Dear corporate media: Biden has denounced violence while Trump has incited and celebrated it

The "Both sides" BS makes us less safe

Let’s start with something we all should agree on: There is no place for political violence in the United States. The assassination attempt against Donald Trump was both horrific and unAmerican. Our nation must remain one where ballots, not bullets decide elections. That is why Democratic and Republican leaders rightfully joined together in denouncing the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on Saturday.

But what has followed has been the corporate media “both siding” political violence. That is not just wrong, it makes us less safe. The leader of the Democratic Party President Joe Biden has repeatedly denounced political violence. The leader of GOP, Trump, incites, defends and celebrates violence on his behalf.

Look at what we’ve lived through the past few years and you will see violence has not just come from MAGA—but has been defended by Trump when carried out by his supporters.  For starters, there was the Jan 6 terrorist attack incited by Trump to help him remain in power despite losing the election. Since then, Trump has celebrated and defended the Jan 6 attackers including kicking off his rallies with the announcement “Please rise for the horribly and unfairly treated January 6 hostages" followed by a song recorded by a choir of people convicted of crimes for attacking our Capitol on Trump’s behalf. Trump-who has vowed to pardon the Jan 6 prisoners--a few weeks ago despicably began praising these people who brutally beat up police officer as, “Those J6 warriors — they were warriors.” 

The message sent by Trump is clear: If you engage in violence on my behalf I have your back. 

Then there are the numerous other threats and acts of violence from Trump supporters directed against anyone seeking to hold Trump accountable over the past two years. We saw an example of this in August 2022 after Trump’s Mar-a-Lago was searched by way of a warrant. That is when Trump and his GOP allies like Marco Rubio demonized the FBI. The result was the FBI was subject to an  “unprecedented” number of threats and a Trump supporter waged an armed attack on a FBI field office, where he was killed by the police. Trump never denounced these threats or attacks.

And in every criminal case where Trump has been charged with crimes, prosecutors, judges and even their families have been subject to threats of violence by the MAGA faithful—some were even arrested. Did Trump denounce any of that? Of course not. He wants it. Period.

Overall, Trump has courted violence since his 2016 campaign such as by telling supporters point blank, "If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you?!” As ABC News detailed in May 2020, at that time there were more than 50 criminal cases where “Trump was invoked in direct connection with violent acts, threats of violence or allegations of assault.”  And in the current 2024 campaign, Trump has pledged to literally “liberate” America from his political opponents and his recent refusal to denounce the prospect of political violence if he loses.

Alarmingly, since the shooting, we’ve seen Trump supporters in Congress incite anger among the well-armed MAGA base that has a well-documented history of threats and violence as detailed above. Examples include Sen JD Vance claiming the gunman who shot at Trump—who is a registered Republican—was caused by Biden’s rhetoric. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green tweeted, "Democrats wanted this to happen. They’ve wanted Trump gone for years and they’re prepared to do anything to make that happen." Worse, GOP Rep Mike Collins claimed “Joe Biden sent the orders” for the shooting.  They are fully aware these words could incite violence—but violence is part of MAGA’s playbook.

Both sides would be at fault if there was a similar instance of violence by Democrats that was expressly incited and defended by Democratic leaders. But the reality is the opposite.

President Biden has repeatedly, loudly and passionately condemned political violence. For example, in the run up to the 2022 midterm election, after raising concerns about MAGA’s role in the Jan 6 attack, he stated bluntly in a national address, “I want to say this plain and simple: There is no place for political violence in America.  Period.  None.  Ever.”

Biden repeated that message again in November 2022 after the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, by a right wing political actor who admittedly was motivated by avenging Trump. That is when Biden declared, “My fellow Americans, we’re facing a defining moment, an inflection point.  And we must — with one overwhelming, unified voice — speak as a country and say there is no place — no place — for voter intimidation or political violence in America, whether it’s directed at Democrats or Republicans.  No place, period.  No place ever.” (In contrast, Trump in September mocked  Pelosi who suffered a skull fracture by a Trump supporter, to big laughs by the Trump loving crowd.)

On the 3^rd anniversary of the Jan 6 attack this past January, Biden made his point by also focusing on Trump, declaring, “So, hear me clearly.  I’ll say what Donald Trump won’t.  Political violence is never, ever acceptable in the United States political system — never, never, never.  It has no place in a democracy.  None." 

And after the shooting of Trump, Biden denounced the attack Saturday night and again Sunday afternoon while flanked by Vice President Harris, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland where he stated, “There is no place in America for this kind of violence or any violence for that matter. An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation.” (Trump has never held a press conference to denounce political violence directed against his political opponents.)

Does the temperature in American politics need to be reduced? Yes. But let’s also be clear that the leader of the GOP, Trump, has courted violence as a tool to help him win. The only question is will Trump stand down after this shooting or double down in an effort to animate his supporters to engage in violence to help him win in 2024?! Trump’s history tells us it’s much more likely the second scenario.

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