Two people have apparently tried to assassinate Donald Trump. Both acted alone. Neither was an immigrant, a racial minority, gay or transgender, or (to my knowledge) even a Democrat.

To listen to Trump, it was because Biden and Harris and Walz have continued to badmouth him as a threat to democracy and otherwise. He thinks they must stop.

In the meantime, he will continue to call them radical leftists, very bad people, Marxists, and people who will destroy our country and lead us into World War III.

Clearly, Trump has only himself to blame for animus against himself. He can’t sluff it off on the Democrats.

I don’t think we know the motive of the first shooter. It seems obvious to me that the second shooter, a strong if misguided supporter of Ukraine, is afraid that Trump would throw Ukraine under a bus if elected. Nothing to do with a threat to American democracy.

It’s a dangerous time. All candidates are at risk. We all hope they will remain safe. And we have to stay on track. We can not let these events skew the campaign.

We can not have Harris and Walz temper their rhetoric, which is by and large accurate, while Trump and Vance continue to spout their knowing untruths. Period. Full stop.