California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner “evil” during a Friday appearance on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” while arguing that President Trump bears responsibility for the country’s political tone.
“You’ve got to condemn it, you’ve got to call it out,” Mr. Newsom said when host Bill Maher asked about the attack. “I don’t like the rhetoric on either side. We all have to be held to a higher level of accountability.”
The Democratic governor went on to draw a distinction, however, arguing that the president holds a unique responsibility. “There’s also an asymmetry here,” he said. “You have the president of the United States that sets the tone and tenor for this country. And that’s not a partisan statement, that’s an institutional statement.”
Mr. Newsom criticized Mr. Trump’s response in the days following the shooting, pointing to the president’s social media activity. “What did he do the day after? He talked about a beach photo and the indictment of one of his enemies. He talked about his ballroom, his Kremlin ballroom. He’s not doing anything to try to unite this country in any way, shape, or form.”
The governor concluded that the current political environment reflects Mr. Trump’s influence. “It’s just the sewer that we’re now living in, because of Donald Trump. And he’s allowed all of it — us to feel free to shove again.”
Mr. Maher had framed his question around the escalating hostility directed at political figures, telling Mr. Newsom that “it only gets worse the closer you get to the prize.”
The April 25 shooting took place as Mr. Trump attended his first White House Correspondents’ Dinner as a sitting president. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, has been charged with one count of attempted assassination of the president, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. A Secret Service officer was shot once in the chest but was protected by a ballistic vest; Allen was subdued and suffered minor injuries.
Mr. Maher also pressed Mr. Newsom during the interview on what the host characterized as similarities between the governor’s political style and Mr. Trump’s — pointing specifically to Mr. Newsom’s lawsuit against Fox News.
“But many people would say that you are imitating him,” Mr. Maher said. “You are the one who kind of imitates his style with the trolling.”
Mr. Newsom defended the suit, saying, “Fox better look to settle right now or apologize for defamation.” Mr. Maher replied: “That does sound like him.”
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