Tim Reacts To Horrific Shooting of Two Minnesota Lawmakers

Summary

Podcast Title: Bulwark Takes
Host/Author: The Bulwark
Episode: Tim Reacts To Horrific Shooting of Two Minnesota Lawmakers
Release Date: June 14, 2025

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Introduction to the Tragic Events

In this poignant episode of Bulwark Takes, host Tim Miller addresses the shocking and tragic news of a targeted political assassination in Minnesota. The episode delves into the horrifying details of the attacks on Democratic leaders, the broader implications for American democracy, and the escalating political violence in the country.

Governor Tim Walz’s Press Conference

Tim Miller begins by presenting a segment from Governor Tim Walz, providing an official statement on the incident:

Governor Tim Walz [03:29]: "Today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota. My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. ... Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint."

Governor Walz expresses profound grief over the loss of Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, while also conveying cautious optimism regarding the survival of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. He emphasizes that this act is a blatant attack on democratic principles and underscores the importance of resolving differences without violence.

Tim Miller’s In-Depth Analysis

Following the Governor's statement, Tim Miller offers a comprehensive analysis of the situation:

Emotional Impact and National Climate

Tim Miller [04:48]: "Governor Walz is really emotionally affected by this. It is really tough to think that this is the kind of country that we're living in where the rhetoric, the political rhetoric is so heated, ..."

Miller reflects on the emotional toll the attacks have taken on Minnesota's leadership and the unsettling reality of rising political hostility in the United States. He questions whether the escalating heated rhetoric among politicians may have contributed to the violence, though he acknowledges that the exact motives remain unclear.

Gun Accessibility and Execution of Violence

Miller discusses the role of firearm accessibility in facilitating such violent acts:

Tim Miller: "One thing we certainly know is just easy access to firearms in this country. These types of things are a lot harder to execute in other countries because of just the nature of just how well armed this country is."

He posits that the prevalence of firearms in America makes it uniquely susceptible to such acts of political violence, contrasting it with other nations where gun control measures might prevent similar incidents.

Targeted Political Violence and Historical Comparisons

Drawing parallels to previous incidents, Miller contextualizes the current events within a broader historical framework:

Tim Miller: "You've gone through these phases in this country before. We're not really at a moment like you were in the 60s, maybe around the King and Kennedy and both Kennedy assassinations and some of the domestic terror that we saw at that moment."

He likens the current wave of political violence to the turbulent 1960s, highlighting that while the intensity hasn't yet reached those historical peaks, the trajectory appears concerning.

Administration’s Role and Public Response

Miller critiques the current administration's handling of the situation and its potential role in fomenting violence:

Tim Miller: "...with a administration that is inciting it, that is perpetrating a lot of the violence here domestically. ... the President himself has in the past egged on violence at his rallies."

He asserts that the administration may be exacerbating the climate of violence through aggressive rhetoric and militarization, contributing to the current state of turmoil.

State Response and Public Safety Measures

Addressing the immediate reactions, Miller mentions the cancellation of protests and the ongoing search for suspects:

Tim Miller: "Governor Walls announced just a little bit ago that they are canceling the no Kings protests,... one of the suspects is still at large, and I guess in the cars there were flyers that said no Kings on it, in addition to that list of other Democratic politicians, including Senator Tina Smith and others that they were planning to target."

The decision to cancel protests underscores the heightened security concerns and the tangible threat posed by the perpetrators.

Social Media and Public Perception

Miller references a social media post by reporter Edward Isaac Devore to highlight the fragmentation and increasing violence:

Tim Miller: "Edward Isaac Devore, who's a good reporter over at CNN, put out this post on social media that I think struck me... 'In the last week, Marines were deployed in an American city. The president has called for a governor to be arrested, and the speaker of the House has called for that same governor to be tarred and feathered. A senator has been pinned and handcuffed, and two state legislators have been shot in their home.'"

This depiction emphasizes a landscape where political discourse is rapidly deteriorating into violent confrontations, signaling an "unraveling" of democratic norms.

