The assassination attempt against President Donald Trump and administration officials at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner revives the question of political violence in America, its ideological slant and its connection to extreme rhetoric.

Tuesday afternoon the White House re-upped its effort to place the blame on its political opponents, with a release headlined, "Democrats' Unhinged Rhetoric Incites Third Assassination Attempt on President Trump." Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has gone further, asserting that the media are complicit by "being overly critical and calling the president horrible names."

We don't know yet whether any specific sources inspired would-be assassin Cole Tomas Allen, whose manifesto stated, "I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes." But for top government officials to link strong criticism of the president to an assassination attempt is an alarmingly authoritarian........

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