Donald Trump continued to cling to his main talking points during a dinner with Evangelical leaders on Monday night. No, not racism and White Nationalism. No, not The Wall. No, not the economy.
He stoked fear. Fear of violence. Fear of horrible, disastrous, nationwide violence if the GOP loses Congress in the midterms.
Chuck Todd talked about what was said at a closed door meeting with evangelical leaders:
TODD: The President warned that if the GOP loses the midterms:
"[Democrats] will overturn everything that we've done, and they'll do it quickly and violently. And violently. There's violence. When you look at antifa, and look at some -- antifa and look at some of these groups, these are violent people."
(Editor's Note: Antifa is a shortened term for "Anti-fascist." People who oppose fascists. People who punch Nazis.)
Chuck Todd went on with another quote from Donald Trump:
"The level of hatred, the level of anger is unbelievable. Part of it is because of some of the things I've done for you, for me, for my family, but I've done them. This November 6th election is very much a referendum on not only me, it's a referendum on your religion, it's a referendum on free speech, the First Amendment."
Todd nailed it: "However you want to look at it, this sounds like a guy desperate to get his base out and nervous that his base is not going to come out."
Let's see what happens. 70 days until midterms.
Karoli adds: Speaking of violence, DNC headquarters was shut down due to a bomb threat earlier today.
And then there's this, via Hatewatch:
Claiming that the “violent left” is preparing an insurrection designed to grab “illegitimate power,” the Oath Keepers’ president and founder Stewart Rhodes this week announced on their website that his group is organizing training sessions around the United States aimed at helping militiamen and “Patriots” prepare for “lethal force” at far-right events in cities targeted for right-wing protests.
Appearing on Infowars with host Owen Shroyer on Monday, Rhodes explained that Oath Keepers is organizing “Spartan Training Groups” in every state with the aim of bolstering efforts to combat “antifa and the far left.” He spun the effort as part of a larger vision of becoming a national militia that could be called into action by President Trump:
There is a lot of projection happening right now. The only people talking about violence are on the right, not the left.