Current Administration’s Lack of Response

Miller expresses concern over the administration's seemingly indifferent reaction to the crisis:

Tim Miller: "At the time of this taping, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance haven't posted anything about this targeted assassination attempt... It doesn't feel like there is an overwhelming outcry and response... What they're focused on is this stupid military parade."

He criticizes the administration for prioritizing events like a military parade over addressing the dire circumstances unfolding domestically, suggesting a misalignment of priorities that exacerbates public frustration and insecurity.

Conclusion and Forward Look

Tim Miller wraps up the episode by reiterating the gravity of the situation and the need for continued vigilance:

Tim Miller: "We'll be back later today as news develops. So subscribe to the feed. We appreciate you guys. We'll see you soon."

He assures listeners that Bulwark Takes will continue to monitor the situation, providing updates and analysis as events unfold, while also extending best wishes to the victims and their families.

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Key Takeaways

• Targeted Political Violence: The assassination attempt in Minnesota marks a distressing escalation in political violence against Democratic leaders.

• Emotional and National Impact: The attacks have deeply affected local leadership and reflect broader national tensions and hostile rhetoric.

• Role of Firearms: Easy access to firearms in the U.S. is identified as a critical factor enabling such acts of violence.

• Administration’s Responsibility: Criticism is directed at the current administration for potentially inciting violence and prioritizing controversial events over crisis management.

• Historical Context: The episode draws parallels to past periods of political turmoil, suggesting a concerning trend towards increased domestic violence.

• Ongoing Coverage: Bulwark Takes commits to providing continuous coverage and analysis of the developing situation.

Notable Quotes

• Governor Tim Walz [03:29]:

  "Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint."

• Tim Miller [04:48]:

  "It's hard to think that this is the kind of country that we're living in where the rhetoric, the political rhetoric is so heated, where this is so intense, where there's so much hatred being spewed by politicians, could be related to that, could not."

• Tim Miller on Administration’s Focus:

  "What they're focused on is this stupid military parade, this fascistic military parade today at a moment where we have an escalating war in the Middle East and where we have targeted assassinations at home."

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Note: This summary excludes all advertisement segments and focuses solely on the substantive content of the podcast episode.

Transcript

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[Tim Miller]

Hey everybody, Tim Miller from the Bulwark here just back from the no Kings protests in New Orleans. And we have some really tragic news overnight that I want to talk to you guys about. Coming out of Minnesota, we have what appears very almost certainly to be targeted political assassination targeting Democratic politicians in Minnesota. Two different politicians, a Democratic House speaker, emerita Melissa Hortman and Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and their respective spouses were shot in separate incidents at their home overnight in Minnesota. What happened essentially is that the suspects, it appears at this point there are multiple suspects showed up to the homes dressed as police officers in a police car and then went on to shoot multiple times. Each of these Democratic politicians and their spouses, Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were killed. So we send all our love to their family at this horrible time. Governor Tim Walls said that he's optimistic that Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette will survive. I want to play a little bit from Tim Walz's press conference this just a little bit ago and, and then, and then get back with you guys on the other side of it here.

[Governor Tim Walz]

Today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota. My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Our state lost a great leader and I lost a dearest of friends. Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable and we have been missed by so many. Minnesota's thoughts and prayers are with her family, her loved ones, her children and her parents. My prayers also go out to State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who were each shot multiple times. The Hoffmans are out of surgery at this time and receiving care. And we are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt. This was an act of targeted political violence. Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.

[Tim Miller]

