Biden condemns political violence in nationwide address

President Joe Biden called for unity and urged Americans to shun political violence during an address from the Oval Office on Sunday night, one day after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

What did Biden say? Biden acknowledged the contentiousness of the current election season and called on Americans to lower the temperature of political discourse. He argued voters who disagree are not enemies, just friends and neighbors with differing views. Biden added that Saturday night’s shooting and attempt on Trump’s life should cause everyone to pause and reconsider the country’s direction.

Did he say anything about Trump personally? Biden said he was thankful Trump was not seriously injured. He added that he spoke with the former president Saturday evening after the shooting, and both he and first lady Jill Biden were keeping Trump in their prayers. Biden did not elaborate further on the nature or contents of their conversation.

Did he say anything about the bystander who was killed? Biden said 50-year-old Corey Comperatore was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter, and a hero. He said he was at the rally to exercise his right to support the presidential candidate of his choosing. Biden said Comperatore died trying to shield his family from bullets.

Did he say anything about the suspected shooter? Biden said the motives of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks remain unclear, as do his political opinions and affiliations. He said it’s not known if Crooks had assistance or if he communicated with anyone else. He said investigators are still trying to uncover that information.

What else did he say? Biden reiterated that violence is not the proper way to resolve political disputes and then enumerated a list of examples of such violence in recent years. They included the targeted shootings of members of Congress from both parties, the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capital riots, the attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the intimidation of election officials, the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and the attempted assassination of Trump on Saturday. He told Americans, “It’s time to cool down,” and said politics should never be a literal battlefield or killing field.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on the latest in the investigation.