Gary Johnson said on CNN Sunday that he is grateful that "nobody got hurt" in the trio of violent incidents that struck the U.S. over the weekend, even though dozens were injured in the New York City bombing and several others hurt in the Minnesota mall stabbing.
It was the second gaffe in as many weeks for the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee, who infamously asked MSNBC "Morning Joe" hosts "What is Aleppo?" during an appearance earlier this month. The latest flub came during Johnson's interview on CNN's "Reliable Sources," according to Mediaite.
"[I'm] just grateful that nobody got hurt," Johnson told host Brian Stelter. "Secondly, law enforcement is on the scene, responders are on the scene. If there's anything I learned having been governor of New Mexico for eight years is that these people really do care, they are really qualified."
Authorities in New York reported that 29 people were injured when a bomb went off in the Chelsea area of Manhattan Saturday night. Separately, nine people were stabbed by a man with a knife at a mall in Minnesota, Mediaite noted.
Explosives were also found in a trash can in Seaside Park, New Jersey, where a charity run for Marines was scheduled to take place on Saturday. No one was injured in that incident.
The Islamic State's news agency called the Minnesota attacker a "soldier of the Islamic State," and the FBI is considering the incident there a "potential act of terrorism," according to Reuters.
After Sunday's interview, the Johnson campaign released a statement acknowledging the injuries this weekend.
"Our thoughts are with the those injured in the attacks in New York City and Minnesota," the statement said. "Regardless of the motivations for such senseless acts, they remind us that there are very real threats to our safety and our freedom, threats that must be dealt with realistically and firmly."
"Our law enforcement authorities will get to the bottom of these attacks, we will learn, and we will act. In this immediate aftermath, our first responders, investigators and local authorities deserve our support as they do their jobs, and the victims have our wishes for full and speedy recoveries," the statement continued.
The New York Daily News called Johnson the "out-to-lunch Libertarian presidential candidate." Others on social media called him worse.
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