There you go. Obviously, Governor Walz is really emotionally affected by this. I mean, it's not only scary, but these are folks that he knows personally. And it is really, it's tough to think that this is the kind of country that we're living in where the rhetoric, the political rhetoric is so heated, where this is so intense, where there's so much hatred being spewed by politicians, could be related to that, could not. You know, a lot of times it's easy to immediately go to the rhetoric. One thing we certainly know is just easy access to firearms in this country. These types of things are a lot harder to execute in other countries because of just the nature of just how well armed this country is. And you know, but it's hard not to. I mean, obviously There's a specific element of this about Minnesota, and I guess let me just focus on that first. This is, you know, truly unimaginable and, you know, kind of the sum of all fears if you're an elected official. Obviously, everybody knows that they're putting themselves at risk if they speak out, if they're somebody that, you know, puts themselves out there to try to represent their. Their state, somebody that, you know, is critical of the entrenched power structure of the Republicans in D.C. i mean, you know, obviously, there's always a little bit of that in the back of your mind, that there's a little bit of risk along with this. I don't know that anybody thinks about a situation like this, though, where you have somebody impersonating a police officer coming into your home. It is an absolutely brutal scene, and I do think it's even beyond the imagination of people who know that at some level they're doing a job that comes with these sorts of risks. Unfortunately, it's just the nature of the game here in America. You have this going all the way back to Gabby Giffords, obviously, assassination attempts on President Trump last year. So that is dark. In Minnesota today, Tim Walls announced just a little bit ago that they are canceling the no Kings protests, which is also sad. You want to be able to gather and speak out in a moment like this. But one of the suspects is still at large, and I guess in the cars there were flyers that said no Kings on it, in addition to that list of other Democratic politicians, including Senator Tina Smith and others that they were planning to target. So just out of safety and caution, they've decided not to do this. I hope and expect there'll be a massive gathering of both protests and resistance in Minnesota once these suspects are found and brought to justice. And also an outpouring of love and support for Speaker Emerita Hortman and her husband. Just broadening this out a little bit. Edward Isaac Devore, who's a good reporter over at cnn, put out this post on social media that I think struck me as I was taking in all the different reactions as I was coming home from the protest here today. And his was one that really stood out. He wrote this. In the last week, Marines were deployed in an American city. The president has called for a governor to be arrested, and the speaker of the House has called for that same governor to be tarred and feathered. A senator has been pinned and handcuffed, and two state legislators have been shot in their home. It's just. He's just stating the facts there. But when you pull that all together, when you look at that list of kind of what we've seen here in the past week, you do see a country where there's an element of unraveling and there is an increased element of political violence. And obviously, we've gone through these phases in this country before. We're not really at a moment of where you were in the 60s, maybe around the King and Kennedy and both Kennedy assassinations and some of the domestic terror that we saw at that moment. We haven't quite reached that level of fever pitch which some of the viewers of this YouTube can remember, certainly. So it's a long time ago, but it's not ancient history. But it feels like we're heading that way, and it feels like we're heading that way with a administration that is inciting it, that is perpetrating a lot of the violence here domestically. And, and that part of it is the element that's new. I mean, well, not totally new, obviously, particularly black folks could say that, you know, state violence is not exactly new in this country. But this element of having it be from the top down where, you know, this is. The President himself has in the past egged on violence at his rallies and now, you know, I mean, it's hard to kind of get to the word wants. But, you know, if you look at those posts that he's putting out on social media, seems to very much revel in the aggressive militarization that we're seeing in the streets and, and the associated violence and the associated issues with that. So it's a dark time. There's no doubt about it. We obviously will continue to monitor the story for you guys. Our just every best wish for Speaker Meredith Hortman and her family and hoping that Senator John Hoffman and his wife pull through. As Governor Wall said he expects if anything else happens on this today, we will be here. I do expect that. Maybe not me, but some of my colleagues will have a reaction to the military parade that's happening. I guess it's worth one final comment, that at the time of this taping, Donald Trump and J.D. vance haven't posted anything about this target assassination attempt. I did see one conservative media outlet that maybe has talked to President Trump because I saw a quote from that. But we're not, you know, it doesn't, it doesn't feel like there is a, at least at this moment, overwhelming outcry and response, either emotionally or just with the resources at their disposal from the White House. They are, I guess, busy preparing for the birthday boy parade that might get rained on later today. And I think that tells you a lot about where we're at, that what they're focused on is this stupid military parade, this fascistic military parade today at a moment where we have an escalating war in the Middle east and where we have targeted assassinations at home. So I'll leave it there for now. We'll be back later today as news develops. So subscribe to the feed. We appreciate you guys. We'll see you soon.

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