Dan Pfeiffer makes this observation about Trump’s grotesque behavior:
The man who tried to violently overturn the election promising a “bloodbath” if he loses sparked alarm across the political spectrum. Trump supporters argued that the former President was speaking specifically about the auto industry. Some pundits chastised Democrats — including the Biden campaign — for taking Trump out of context.
This is overly pedantic idiocy.
Following the logic of any Trump speech is nearly impossible. The comment came during a section about Chinese competition in car manufacturing, so maybe he was taken out of context. But that’s so far beyond the point. Much like his legal strategy, Trump is trying to get off on a technicality. The bloodbath comment is not new nor is it out of character. If you are arguing that Trump didn’t really mean bloodbath, you lost the forest for the trees a long time ago. He has threatened violence if he gets convicted or loses the election. Just a few weeks ago, Trump warned there would be a “civil war” in the U.S. if he lost.
Either way, Trump has political violence on the brain. At the rally, Trump saluted as an alternative version of the national anthem. This anthem was originally performed by criminals convicted of assaulting the Capitol on January 6th and recorded by phone from prison. That sentence is almost too ridiculous to be true, but it sadly is. The anthem from the J6 Choir played after the announcement urged the audience to “please rise for the horribly and unfairly treated Jan. 6 hostages.”
There’s nothing new in Trump’s bloodbath comment. We know what he meant. Any sentient being gets it. It’s a threat.
That wasn’t the only twisted thing Trump did at his rally last weekend, though. Here’s one memorable moment:
What Trump is doing is very dangerous. Sure, a President pardoning people who committed crimes on his behalf is bad for democracy and the rule of law. However, the real danger of promising pardons to people who commit political violence is that it will beget more violence. Trump is promising a “get out of jail free” card to people who act violently on his behalf. Imagine how someone hopped up on Right Wing propaganda and conspiracy theories might act if they have no fear of legal accountability and the hope of being hailed a hero by Trump.
Ultimately, this is how we should frame Trump’s pardon promise and dangerous rhetoric around future political violence. A Navigator Research poll found that more than 80% of Americans are concerned about political violence today and in the future. Voters also see Republicans — and Trump — as more prone to political violence. Independents say Republicans are more prone to political violence than Democrats by a 15-point margin.
The best argument is not that Trump was responsible for January 6th, but that he is actively encouraging similar political violence.
CBS News poll found that nearly 80% of voters disapprove of the actions of the people who entered the Capitol on January 6th.
He points out that the January 6th rioters are very unpopular with a majority of Americans. Even a MAGA majority disapproves so while he gets big cheers from his ecstatic cult followers at his rallies, most Republicans don’t see them as heroes.
On the other hand, according to a CBS poll only one third of his coalition explicitly doesn’t want them pardoned but I guess those are the voters he keeps saying he doesn’t need.
How to Make Trump Pay
Trump’s rhetoric is dangerous for democracy, but also provides a big opportunity for Democrats, especially with the voters Trump needs to win in November. A Data for Progress poll found that 57% of Independents are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the January 6th attack.
Here are some quick thoughts on how make the case:
Trump’s Support of Violence is an Example of His Extremism: Pardoning and saluting people who commit political violence is evidence of a dangerous level of extremism. These are candidates who will ban abortion, contraception, and IVF and cut Social Security and Medicare. January 6th and democracy are not top of mind for every voter, but Trump’s position on those issues can open the door to other arguments about the dangers of his extremism.
Trump is Focused on Himself: I haven’t seen any polling about Trump pardoning January 6th rioters on day one, but I am 100% positive that it would be incredibly unpopular. One of the best arguments against Trump is that he is only running for President to help himself, reward his friends and punish his enemies. Trump’s pledge to pardon violent criminals before helping the rest of us really helps tell that story.
Be Detailed About January 6th: Late last year, Bryan Bennett of Navigator Research outlined some advice on how to talk about January 6th. Here are the most resonating statements:
More than 2,000 rioters ultimately broke into the Capitol, many of whom vandalized and looted parts of the building (69 percent true, 72 percent concerning);
Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted by rioters (64 percent true, 71 percent concerning);
Five people died as a result of the events on January 6th, including Capitol police officers (60 percent true, 75 percent concerning); and,
More than a thousand people have been arrested for their actions on January 6th (62 percent true, 66 percent concerning).
He also says that they should highlight the pledge to pardon them on Day 1 which shows that he puts a greater priority on that than the issues most of them care about.
Focusing on the January 6th stuff sounds right to me. I happened to be in a room with some civilians (non-political types) when that footage of the January 6th national anthem intro came on with Trump saluting the insurrectionist choir and when I drew their attention to it they were gobsmacked. A lot of people really are not aware of just how radical he’s become on this subject. They need to know.
Also, in case you are wondering if Trump means it when he says he wants to be a dictator.
This has made very clear what he wants and this time he believes he’s going to get it.