The second assassination attempt on Donald Trump has sparked a tidal wave of absurd hot takes, particularly from those on the left. Outrageous commentary from the Vindman family and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger have grabbed headlines, but the media hasn’t been any better. MSNBC, in its typical fashion, paraded a string of so-called analysts who managed to spin the attempt on Trump’s life as somehow his fault.
But it was CNN’s Scott Jennings who cut through the noise with a rare moment of clarity. During a discussion on Tuesday, Jennings, one of the few rational voices left on the network, had enough. The host attempted the tired, lazy argument that “the rhetoric is on both sides,” as if trying to suggest a moral equivalence between the right and left when it comes to political violence. Jennings wasn’t having it.
“They have tried to kill this man twice,” Jennings reminded everyone. “He got shot in the ear, and this guy was setting up shop outside of a golf course to try to kill him this weekend.” The facts are clear: Donald Trump has been targeted twice by actual gunmen.
And yet, instead of acknowledging this reality, the media’s reflexive response is to downplay it by pointing to rhetoric on “both sides.” Jennings tore that weak excuse apart, emphasizing that this isn’t just about rhetoric—Trump is the direct target of very real, very dangerous attacks.
I’m not interested in “the rhetoric on both sides” today. Trump is the target. He’s survived two assassination attempts. He’s in danger and it’s probably too late to de-radicalize everyone who thinks the country will end if he wins. My latest for @cnn pic.twitter.com/4xD2NXGWT4
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) September 16, 2024
Jennings’ point about the fearmongering surrounding Trump’s potential return to the presidency is particularly incisive. Democrats have spent years painting Trump as an existential threat to democracy, drumming up fears of a dictatorship, a constitutional collapse, and widespread violence. As Jennings put it, the left has essentially convinced itself that America will cease to exist if Trump is elected again. That kind of hyperbolic rhetoric isn’t something that can simply be walked back after years of indoctrination.
Jennings later hit another nail on the head, stating, “It’s too late.” The damage has already been done. For nearly a decade, Donald Trump has been vilified to the point where some people believe violence is the only option to stop him. The relentless comparison of Trump to Adolf Hitler and other despots has planted seeds that are now bearing dangerous fruit.
The second assassination attempt is proof of this escalating threat. How can Democrats distance themselves from the rhetoric they’ve promoted for years, convincing their supporters that Trump represents the end of the republic?
Of course, expecting the left to take any accountability is wishful thinking. As Jennings pointed out, they’ll continue doubling down, essentially saying, “Please stop making us try to murder you.” The hypocrisy is glaring. Over the weekend, Democrats and the media were in a frenzy over fake bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio, laying the blame squarely on the right without evidence. Yet, when someone actually tries to kill Trump, the narrative suddenly shifts. The left won’t accept that their rhetoric has consequences, even as the evidence stares them in the face.