The attempted assassination of Donald Trump late Saturday afternoon has naturally resulted in many of us examining the political left's violent and hateful rhetoric against Trump. For example, mere days before Trump was shot at, President Joe Biden said, “It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye."
Biden and the Democratic Party have also spent years likening Trump to Hitler and calling him a threat to democracy and a wannabe dictator. Some have even joked about killing him, like current Vice President Kamala Harris.
In 2018, then-Senator Kamala Harris appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," during which, DeGeneres posed a whimsical question: "If you had to be stuck in an elevator with either President Trump, Mike Pence, or Jeff Sessions, who would it be?"
Harris replied with a quip that sparked nervous laughter: "Does one of us have to come out alive?"
Kamala Harris joked about killing Trump, Pence and Sessions with Ellen in 2018.
— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) February 8, 2021
Can we impeach her?pic.twitter.com/uCOa4uJihz
Kamala Harris literally made a joke about killing the president of the United States, the vice president of the United States, and the attorney general of the United States. And she thought it was funny. Of course, Ellen DeGeneres laughed, too. So did the audience.
On Saturday, Harris released a statement about the shooting.
"Doug and I are relieved that [Donald Trump] is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting," the statement read. "We are grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action. Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence."
Yet, a few years earlier, she was joking about killing him. Her joke normalized and trivialized political violence. Ironically, Donald Trump, who told his supporters to march peacefully to the Capitol, was impeached for “inciting violence.”
Similarly, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris initially praised the violent and deadly BLM riots of 2020.
"The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance," Biden said in a statement on May 31, 2020, that refused to condemn the rioting and looting that resulted in numerous deaths and up to $2 billion in property damage.
Their stance only changed after polling indicated a backlash against their support for the riots. Prior to that, the political left celebrated the violent protests to such an extent that many endorsed and financially supported the Minnesota Freedom Fund. This group raised an astounding $35 million following George Floyd's death amid chaotic protests and looting in Minneapolis. Hollywood celebrities and then-Senator Kamala Harris actively promoted the bail fund, with Harris urging her Twitter followers to contribute "to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota."
If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota. https://t.co/t8LXowKIbw
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 1, 2020
Join the conversation as a VIP Member