The Threat of Yesterday’s Assassination Attempt
And some reminders from where the violent rhetoric emanates.
Let me begin with clarity. Political violence is to be condemned and abhorred. It certainly has no place in a democracy and it can only serve to make things worse. The events of July 13th were horrible and led to the tragic death of a bystander. It is unclear how many were wounded and it is chilling to understand that a presidential candidate came within millimeters of being assassinated.
I also note, for clarity, that this is just another example of why I do not see the need for AR style weapons to be readily available to the public. The threat they pose far outweighs whatever alleged usefulness they supposedly contribute. And I will confess to some level of frustration with Trump allies trying to pin blame for yesterday on their political opponents, given that most of those opponents would gladly have banned such weapons.
But speaking of blame, the main concern I have is what I texted to some friends and family yesterday: I fear it will mean less attempts to point out the truth of Trump’s fascistic and authoritarian goals while Trump becomes more fascistic and authoritarian.
This was in response to this:
So here we have a US Senator, and possible Trump VP, stoking the fires of political conflict only a few hours after an assassination attempt.
Let me be clear: Trump is a proto-fascist and clearly has authoritarian goals. This is true and remains true, and if his opponents stop noting this fact because of yesterday, then they will be playing into a common authoritarian playbook.
Side-note: J.D. Vance may be the most cynical politician I have observed in a lifetime of observing and professionally studying politics globally and over history.
We see a similar bit from the former Speaker of the House:
So here you have it: Democrats shouldn’t campaign because now criticizing Trump should be off the table. Not to put too fine a point on it, but that is clearly authoritarian territory.
Is Gingrich really suggesting that the young man who shot Trump was on that donor call? (Of course not, but that clearly doesn’t matter to Newt).
Side snark: Gingrich types “bill’s-eye” when he means “bull’s-eye”!–does that mean he is mentally incompetent? (A silly game, isn’t it?).
Another example:
Complaining that Trump’s opponents call him a fascist and an authoritarian and that’s why we are seeing political violence as the political equivalent of someone who murders their parents and then seeks sympathy for being an orphan. Trump started his run for the White House accusing Mexico of sending murderers and rapists to the US. His entire rhetorical milieu is steeped in threat and violence. His inauguration speech spoke of “this American carnage.” He praises the 1/6 insurrectionists convicted of crimes through due process as “hostages.” He told them on that day of the attack on the capitol that he “loved” them.
It should be noted that political violence and the radicalization of individuals are not just politician X saying bad things and their supporters then attacking their opponent, politician Y. Violent rhetoric and the general tone of politics can radicalize individuals and groups in a variety of nonlinear ways.
There is no doubt at all that the major purveyor of dark, violent rhetoric in US politics has been Donald J. Trump.
Here is an (incomplete!) list of posts at OTB on this subject written by me, James Joyner, and the late Doug Mataconis. If you revisit any of them, I would especially recommend the first one.
- Radicalizing Rhetoric
- Donald Trump’s Ninety Minutes Hate
- Trump: I Am “The Chosen One”
- Trump and the F-word
- The Politics of Images
- Speaking of Democracy-Eroding Rhetoric
- Violent Rhetoric: Legal But Dangerous
- Trump’s Rhetoric and the GOP’s Test
- Trump Calls Political Rivals “Vermin” and Seeks to “Root Out” the “Threat from Within”
- Trump Salutes Insurrection ‘Hostages’
Also worth noting:
I could go on and on (and on and on).
BTW, if we are going to blame supporters for rhetoric, let’s not forget (which James Joyner wrote about recently, Trump Truths Tied-Up Truck Taunt).
To be clear, I am not saying he got what he deserved nor am I suggesting that I know anything about the motives of the shooter. What I am saying is that Donald Trump has been an exceedingly toxic presence in American politics since at least July of 2015. To pretend like his opponents are the cause is absurd and flies in the face of clearly documented reality.
Further, no one, especially not the anti-Trump campaigners, should stop pointing all of this out.
Paraphrased from the internet:
When right-wingers tried to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, Republicans made excuses.
When a lunatic beat Paul Pelosi with a hammer, they made jokes.
When Trump sent a mob to attack the Capitol, they made up lies.
The last thing any Republican should be lecturing us about is condoning political violence.
By the way, is anyone up for restrictions on AR-15s now or are they still something everyone needs?
Cosign all of this. For as much as conservatives are complaining about Democrats characterizing Trump as an existential threat to Democracy, Trump and his supporters have used similar language:
Likewise, I suggest we all go back and look at the reactions in the wake of Gabby Giffords’s shooting to see a strong defense of the use of gun language and imagery in campaign ads and stump speeches:
FWIW, I find the use of gun imagry and rhetoric distasteful in the extreme, but don’t think its something that should be construed as any form of “true threat.”
Trump, with his incessant lies about the 2020 election being stolen, with his attempts to stay in power after he lost that election, with his attacks on poll workers, and with inciting the Jan 6th insurrection has undermined confidence in our democracy. He’s courting vice presidential candidates who are willing to say that they would have overturned the results of the 2020 election.
