During an interview with MSNBC on Monday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said that “the only reaction” to the assassination attempt on 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump “that matters here is one in which both parties denounce the use of violence in our politics.” And “I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Donald Trump will renounce violence this week. I just think I know Donald Trump, I don’t think he will do it.”
Host Rachel Maddow said, “I’m not going to insist that you join in this conversation that we were having in terms of reaction to what happened on Saturday night. I would love to hear your thoughts on that. I’d also love to hear your reaction to the selection of Sen. Vance (R-OH), one of your Senate colleagues, as Trump’s vice presidential running mate.”
Murphy said, “I think your conversation, first of all, has been really important and what you said at the jump was the most important, the only reaction that matters here is one in which both parties denounce the use of violence in our politics. It just wasn’t that long ago when transitions of power in civilizations happened through violence, where you advanced your own economic, social, or political interests through violence. We have made just a fantastic transition as a world, over the course of the last 2,000 years, in which much less of that happens, but it all sits on a knife edge, and you can lose it, you can lose a peaceful civilization, you can lose the reliance on peaceful transitions of power if you let it become normalized. Listen, I just worry that we know exactly who Donald Trump is. We can wish that he is going to use this week in order to change. He has an opportunity to do that. The worst act of political violence in this country’s recent history is January 6. And just two weeks ago, just a week ago, Donald Trump was celebrating the people who attacked our Capitol, promising to pardon the people who tried to kill me and others who were trying to do the people’s work and certify Joe Biden’s victory. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Donald Trump will renounce violence this week. I just think I know Donald Trump, I don’t think he will do it.”
Murphy then turned to reaction to the selection of Vance.
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