Some Republicans can see the reality behind the rhetoric and are blaming Trump Greg Gianforte’s violent assault of a reporter.
After even some elected Republicans drew the line from Gianforte’s assault directly to Trump’s rhetoric, conservatives were outraged.
A weekend editor at Hot Air whined to Joe Scarborough about his comments, prompting Scarborough to reply, “I was thinking of blaming it on Obama’s tan suit but decided to go with the guy who called the press ‘the enemies of the people.’”
I was thinking of blaming it on Obama's tan suit but decided to go with the guy who called the press "the enemies of the people." https://t.co/hYSPzFOubX
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 25, 2017
Daily Beast columnist Stuart Stevens pointed out:
Conservatives point to Venezuela as disaster. (Which it is.) Well, this is how government supporters treat reporters. This who we are? pic.twitter.com/wVgwMHUwAj
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) May 25, 2017
The Republican attack on the press has manifested in an actual physical assault, one which didn’t cost the perpetrator the election. These are dangerous waters, not fit for the “land of the free.”
GOP strategist Rick Wilson said Republicans have turned into a mob.
I predicted last night that Gianforte might do better than expected precisely because of the assault. I called it the “abuse bump”. This is what Republicans have created by looking the other way as Trump campaigned on shooting and or locking up Hillary Clinton and vilified the press to such an extent that at least one reporter had to be escorted out by the Secret Service for her own protection.
Some Republicans are correctly laying this at Donald Trump’s feet. But not nearly enough and not nearly on time.
Ms. Jones is the co-founder/ editor-in-chief of PoliticusUSA and a member of the White House press pool.
Sarah hosts Politicus News and co-hosts Politicus Radio. Her analysis has been featured on several national radio, television news programs and talk shows, and print outlets including Stateside with David Shuster, as well as The Washington Post, The Atlantic Wire, CNN, MSNBC, The Week, The Hollywood Reporter, and more.
Sarah is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.