If people think that elections won’t be respected, and won’t represent the will of the people, violence is inevitable — especially in a country awash with guns, and with a strong patriot myth, and a tradition of mostly free and fair elections during our lifetimes. (2000 and 2016 electing the popular vote loser doesn’t help)
Political violence may have no place in a democracy, but are we really a democracy? Opinions differ. To those who believe Trump’s lies the answer would have to be no, and to those who recognize Trump’s lies and what he has done to try to retain power the answer would probably be “barely”.
I’m just surprised that the first assassination attempt was against him rather than Biden. People who think they have to reach for a gun are generally not the best at making decisions and correctly understanding threats to our systems.
But, maybe this is just a lunatic attempting to impress John Hinkley Jr., and there was nothing else to it.
Gun control was a nonexistent issue in this election. Now it may work for the Democrats. Wait a week or two for Trump to heal and start to workout into the narrative. Remind people about the everyday mass shootings. Force the Republicans to defend universal access to semi automatic weapons.
AFAICT only one party has made it a point a number of time to talk about 2nd Amendment Solutions.
Steve
I’ve been thinking these past several hours, Steven, about your take on media bias. What will be the easiest and most dramatic emphasis to be given in the coming weeks and months? I’m convinced that the Fourth Estate will now be the undoing of our country. Aided and abetted by social media, no doubt, but journalists and punditry will be our downfall.
The easiest journalistic angle will be both-siderism, of course. Journos are so good at that anyway and the corporate bosses aren’t going to allow for the historical rhetoric referenced in your OP to confuse the narrative. The dramatic angle will be the more destructive piece. Trump’s arm thrust as Secret Service were whisking him to safety is the stuff of legends. You can easily imagine how that image on the Jumbotron in Milwaukee next week will play on TV. Network and cable producers are already salivating.
I was thinking about the difference in my reaction to the 1960s assassinations and the attempt on Trump’s life yesterday. Trump was not, thankfully, killed or seriously injured, so the gravity of the violence was a bit less of a shock. But what REALLY jolted me is how desensitized I have become to gun and verbal violence over the decades. I could look at the videos and photos and read the posts of those who want a hot civil war or shared artwork of Jesus weeping over Trump without shock. Another day in America.
Thank you for your delusional ruminations on the source of coarse political discussion, oh yea partisans seeing racism everywhere you go.
But any way…..
Here are some headlines that may, or, well, may not be accurate.
Alvin Bragg indicts Trump for inciting assasination attempt.
Trump safe, but leaves one dead.
MSNBC: Clumsy Trump hits head on bullet.
Party that called Trump Hitler for 8 years shocked that someone tried to assasinate him.
Elderly surgeon assures patients he’s pretty lucid, between 10AM and 4 PM.
Chicago Mayor blames spike in gun violence on 9th Century Chinese monks, who invented gunpowder.
Biden aides fired for forgetting to include “breathe” on note cards, as Biden turns blue.
This assassination attempt 100% resulted from Trump’s personal woke DEI choices for his SecServ bodyguards. He picked people purely because of their allegiance rather than their skill.
This is the level of government competence we can expect from Trump’s Project2025.
@Jack: Go back and read the posts I linked and come back to me and explain how that is all good for America. Until then, I really don’t care what you have to say.
Quite frankly, I have my doubts you even read this post.
@Gavin: Do you have a source for this assertion?
@Jack: In regards to this “Trump safe, but leaves one dead.”
I give you Senator Marco Rubio.
If your “arguments” are a bunch of made-up headlines, what do you have to offer? (No need to answer, the question is rhetorical).
@Skookum: I understand perfectly about the coarsening. When I was high school I wanted to become one of the best and brightest. Then JFK was murdered and I was pretty devastated. When MLK was murdered I felt ashamed and couldn’t meet the eyes of the Black fellow trainees undergoing SERE/Survival training. When I was in the Mekong Delta and heard RFK was murdered my first thought was, “Tough Sh!t” That’s when I knew I couldn’t be one of the best and brightest.
@Steven L. Taylor:
It’s been clear for months that Jack’s entire reality is a bunch of made-up headlines. Most of them were made up by others, but Jack finds them so much more comforting than reality that he really would prefer to stay in his dezinformatsia bubble. I mean, come on — he still won’t accept the bipartisan conclusions about Russian interference in 2020, or acknowledge that Trump tried to extort dirt on Biden from Zelensky as a precondition of US military aid to Ukraine, or that Trump actively incited the January 6 insurrection, or … you get the picture. He’s either a dupe or a stooge; there aren’t any other options left.
Something that struck me forcibly yesterday was the realization that there is literally no living person who could diminish support for Donald Trump by denouncing Trump’s fitness for office, his intellect, his abilities, his character, his policies, and his fascist rhetoric. Not the Pope. Not George W. Bush, or Newt Gingrich, or any other living politician. No journalist, no entertainer, no religious leader, no academic, no head of state, no Nobel Peace Prize winner, no author, no famous scientist or inventor. Nobody.
Think about that.
