I’d like to make a few observations about the Feb. 4 Daily Inter Lake story, “Candidate’s comment gains national attention.” Ryan Zinke, the former Navy SEAL, whom we read so much about, has made headlines again, this time for calling Mrs. Clinton, the former U.S. senator and former U.S. secretary of state the “anti-Christ.” By calling Mrs. Clinton the anti-Christ, he did exactly what he wanted to do, make headlines.

Then a few days later he says that he obviously doesn’t think that Mrs. Clinton is the actual anti-Christ, but he doesn’t think too highly of her because he knew the two former Navy SEALs who died at the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. Most of us know by now that Mrs. Clinton was in no way responsible for the deaths of those four men in Benghazi, and Zinke knows this too, but chooses not to say so. 

t is sad that the two Navy SEALs who were killed were men Mr. Zinke knew, but to me, if this is true, his energy would be better spent trying to find the killers of these men rather than unjustly trashing a political rival and beating a dead horse for political reasons. In fact numerous investigations have shown that the ambassador himself is as responsible as anyone because he said “no” when asked if he would like more security for the outpost.

Zinke goes on to say that “no one talked to me about it, it’s not truth they are after,” he said, “they want to create mistrust, it’s always a character assassination,” referring to the news outlets that picked up on his quotes. 

Mr. Zinke, you are a good one to talk about character assassination. Who just called Mrs. Clinton the anti-Christ?  Zinke goes on to say “they are trying to paint me as something I am not,” and that he intends to run a positive campaign for the House seat being vacated by Steve Daines. Mr. Zinke, you’re the one who is doing the painting of yourself by your own words and deeds and that self-portrait is getting uglier all the time.

So much for kicking off your campaign on a positive note. Mr. Zinke, you call the former first lady the “anti-Christ,” you cry foul when the press doesn’t speak favorably of you and then you announce that the former disgraced speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, is an adviser to your campaign. Wow! Great start! 

You are in way over your head in politics, Mr. Zinke. Take my advice, Re-up! Please, Re-up! —Leonard C. Haines, Columbia Falls