tweet quickly prompted blowback on social media, including from Shapiro, who appeared to cite Kohn’s call for calmer rhetoric following the shooting at a GOP congressional baseball practice that resulted in four wounded, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).

“There’s that reasonable language we’ve been hearing so much about,” wrote Shapiro, currently editor and a columnist for “The Daily Wire.”

There’s that reasonable language we’ve been hearing so much about! https://t.co/UA0OBs0QVj

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 28, 2017

Shapiro was likely referring to Kohn’s appearance on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” earlier this month where she called for civility and the need to “think about people reading the things we write.”

“We can have heated conversations without attacking, demeaning, dehumanizing each other,” Kohn said on June 18 four days after the Scalise shooting.

“We need to do that more. We need to do it more face to face and online. We need to think about people reading the things we write,” she added.

On Wednesday, Kohn shot back at Shapiro, defending the Ryan “killing spree” tweet as a “witty poster.”

Complains the guy who tweeted up the wazoo about “death panels”… Don’t compare some witty poster to your widespread deliberate smear https://t.co/YAPiQPd8FT

— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) June 28, 2017

After more blowback on social media, Kohn eventually apologized “if anyone was offended” for the tweet that she felt was “harmlessly clever,” drawing another response from Shapiro.

All trying to make rhetoric sharp but not lethal. I thought this poster was harmlessly clever. Apologies if anyone was offended.

— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) June 28, 2017

Terming government rationing boards “death panels” is worse than calling Ryan a spree killer? That’s just “clever”? https://t.co/W8i86ONvbh

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 28, 2017 

But I thought I was the language policing snowflake?!?? https://t.co/CFyOojEj0N

— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) June 28, 2017

The two appeared to have stopped the Twitter volley later Wednesday morning.

Leading Democrats, including 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, have slammed the GOP proposal, with the former secretary of State calling Republicans “the death party” if the bill passes in the Senate.

{mosads}

“Forget death panels. If Republicans pass this bill, they’re the death party,” she tweeted.

Republicans including President Trump argue the ObamaCare is in a “death spiral” and needs to be repealed and replaced.

“ObamaCare is in a total death spiral and the problems will only get worse if Congress fails to act,” he said earlier this month.