Steve Benson

The Republic | azcentral.com

That didn't take long.

Within hours of the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, leading politicians on both sides of the aisle turned the tragedy into a political issue.

On Sunday, after the slaughter of 49 people in an Orlando gay nightclub, Donald Trump said President Obama should resign and Hillary Clinton should withdraw from the presidential race.

His reason? The two refused to use the term "radical Islamic terrorism," he claimed.

Trump also redoubled his call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States and said the country should be very restrictive in accepting refugees from the Middle East.

In a speech Monday, Clinton said Trump's argument about the term "radical Islamic terrorism" is irrelevant, adding "Whether you call it radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I think they mean the same thing. I'm happy to say either."

However, Democrats weren't above politicizing the issue, either.

Democratic senators said Monday that they will take up legislation that would ban gun sales to suspected terrorists.

“How many more people have to die at the hands of a terrorist with a gun before the Senate acts?” the oft-grandstanding Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “I hope and pray the answer is none.”

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