Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) spoke about dangerous political rhetoric during the Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner in Georgia on Monday night in the wake of a second assassination attempt on his running mate, former President Donald Trump.
Vance recalled the conversation he had with Trump immediately after Secret Service agents shot at a person with a gun at Trump International Golf Club on Sunday and warned about the dangers of Democrats’ talking points.
“That is kind of the guy that you want to be president United States, right? Who’s fazed by nothing, who’s telling jokes afterwards,” Vance said, recalling how Trump said he was disappointed he wouldn’t be able to finish his golf game after the incident.
“I do think that we should take this opportunity to call for a reduction in the ridiculous and inflammatory political rhetoric coming from too many corners of our politics,” Vance continued. “We can debate one another, but we cannot tell the American people that one candidate is a fascist and if he’s elected, it is going to be the end of American democracy.”
Harris and Trump have both regularly posed this election as a philosophical choice about democracy. Harris, and President Joe Biden before he dropped out, has said Trump is a threat to democracy.
A social media post from Harris in July said, “It’s simple: Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy and fundamental freedoms.”
Vance called out liberals’ use of this rhetoric during the speech, saying, “The big difference between conservatives and liberals is that no one has tried to kill Kamala Harris in the last couple of months, and two people now have tried to kill Donald Trump in the last couple of months. I’d say that’s pretty strong evidence that the Left needs to tone down the rhetoric and needs to cut this crap out.”
Trump has used similarly inflammatory rhetoric. During last week’s debate, he said, “[Harris is] destroying this country. And if she becomes president, this country doesn’t have a chance of success.” He also called the vice president a Marxist.
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After Sunday’s thwarted assassination attempt, Trump raged against Democrats and the Justice Department. In a social media post, the former president said, “The Rhetoric, Lies, as exemplified by the false statements made by Comrade Kamala Harris during the rigged and highly partisan ABC Debate, and all of the ridiculous lawsuits specifically designed to inflict damage on Joe’s, then Kamala’s, Political Opponent, ME, has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust. Because of this Communist Left Rhetoric, the bullets are flying, and it will only get worse!”
The Rhetoric, Lies, as exemplified by the false statements made by Comrade Kamala Harris during the rigged and highly partisan ABC Debate, and all of the ridiculous lawsuits specifically designed to inflict damage on Joe’s, then Kamala’s, Political Opponent, ME, has taken…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2024
No one was injured during the incident Sunday, and Ryan Wesley Routh was apprehended by police in Florida shortly after. He is facing two gun charges, with additional charges possible as the case proceeds.
