Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., condemned both political violence and “radical rhetoric” after the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sanders said political violence was “un-American.”
“I think everybody in this country, no matter what their political views, wishes former President Trump a rapid and speedy recovery, mourns the loss of innocent lives and those who are wounded, and understands that political violence of any kind or shape or form is unacceptable. It is un-American,” Sanders said. “And we’ve got to put an end to it. I think in this traumatic moment, it’s time for all of us to take a deep breath, remember what this is about and what political campaigns are about. And they’re about serious discussions of serious ideas as to how we address the serious problems facing this country. So let’s use this moment if there’s any silver lining in this tragedy. It’s to figure out how do we go forward peacefully, constructively and intelligently?”
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a rally endorsing Jamaal Bowman at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx on June 22, 2024, in New York City. (Steven Ferdman/GC Images)
Sanders went on to condemn “radical rhetoric,” without specifying what that constituted. In the wake of the shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed Trump’s ear before Secret Service rushed him offstage, Republicans have criticized Democrats for their past rhetoric, deeming Trump an existential threat to democracy. A rally goer was killed, and two other men were critically wounded, authorities said.
The Secret Service fatally shot the would-be Trump assassin, who reportedly fired from a rooftop some 130 yards away from the rally.
Former President Trump is assisted by Secret Service agents after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
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“The bottom line is what we need as a nation, what a democracy is about is not radical rhetoric,” Sanders told host Kristen Welker. “What it is about is a serious discussion of where we are as a nation and how we go forward, forward. You know, and in a certain way, Kristen, politics should be kind of boring. You know, our health care system is dysfunctional. How do we fix it? Well, it’s kind of a boring discussion, but we need a health care system that guarantees health care to all people. We have massive income and wealth inequality. Well, maybe a boring discussion. Should three people own more wealth than the bottom half of American society? So I think what we have got to see is serious discussion of serious issues, and not this kind of harsh rhetoric that we have heard for the last number of years.”
Former President Trump seen after the assassination attempt at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
Sanders also reiterated support for Biden as the Democratic nominee despite back-to-back gaffes last week and his disastrous debate performance against Trump.
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“President Biden is the strongest candidate the Democrats have,” Sanders said. “I think he has a very, very effective record that he can run on. We are finally lowering the cost of prescription drugs. We are rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. Finally, we’re beginning to deal with the existential threat of climate change. We’re trying to do our best to protect a woman’s rights to control her own body. A strong record.”