CNN commentator criticized for 'embarrassing' argument over Trump and Harris' rhetoric

Conservative commentator Scott Jennings was sharply criticized for his arguments during a heated CNN panel discussion about the role of political rhetoric in the assassination attempts on Donald Trump.

Jennings, a CNN contributor, argues that the Democrats' violent rhetoric, not that of other political camps, is to blame for the assassination attempts on Trump. He has criticized Democrats for portraying the former president as a threat to democracy. (Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election and has laid the groundwork for claiming that this year's election was rigged if he loses.)

On Monday, Jennings argued that Vice President Kamala Harris' entire campaign was based on messaging.

“I mean, she repeats it herself. 'Trump will be a dictator on day one,'” said Jennings, a former adviser to President George W. Bush. “I mean, this country fights dictators!”

“But didn’t he say that?” interrupted another panelist, historian Tim Naftali.

“Those were his words!” noted Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen.

Jennings further claimed that Harris said things like “he will be a dictator” and “there will be bloodshed.”

Trump said in December that he wanted to act like a dictator on “day one” of a possible second administration. Harris has made this statement in public appearances.

The Republican candidate claimed in a discussion about the auto industry in March that there would be “a bloodbath” if he was not elected. His campaign team later clarified that he meant an “economic bloodbath.”

Harris said during the debate last week that Trump had announced that if he lost, “there would be a bloodbath.”

CNN anchor Abby Phillip fact-checked Jennings live, noting that Harris “inaccurately and unfairly misrepresented Trump as saying there would be a bloodbath if he was (not) elected.”

“But she did not say that there would be a bloodbath if Trump were elected,” she clarified.

After a suspected shooter was arrested at Trump's golf course in Florida on Sunday, the Republican blamed Harris and President Joe Biden, claiming: “Their rhetoric is the reason I'm being shot at.”

Jennings' comment sparked a fierce reaction on social media, with a clip of the exchange being viewed over a million times.

Many respondents pointed out that Trump declared on his first day in office that he wanted to be a dictator. Others pointed to his constant inflammatory and dishonest rhetoric, as well as other examples of his authoritarian ambitions, and sarcastically wondered if it was divisive for Harris to warn Americans about this.

“Basically, we shouldn't repeat Trump's statements and call him out on them because it's so inflammatory. Got it,” said George Conway, a conservative lawyer and outspoken Trump critic.

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