CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings panned his own network on Monday for allowing Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign to mischaracterize former President Donald Trump's rhetoric in a way that's "designed to radicalize a political base."
Trump was playing a round of golf at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday when a Secret Service agent spotted a gun barrel sticking out of the bushes. As authorities investigate the incident as a second assassination attempt, the former president has said that he is being "shot at" because of President Joe Biden's and Harris' "rhetoric."
On Monday, CNN host Abby Phillip led a panel of commentators in a discussion on the connection between heated political rhetoric and the two recent attempts on Trump's life.
Jennings brought up the Republican presidential nominee's "bloodbath" comment as an example of when he was taken out of context.
"'There'll be a bloodbath,'" Jennings said, recalling Trump's prediction of an economic "bloodbath" for the auto industry if Biden should win.
Biden dropped his reelection bid in late July and endorsed Harris for the Democrat presidential nomination, which she received in Chicago last month.
Disputing other panelists' assertions that Harris did not mischaracterize Trump's use of the word "bloodbath," Jennings said, "It is said by every Democrat working for or around her campaign every day on this network and every other one."
He added that "the bloodbath thing is stated every single day."
"Use of the word 'bloodbath' when he was talking about vehicle manufacturing jobs in the United States – Vice President Harris improperly and unfairly mischaracterized that as him saying there would be a bloodbath if he were elected," Phillip confirmed. "However, she did not say that if Trump were elected, there would be a bloodbath. She did not say that."
During the Sept. 10 presidential candidates' debate, Harris said, "Donald Trump, the candidate, has said, in this election, there will be a bloodbath if the outcome of this election is not to his liking."
Jennings also called out the Harris campaign for fearmongering about Trump installing himself as a dictator, if elected.
"The underpinning of her campaign, I mean, she repeats it herself, 'Trump will be a dictator on day one.' I mean, this country fights dictators," he said. "That's what our history — we fight dictators."
In December, the former president jokingly told conservative television host Sean Hannity at a town hall that he would not be a dictator "except for day one."
"Other than day one, we're closing the border, and we're drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I'm not a dictator," Trump reportedly said at the time.
Promoting these types of false narratives is part of the Democrats' strategy, Jennings said.
"I know you have interviewed and had people out here and have watched the same coverage I have," he said. "The 'bloodbath' garbage, it is a pillar of the Democratic campaign against Trump."
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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