The crucial thing is for leaders to call out those bad things.
It's especially incumbent upon leaders who broadly share the worldview of those perpetrators to call out those bad things.
When a perpetrator says they acted in support of a leader, it is even more important for that leader to call them out and the leader must clearly declare their action is not acceptable.
Thank you for the clear and reasoned analysis. One point about the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, PA is that the assailant did not appear to have a political motivation. He was registered Republican. He also had information about Biden on his phone. He seems to have been a mentally ill young man who saw this act as a way to be "famous." The attempted assassin in Florida was apparently a disillusioned MAGA supporter, who also appears to be mentally unstable.
I have been surprised that no commentators have mentioned the New Orleans attack earlier this year, which featured yet another rightwing shooter. Attacks have become so common from these fringe people that people forget previous ones as new ones emerge.
When the Wall Street Journal publishes the fantasy that the shooter's rifle bullets had anti-fascist and pro transgender slogans inscribed on them, we realize that the disease gripping this nation will not abate soon.
Doubtful. There is more than a year before the election. And the Republicans’ over the top language blaming the left must be offending Independents. It will be the economy.
Excellent analysis and I agree with you.
Sometimes, people do bad things.
The crucial thing is for leaders to call out those bad things.
It's especially incumbent upon leaders who broadly share the worldview of those perpetrators to call out those bad things.
When a perpetrator says they acted in support of a leader, it is even more important for that leader to call them out and the leader must clearly declare their action is not acceptable.
Thank you for the clear and reasoned analysis. One point about the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, PA is that the assailant did not appear to have a political motivation. He was registered Republican. He also had information about Biden on his phone. He seems to have been a mentally ill young man who saw this act as a way to be "famous." The attempted assassin in Florida was apparently a disillusioned MAGA supporter, who also appears to be mentally unstable.
I have been surprised that no commentators have mentioned the New Orleans attack earlier this year, which featured yet another rightwing shooter. Attacks have become so common from these fringe people that people forget previous ones as new ones emerge.
Thank you very much, Elliott. Very informative.
When the Wall Street Journal publishes the fantasy that the shooter's rifle bullets had anti-fascist and pro transgender slogans inscribed on them, we realize that the disease gripping this nation will not abate soon.
This thoughtful analysis is why I subscribe!
If there was any one topic where social desirability bias might affect survey takers, this is it.
I do think the assassination attempt was a turning point in the 2024 election; will Kirk’s death motivate Republicans in November and 2026?
Doubtful. There is more than a year before the election. And the Republicans’ over the top language blaming the left must be offending Independents. It will be the economy.