@Mr. Prosser:
That war was a travesty. Give yourself some kindness. At least we can still recognize our moments of callousness.
@Steven L. Taylor:
1. It’s impossible to reason with an irrational person.
2. Jack may be a bot.
I shall certainly take seriously the musing of Stephen Miller, who can not achieve happiness unless he imagines brown children screaming in terror.
@Jack:
Shocked? Which party is shocked? Not the Democratic Party.
For eight years, Trump and his followers falsely smeared Obama as a Kenyan-born usurper. Trump then launched his toxic political career in 2016 with the racist lie that migrants are rapists and murderers — even though it is Trump, a convicted felon, who a judge says raped E. Jean Carroll.
Trump later called for the “2nd Amendment people” to take care of Hillary Clinton. He urged people at his rallies to "knock the hell out of" protestors.
In 2019, a mass shooter in El Paso wrote a manifesto echoing Trump's anti-immigrant hysteria, then murdered 22 people while targeting Latinos. Before the 2020 election, he told violent rightwing domestic terror groups to "stand back and stand by" rather than accept the election results.
When Trump lost the 2020 election, he sent a violent mob to the Capitol screaming "Hang Mike Pence!" When Putin launched his bloody assault on Ukraine's capital, Trump called Putin a "genius" and then this year said he wouldn't care if Putin attacked Europe. Trump has since amplified a call for a 2nd Trump administration to usher in an American "Reich."
Meanwhile, Trump’s party and its far right judges block Democratic efforts to get guns out of the hands of crazies.
Democrats are not shocked that they who foment hatred, extremism, violence, and gun nuttery find what they have sown boomeranging back onto them at the hands of a registered Republican shooter. Are Republicans shocked?
@DK:
Retroothed, I believe the word is, rather than retweeted, as it was on his offbrand social network — the wish.com version of Twitter.
Also, if this is what I think it was, it was a video made by some dude unconnected with the campaign, with fake newspapers flying by in the background, and the “reich” was on those. The “newspapers” were borrowing copy from a Wikipedia article on the causes of World War I.
So, he offbrand-retweeted a video made by someone else that had brief lumps of text of a Wikipedia article rather than Ipsom Dolors nonsense.
Not that he hasn’t been enthusiastically supportive of white supremacists and Christian nationalists in many, many other cases, but in this particular one (if it is the one I am remembering) it was likely accidental.
If you have a lot of Nazis supporting you, and you offbrand-retweet supporters when they praise you, you’re going to offbrand-retweet a couple Nazis. That’s just how it works.
Just like Biden and his team probably name-brand-retweet inoffensive milquetoast neoliberals.
——
ETA: and who can forget the calls of socialism, lock her up, dictator from day one, etc.? Those came right from Trump.
I’m just being pedantic because I needed a break between chapters in the book I am reading.
@Skookum:
1. I know. It is unfortunately quite true and hence why we are in this mess.
2. I expect he is just some lonely jerk and not a bot.
@Jack: Look, kids, this is MAGA Jack’s idea of humor!
I’d say don’t quit your day job but that assumes facts not in evidence…
@Gustopher: “I’m just being pedantic because I needed a break between chapters in the book I am reading.”
What’s the book? (Asked in hopes that this may lead to a more rewarding conversation…)
@wr: Right?! I was gonna point out that the response with all the words upthread was….well…..entirely too many words for him, our best response now is to point and laugh at the poor troll.
@Gustopher: Um…okay.
@wr: I did find the “Clumsy Trump hits head on bullet” bit amusing. I’m guessing it’s lifted from some pithy tweet.
Well, this is a surprise:
Who had ‘bullied loner?’ What? Everyone?
I’d guess we have a John Hinckley or Mark David Chapman, here. A nut looking for notoriety.
@Michael Reynolds:
Can I just say that it pains me deeply to hear the legendary call sign KDKA dismissed in passing as a “CBS affiliate.” ? Per Wikipedia:
I will say one more thing aboutJack. It is sad and gross that we are dealing with the near assassination of an American presidential candidate and he wants to use the occasion to try and score cheap political points.
@Michael Reynolds:
So it appears from initial reporting. Heavy grains of salt, of course, as nothing can be trusted this early, but this kid does seem credible. One of his high school classmates laments the bullying that kid endured.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SROkyGR3vZU
At the end they say one of the reasons he was bullied was because he dressed in camo every day.
@Steven L. Taylor: They’re ALLLLLLL using the occasion to score cheap political points, and it’s exhausting.
Let’s be really real, here….if an assassin had shot Biden, they would be cheering. Jack, JKB, all of the right wing members of Congress. Because they are THAT awful.
These are the people we’re dealing with. Shitty people with Shitty values.
Hat tip to our dear, departed friend, @Teve.
@Steven L. Taylor: Also, regarding @de Stijl and his long absence….there is no way he would not be here today. Any way you can send him an email and tell him Jax was wondering how he’s doing, and give him mine? I hate to intrude on his privacy, but I considered him a friend.
@Steven L. Taylor: While it’s certainly sad and gross, unfortunately, it also seems typical for him.