Conservatives Face Backlash From Followers Over UnitedHealthcare Murder

Conservative pundits are facing backlash from their own followers for accusing those on the left of celebrating the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Commentators like Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh are being told by their supporters that they've got it wrong when it comes to Thompson's murder.

The CEO was shot dead outside a Hilton hotel in Manhattan last week after a gunman hit him in the back and right calf as Thompson was heading to an annual investors meeting around 6:45 a.m.

The shooter was still on the loose at the time of writing and officials have not yet declared a motive, but Thompson's death has been viewed as a tipping point of the brewing frustrations Americans have with their health care system and the insurance companies in charge. The assailant has been praised by observers who argue that the murder was justified, with some claiming that Thompson's death was nothing compared to the loss of loved ones whose medical claims were denied by companies like UnitedHealthcare and others.

Over the weekend, both Shapiro and Walsh harshly condemned liberals for cheering on the assassination in respective episodes of their eponymous podcasts, titled "The EVIL Revolutionary Left Cheers Murder!" and " Why The Left Is Really Celebrating The Murder Of A CEO."

But their followers disagreed with their criticisms and defended the left, arguing that they felt the same way about Thompson's death and bashing Shapiro and Walsh for being "out of touch" as wealthy media personalities.

Newsweek reached out to Shapiro via email and to Walsh via direct message for comment.

Multiple users on YouTube told Shapiro they were unsubscribing from his channel over the video, telling him to "Find another audience to play apologist to the people who help make the lives of hard working Americans difficult."

"I'm a Republican. I voted for Trump. I am unsubscribing from Ben. They not like us," one wrote in the comments.

At least three users expressed to Walsh that even though they agree with a lot of his opinions, he was "dead wrong on this one."

"Everyone is angry at the these insurance companies," one person commented. "If you've never lost someone or been plunged into debt because of them, you can't possibly understand. It's despicable what they get away with. I don't wish death on them but I'll bet you good money, that man probably lost someone he loved because of united healthcares denial policies."

"Republican pundits don't realize this isn't as politically partisan as they wished it were. We all hate our health care system. We may not advocate for murder, but sympathy for CEOs of these organizations is at an all time low, regardless of R or D," another wrote.

Others joked that they were "a leftist now," according to Walsh, and pushed back on the "left wing" label, saying that they're not progressives just because they "hat[e] a guy who's bread and butter was literally other peoples suffering."

"The fact that [M]att is trying to paint this as a left wing issue, when theres clearly bipartisan celebrations going on, just goes to show how out of touch celebrities are, whether on the right or left, with regular everyday ordinary people," one user said.

Viewers and listeners of Shapiro made similar remarks, accusing him of "mak[ing] money by generating hate and division" and of operating on a business model that "REQUIRES us normal people to hate each other."

"Ben's net worth is around $50,000,000.00. He is a peer of Brian Thompson not of us, the average American citizen," one comment read.

"Remember guys, Ben has more in common with that CEO than he has with any of us," another echoed.

One user also told Shapiro that their father, who was a staunch Republican, probably would have agreed with the pundit, "but unfortunately, he died from cancer after being denied a treatment that could have saved his life because it was considered 'experimental.'"

Others told the commentator they were tired of the divide.

"I'm not buying this 'left vs right' s--- anymore Ben, I want health care for my family," one user commented on the video.

"As a conservative, I'm sick of rich elitist destroying the family unit. Quite literally. I'm proud the left and right have united. I may not vote the same way but damn it I can agree we are tired of being pushed around," another said.

A third told Shapiro, "Just because 'the left' likes something doesn't mean you have to instinctively hate it. Wake up and read the room bro."

There were also comments poking fun at the fact that Shapiro's view on the recent news was enough to unite Americans at a time of political polarization.

"Imagine being so blatantly in the wrong that you manage to unite two opposing ends of the political spectrum during one the most divided periods in recent memory," one comment read.