A former aide to Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that Kamala Harris’ rhetoric is partly responsible for the attempts on the former president’s life.
“I think, you know, it’s one thing for you to care about the rhetoric that you say that put Mike Pence in danger,” said Marc Lotter, appearing as a panelist on MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber.” “And yet the same rhetoric from the people and the party that you support in Kamala Harris has led to two assassination attempts against Donald Trump. We have to tone it down.”
Melber didn’t let Lotter get away with it. Channeling Kanye West‘s now infamous line, “Imma let you finish,” after he interrupted pop star Taylor Swift while she accepted an award the 2009 VMAs.
In perfect form, Melber immediately shut down Lotter’s momentum, “I’ll let you finish, I’ll let you finish, but there’s no evidence of that.”
Harris has in recent days ratcheted up her attacks on the former president. On Tuesday, the vice president was asked by Charlamagne Tha God about fascism, referring to Trump’s barely subtle flirtations with ultranationalist authoritarianism. “Why can’t we just say (fascism)?” Charlamagne said.
“Yes, we can say that,” Harris agreed.
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: It's about fascism. Why can't we just sat it?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 15, 2024
KAMALA HARRIS: Yes. We can say it. pic.twitter.com/HCqmxRmnuG
And she’s not the only one to use the “f-word” in relation to the Republican nominee. Retired Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump, said his former boss was “a fascist to the core,” according to reporting by Bob Woodward for his new book.
Harris, along with several politicians from both parties, has repeatedly labeled Trump “a threat to democracy,” arguing he’s unfit for office.
“We need to realize the rhetoric is wrong for all of this,” Lotter said. “I don’t think Kamala Harris is a danger. I don’t think she’s a threat to democracy.”
Melber reminded Lotter there’s been nothing showing the would-be assassins were in any way motivated by alleged rhetorical excesses from the left.
“So anyone saying there was a motive determined, either direction, you seem to put it one way, is not working off what the feds, through FBI and Secret Service investigations, have yet publicized,” Melber added. “Second, the first shooter, to the extent we have public information, was a … Second Amendment-supporting registered Republican, which, again, doesn’t tell us motive, but it does correct what you just said.”
The conversation then turned to Trump’s history of bombast.
“So Donald Trump’s rhetoric on January 6 was wrong?” Melber asked Lotter.
“He said ‘peacefully and patriotically,'” said Lotter.
“No, the other rhetoric,” Melber persisted. “Like when he posted about Pence, when he was told that his people were coming in violently, that they had weapons, and he said let them in through the magnetrons, and he’s the sitting president.”
Lotter repeated for good measure that the president said, “peacefully and patriotically.”
Adding, “Everyone that I thought who was at The Ellipse that day was exercising their first amendment right to petition their government for their perceived grievance.”
Melber rebutted, “But you just talked about condemning both sides where it is … the Trump side, was that wrong?”
Lotter struck out with viewers after once more repeating, “again, he said peacefully and patriotically.”
Watch: Mark Lotter (former Pence & Trump aide) get dog walked again by Ari Melber for suggesting Democrat's rhetoric is causing assassination attempts against Trump …by Republicans. pic.twitter.com/3mB9Kw11E7
— Chris Borkowski (@cborkowski) October 16, 2024
“I’m now turning off @TheBeatWithAri … despite @AriMelber and his best effort, MarcLotter is LYING. He has no shame. #TrumpIsUnfitForOffice,” one commenter wrote on X.
Of course, Trump has said plenty of nasty things to say about Harris, calling her a Communist, a threat to the nation and “an enemy from within.” He’s also disparaged her mental acuity and suggested she slept her way to the top.
This isn’t the first time Trump surrogates have tried to pin the assassination attempts on Democrats. Vice presidential nominee JD Vance went even further in comments he made at an August rally.
“They couldn’t beat him politically, so they tried to bankrupt him. They failed at that, so they tried to impeach him,” the Ohio senator said. “They failed at that, so they tried to put him in prison. And they even tried to kill him.”
No evidence of that either.
