The current state of American political discourse and the blame-shifting following the assassination attempt confirm that the country is deeply polarized.

“Now, I think that is kind of gets to the to the heart of of this the polarization.”

There is a profound sense of animosity in US politics where partisans on both sides are primarily driven by a desire to defeat or destroy the opposition.

“there is the sense that on both sides of this debate they are so I mean and and I remember people saying to me when I was asking to try to understand why people were voting for Trump and you've talked a little bit about that that fascinating book of somebody traveling through Trump country. Yeah. Bu”

Allowing extremist elements to gain influence within a party acts like a metastasizing cancer that ultimately destroys the party's ability to remain serious or successful.

“It's like honestly, it's like cancer in a body. If you have a couple of cancer cells, the the good cells are not going to overwhelm the cancer cells. The cancer cells metastasize. Now, that doesn't mean you don't take the energy that people bring, but if it means like you now start adapting or toler”