BOTH SIDES DON'T DO IT, BUT THE MEDIA NEVER NOTICES

The Washington Post has just published a story by Tim Craig about Butler County, Pennsylvania, where a gunman tried to assassinate Donald Trump a couple of months ago. Here's the headline:

The angry, divisive fallout of the Trump shooting in Butler County

The assassination attempt has pitted Democrats and Republicans against each other in a way that one historian calls ‘outright frightening.'

Did you catch that? The shooting "has pitted Democrats and Republicans against each other." In the story, Craig writes that it's "the moment that split this Pennsylvania community in two ... as both sides dig in and try to ensure that their candidate wins enough votes here to capture a key battleground state."

All this suggests that the ugliness in Butler County is evenly distributed. It isn't.

Here's every ugly incident Craig recounts:

Heidi Marie Priest, a Democrat and local real estate agent ... organized the “Butler County Women for Harris” Facebook group....

The group quickly became a sort of therapy for local Harris supporters who said they had been too fearful to express their political beliefs. On a recent afternoon, about 80 people gathered at a small park, sat in a circle and shared why they are supporting Harris....

They had tried not to draw attention to themselves, but a heckler still spotted the group and yelled, “Trump 2024!” ...

Priest ... said she has received unnerving messages at her Realtor’s office since launching the Facebook group.

“How are you this blind?” one of the callers said in a voicemail. “You are as confused as Joe Biden. You are in the wrong state. You think you are home? Nah, you are a long way from home.”

Another member of the women’s group said she believes someone threw a brick at her car after she placed a Harris bumper sticker on it.

“I put it on Monday, and on Tuesday I walked out to my car and there is a brick on my windshield,” said Rhonda, 65, who asked to be referred only by her first name, out of fear for her safety....

When a Washington Post reporter pulled into the driveway of a home with a “Biden-Harris” sign on the lawn, a passing motorist screamed an expletive aimed at the president....

Sue Legacy, the homeowner with the Biden sign, said she is used to hearing motorists hurl expletives.

“The last election was the same thing,” Legacy, 61, said. “Tensions are volatile.”

Within two hours of the shooting, John Placek began displaying a digital billboard blaming Democrats for the assassination attempt. The sign shows Trump gripping an American flag along with a target over his face. Another billboard asks, “WILL THEY TRY TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT TRUMP AGAIN?” A third shows Harris with red horns and states “DEMOCRATS KILL BABIES AND DREAMS.” ...

Some Butler residents are getting similar messages in their mailboxes.

State Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R) sent a mailer to his constituents accusing the media and Biden administration of “all but pulling the trigger” on July 13....

Before Trump’s rally, [Democratic county commissioner Kevin] Boozel had been pressing Republican commissioner Leslie Osche and Butler’s sheriff to keep detailed records of how much the county was spending on Trump’s visit. Osche, who attended Trump’s rally, believed a formal contract was not needed, contending that security considerations should not be dictated by cost concerns.

According to phone messages released by Boozel, he texted Osche on the night of the shooting to check in on her and tell her the White House was offering assistance.

“How freakin dare you. We were right behind the President. You who wanted a contract. Our people did well. You will burn in hell. We don’t need their help. I will fully expose you. I hope you can’t sleep,” Osche wrote.

“So much for your professionalism,” Boozel replied.

“You don’t deserve professionalism,” Osche wrote back.

Is it accurate to say, "The assassination attempt has pitted Democrats and Republicans against each other"? It seems more accurate to say that Republicans are pitted against Democrats in Butler County.

The press never seems to see this. Craig has done a good job of reporting the story -- but he stuffs it into the same both-sides-do-it box that's used for every other story about politcal "polarization."

The truth is always the same: partisans on one side, partisans who are also angry intimidators on the other side. But it's never reported that way.