Unfortunately, the liberal media seemed unable to reflect on how things got to the point where former President Trump was nearly assassinated. In the hours following the attempt on Trump’s life on Saturday, CNN Republican commentator Scott Jennings condemned the anti-Trump, doomsaying election rhetoric parroted by the likes of his network, the rest of the liberal media, and Democrats for leading to what happened. But host Wolf Blitzer wanted to play the “both sides” game and blame the victim.
Jennings started out by calling out the “extreme” rhetoric they’ve been using that claimed the country would cease to exist if Trump was elected again; warning that “these things have consequences”:
The rhetoric around him over the last few weeks that, “if he wins an election that our country will end, our democracy will end, it's the last election will ever have;” these things have consequences. Okay? I don't know what the motivations of the shooter are. I don't know any of the details, but I know the rhetoric around Trump has grown extreme.
“But we have people in this country who are dedicated to telling half the country that if Donald Trump wins an election, the country will end, the constitution will go away, and so on and so forth,” he decried. “Yes, we’re all shocked and yes, political violence has no place. Where does it come from? It's got to stop.”
Blitzer proceeded to whine about Trump had made “very, very strong statements” again Biden and blamed “both sides.” Jennings had to remind him which of the two was in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head:
BLITZER: But we're also hearing from Trump very, very strong statements of condemnation of Biden, the worst president, the most dangerous president, and all of that. He's speaking very, very strongly against President Biden.
JENNINGS: Who's in the hospital?
BLITZER: Well, we do – this is an assassination attempt.
JENNINGS: Look I agree with you.
BLITZER: You say calm things down. I agree both sides should calm things down.
“What other wakeup call could there be for everybody in this country right now?” Jennings lamented.
But Blitzer was determined to play his game:
BLITZER: Have to cool the rhetoric on both sides.
JENNINGS: We have to change.
BLITZER: Because it's really dangerous and foments what we've just seen over the past couple hours or so, and it's a really, really scary situation.
“[I]t doesn't take a lot to dig and find that people take cues from not just leaders, but from people around them. And when, when violence happens, sometimes things are uncorked and it is important for leaders across the board – as we are seeing today – to tamp things down,” CNN’s Dana Bash clownishly agreed with her colleague.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
CNN Newsroom
July 13, 2024
8:54:36 p.m. Eastern(…)
SCOTT JENNINGS: The rhetoric around him [Donald Trump] over the last few weeks that, “if he wins an election that our country will end, our democracy will end, it's the last election will ever have;” these things have consequences. Okay? I don't know what the motivations of the shooter are. I don't know any of the details, but I know the rhetoric around Trump has grown extreme.
You mentioned some other violence. You didn't mention the Supreme Court – attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice or the congressional baseball game, where Steve Scalise was nearly murdered. Wanted conservative. The other a Republican.
But we have people in this country who are dedicated to telling half the country that if Donald Trump wins an election, the country will end, the constitution will go away, and so on and so forth. What I want to hear from all elected officials is, this kind of hyperbolic extremism has consequences and it must end!
Yes, we’re all shocked and yes, political violence has no place. Where does it come from? It's got to stop.
WOLD BLITZER: But we're also hearing from Trump very, very strong statements of condemnation of Biden, the worst president, the most dangerous president, and all of that. He's speaking very, very strongly against President Biden.
JENNINGS: Who's in the hospital?
BLITZER: Well, we do – this is an assassination attempt.
JENNINGS: Look I agree with you.
BLITZER: You say calm things down. I agree both sides should calm things down.
JENNINGS: This – this moment is – if there was – if we – What other wakeup call could there be for everybody in this country right now?
I am – I am mortified. I mean, this will live on forever. These pictures we're seeing today will be in the history books of our children and our grandchildren. I mean, were living through a historical moment. And we have to recognize it for what it is, and we have to change.
BLITZER: Have to cool the rhetoric on both sides.
JENNINGS: We have to change.
BLITZER: Because it's really dangerous and foments what we've just seen over the past couple hours or so, and it's a really, really scary situation. You want to add a point, Dana?
DANA BASH: You just said it, Wolf. Scott, your point is so well taken that the escalation of rhetoric is something that if you just look back in history, it doesn't take a lot to dig and find that people take cues from not just leaders, but from people around them. And when, when violence happens, sometimes things are uncorked and it is important for leaders across the board – as we are seeing today. To tamp things down.
(…)
