Illinois Dem Forced To Apologize for Mock Trump Assassination. Kellyanne Conway Wants Media Action
A fundraiser for an Illinois Democratic lawmaker just gave America a taste of how ugly the 2020 presidential campaign is likely to get:
Supporters of state Sen. Martin Sandoval actually staged a mock assassination of President Donald Trump by a man with a fake automatic weapon.
Sandoval was forced to apologize for the Friday night incident, but White House counselor Kellyanne Conway wants more.
According to WCIA, the incident took place in Winfield, about a half-hour west of Chicago.
Donors who paid $250 for the fundraiser/golf outing got to see the assassination of the 45th president — depicted by a man wearing a Donald Trump mask and a “Mexican costume.”
Sandoval was eventually forced to issue an email statement apologizing for the scene, WCIA reported.
“The incident that took place is unacceptable,” the statement said. “I don’t condone violence toward the President or anyone else. I apologize that something like this happened at my event.”
As word about it spread, other Democrats were embarrassed enough to object — or at least say they object.
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker issued a statement deploring the depiction — but in deplorably Democratic terms.
“As our nation grapples with the epidemic of gun violence, purposely pointing a fake gun at anyone is insensitive and wrong,” the statement said. “I condemn actions like the ones displayed in the pictures because they lack the civility our politics demands.”
Sensitivity about “gun violence” might be all the rage now in the aftermath of the two mass shootings in early August, but it would be nice if a United States governor would have the integrity to criticize any depiction of a presidential assassination just on its own terms.
The fact that Pritzker felt it necessary to couch his statement in an “anti-gun” sentiment spoke volumes about how seriously it should be taken.
In a Twitter post on Sunday, Conway demanded that the media find out just how serious Democrats are about criticizing the idea of political violence against the president.
Every Democrat should be asked if they support or disavow this. https://t.co/7nRXtzIXqz
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) August 19, 2019
Naturally, Conway’s post was swamped by leftists attacking her, the president and Republicans in general.
But there were plenty who supported her.
This is an extension arm of the Democrats..not going to denounce antifa or anti semitism running rampant in their party…
— mike w ?? (@blinddog007) August 19, 2019
Sick people. Let’s see if cowards in the media will talk about this.
— Clare (@Clarej111) August 19, 2019
I’m a Democrat and this is appalling.
— Me (@fattenedcat) August 19, 2019
Of course, leftists have been dreaming up Trump assassination fantasies since even before he took office.
On Inauguration Day in January 2017, billionaire entertainer Madonna told a crowd she dreamt of blowing up the White House. Over the summer of that year, a running performance of “Julius Caesar” in New York’s Central Park depicted Trump as the ancient Roman emperor (it doesn’t end well for him).
And, of course, there was Kathy Griffin’s infamous effigy of Trump beheaded, actor Johnny Depp musing aloud about an actor killing a president, and Broadway’s Carole Cook indicating to an interviewer in September 2018 that an assassination was in order.
But the Sandoval affair was different. It was an official fundraiser, for an official, seated Democratic lawmaker who holds a powerful position in the state Democratic-controlled legislature.
His apology sounded strained. The governor’s outrage sounded forced. And the reality is, as the many leftist responses to Conway’s Twitter post showed, there are many, many leftists who don’t see anything wrong at all with a public depiction of a president they despise being murdered.
It’s August, a full year before the presidential election, but this incident is an indication of how ugly that year is going to get.
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