Instead of unequivocally condemning the act, a great many conservative activists saw fit to concoct a litany of conspiracy theories about the attack aided and abetted by new Twitter owner Elon Musk while Republican figures like Donald Trump, Jr., Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Virginia GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin made light of the attack while RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel flat out lied about President Biden not condemning an assassination attempt against Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh. And all because Paul Pelosi is married to a Democrat.
And what if Nancy Pelosi had been at home and had been savagely attacked? Sadly, I suspect that had the Speaker been attacked the reaction among Republicans would be even worse than it is now. Before she was elected to Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene liked a tweet which called for the assassination of Speaker Pelosi and also took to social media to call Pelosi a traitor and that the traitors were subject to the death penalty. In such a political ecosphere how can we be surprised when their fellow travelers try to carry out these punishments?
Yes, Republicans have been targets of violence. But I defy anyone to name a Democrat who made fun of Steve Scalise after he was shot in June 2017 during the practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game.
Yes, I also think Christine Pelosi was wrong to defend Senator Rand Paul's attacker. But Senator Paul is also wrong to take a shot at the younger Pelosi during her father's hour of need. It is a classic case of two wrongs don't make a right.
Senator Paul's response and that of Republicans at large at the attack of Paul Pelosi is emblematic of Trumpism which derives amusement and pleasure in the suffering of others. And it is only going to get worse.
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