Dems mute Trump criticism

Nancy Pelosi spent the week warning of the dangers of her archrival former President Donald Trump. The shooting at his rally on Saturday completely changed the discussion.

Moments after Trump was rushed off stage after gunshots rang out at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania, the former speaker joined dozens of Democrats issuing statements of sympathy and prayers — holding back any criticism of their biggest political foil for the last eight years.

The shooting has effectively silenced Democrats’ political attacks. It could mark a U-turn from the last couple of weeks, when hammering Trump as an existential threat seemed to be the only thing uniting the party amid questions about President Joe Biden’s electability.

Top Democrats, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer , both denounced political violence in statements moments after the attack.

And former President Barack Obama spoke out as well: “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”

Even as both parties awaited more details, one Democrat joined the chorus of Republicans calling it an assassination attempt.

“This is an assassination attempt plain and simple. America is better than this. My thoughts are with President Trump and his family, and all at the rally,” Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) — one of the more than a dozen endangered Democrats whose election will ultimately determine which party controls the chamber next year — said in a statement.

Overwhelmingly, the response of congressional Democrats has been to condemn political violence. Most were careful to avoid politics, even as Democrats panic over a possible Trump victory. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) was one of the exceptions.

“Violence begets violence, whether directed at Trump or inspired by him. I strongly condemn all acts of violence and hope that with quick law enforcement action, all are safe at the Trump rally and he has suffered no lasting damage. In America, we must make our voices heard by ballots, not bullets,” said Doggett, who has been one of a dozen-plus Democrats urging Biden to step aside in recent days.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) added to the calls condemning political violence during a virtual press call on Saturday night — but he encouraged others to not to use the tragedy for their own political benefit.

"When the time's right, get back to a spirited debate about the future of the country," Swalwell told reporters Saturday night. "But right now, I just want to in every possible manner, urge my colleagues — because I'm seeing some of the awful things that are being put out there by some of my colleagues trying to ramp up the rhetoric — that is the worst direction to take this country and right now."

It's too early to tell how the shooting will affect the infighting that has plagued congressional Democrats over the past two weeks, since Biden's unnerving debate performance. More than a dozen Democrats have called on Biden to step aside from running for reelection in the last week alone.

Now, Trump and Republicans will now head into the convention next week with the full attention of the nation. Republicans are marshaling behind their nominee, with many even publicly predicting that he is even more certain to win in November.

Just hours after the shooting, at least one GOP leader is putting some of the blame for the attack on Democratic rhetoric.

“For weeks Democrat leaders have been fueling ludicrous hysteria that Donald Trump winning re-election would be the end of democracy in America,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said in a statement. “Clearly we’ve seen far left lunatics act on violent rhetoric in the past. This incendiary rhetoric must stop.”