Trump himself needs to end the violent rhetoric

Donald Trump wants the violent rhetoric to end?

- VINAY MENON

He should duct-tape his mouth. Shut him up and watch the political temp drop to Zero Degrees Centigrade. To be safe, he should campaign as an angry mime.

On Sunday, while the ex-president was golfing in Florida, an alleged would-be killer stalked from behind a fence. Ryan Routh, who arrived 12 hours earlier, brought an AK-47-style rifle, scope and GoPro. He was not there to film a hole-inone.

Two assassination attempts in a few weeks would rattle most people. Not Trump, the opportunist. Minutes after Routh was arrested, Trump sent out fundraising emails. Because nothing says sombre reflection like a money grab.

He was also quick to assign blame: "Because of this Communist Left Rhetoric, the bullets are flying."

The only bullets flying on Sunday were fired by the Secret Service. Routh never got off a shot. And neither aspiring assassin was a Marxtattooed member of Antifa hellbent on burning down capitalism. The first shooter, killed in the incident, was once a registered Republican. The person arrested in the second incident voted for Trump in 2016.

It's not the Bernie Bros who are packing heat and plotting murder.

So why have Trump and his surrogates spent the last 48 hours trying to blame Kamala Harris for two lone wolves? Because in Trumpville, the street lamps are powered by gaslight and projection is the mother tongue.