Staff Reports
The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has brought into sharp focus the years of Democrats and the media demonizing him as a Hitler-like threat. While President Joe Biden now calls for a “lower[ing] of the temperature in our politics,” his past rhetoric and that of his supporters tell a different story.
Prior to the terrifying incident in Pennsylvania, Democrats had been relentless in their attacks on Trump, likening him to the infamous dictator Adolf Hitler. The former First Lady Melania Trump notably condemned the perpetrator as a “monster” who sought to extinguish her husband’s positive qualities and passion for life.
We chose the cover image, based on a well-known 1932 Hitler campaign poster, for a precise reason: that anyone transported back to 1932 Germany could very, very easily have explained away Herr Hitler’s excesses and been persuaded that his critics were going overboard. After all,… pic.twitter.com/x79Rkh86O1
— The New Republic (@newrepublic) July 7, 2024
Biden himself has a history of using provocative language, including telling supporters it was time to “put Trump in a bullseye.” He has painted Trump and his supporters as extremists who pose a threat to the very fabric of American democracy. Such inflammatory rhetoric extends beyond Biden to other Democratic politicians, such as Rep. Maxine Waters and Rep. Daniel Goldman, who have also made controversial statements about Trump.
Even the media has played a role in perpetuating the comparison between Trump and Hitler, with publications like The New Republic and The Washington Post allowing such discussions to flourish. However, in the wake of the assassination attempt, there are calls for a more tempered approach to political discourse, with a plea for soul-searching and a softer tone in public conversations.
As Trump prepares to address the RNC convention, he has indicated a shift in focus towards unifying the country, rather than merely criticizing Biden’s policies. It remains to be seen how this tragic event will impact the ongoing political rhetoric and discourse in America.
