On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “At This Hour,” Larry Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, discussed political violence and stated, “Republicans support it because it’s promoted by their side, by their president, and by other people associated with the Republican Party.”
Sabato said, “I’m not going to deny that American history is dotted with examples of legislators and congressmen getting into fights of one sort or another, but here’s the difference, we’re in the age of Donald Trump. What happened over the past two years? Donald Trump attacked and really brutalized many people, not just the press, John, loads of individuals and groups, including using the issue of immigration to stir up the Republican base.”
He added, “[Y]ou remember him doing nothing to stop some of the physical violence, and in fact, urging it on. Let’s not rewrite history here. The man got elected president. He was rewarded for these sorts of activities. politicians pick up on that. … And you combine that with social media, the anonymity of social media. There’s a mob mentality on social media, and it spills over into real life and we’re going to see a lot more of it, and not just on the issue of immigration.”
Sabato further argued, “This is as partisan as everything else in this intensely polarized, partisan country. Republicans, it doesn’t bother them, as we saw in Montana. … Republicans support it because it’s promoted by their side, by their president, and by other people associated with the Republican Party.”
He concluded, “Republicans support this because their leaders support it. Democrats oppose it because their leaders oppose it and because maybe they’re the target sometimes. Let’s not rewrite history.”
(h/t Daily Caller)
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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