The Great American Political Reality Show™

Social media and Trumpism have abstracted our politics into a reality show. Understanding that should shape how Democrats engage.

Late last week, Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was violently assaulted in his own home by a hammer-wielding assailant screaming, “Where’s Nancy?!” 

Right-wing rhetoric validating violence as a political tool had claimed another victim. I tweeted as much:

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed @AbdulElSayed

We don't know why someone violently assaulted Paul Pelosi today. Yet. But it's hard not to notice that the same Republicans who keep talking about crime *keep inciting people to violence.* Their logic is self-perpetuating. More fear, more violence, more guns. Rinse & repeat.

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Over time, facts have emerged to vindicate my assessment. But that hasn’t stopped Twitter spinmasters, including the new “Chief Twit” himself, Elon Musk, from floating baseless conspiracy theories. The lewder the better, it turns out. 

What has surprised me about the situation isn’t how cynical right-wing Twitter and their bot army can be — trust me, I know a thing or two about that — but just how little people cared about the actual person underneath the whole thing.

I don’t know Paul or Nancy Pelosi. I do not agree with Nancy Pelosi on everything. But you don’t have to know her to know she’s given her life’s work to serving our country — and has been absolutely vilified for it. I also know a man having cranial surgery after being attacked with a hammer deserves some respect. 

Somehow, that man and what he and his family have endured has been lost in our Great American Political Reality Show™.