If only he would say this
Here is a draft of what I would hope comes from the mouth of Donald J. Trump in the wake of the shooting death of Trumpster and MAGA spokesman Charlie Kirk, who was gunned down today at a rally at Utah Valley University.
Bear in mind that there is no way Trump would say these things, but I want to get it off my chest. You also might recognize a Trumpian statement in this hypothetical speech text.
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Good evening, my fellow Americans.
Melania I are shocked and dismayed at the senseless shooting of Charlie Kirk, a young man who was a staunch supporter of mine and a leader of what is the world's premier political movement ... MAGA.
I want to take a moment to take my measure of blame for the violence that took Kirk's life. Yes, I am going to do something I don't normally do. Take blame for a profoundly sad event. I realize that the rhetoric I have stated and that which has come from my supporters have contributed to the intense mistrust among Americans. I have wrongly labeled political foes as "enemies." I regret using that kind of language.
My expressions of regret won't solve this difficulty by itself. We need to understand that the nation was founded by a group of dissenters, men who fled Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries to escape repression and create a government founded on the principles of individual liberty.
Let's dial back the overheated rhetoric as we seek to make our points. Perhaps then we can understand each other, listen to others' points of view and engage in vigorous -- but civil -- political discourse.
***
Will the president of the United States ever say such a thing out loud in a public venue? Never in a million years.