CNN commentator Angela Rye said Thursday that both sides of the political aisle are not to blame for the current divisions and unrest in the country, because no one on the left uses dangerous rhetoric like President Donald Trump does.
Republican strategist Doug Heye said on CNN that the "rhetoric on all sides needs to be dialed back" in light of the pipe bombs and suspicious packages sent to prominent Democrats.
Rye took issue with Heye's comments, however. The former executive director and general counsel of the Congressional Black Caucus said Trump is singularly responsible for inciting people.
"The challenge I have with this is the 'all sides' rhetoric is exactly the problem. It is not coming from all sides," Rye said.
"This type of rhetoric is not coming from all sides," she added. "I will challenge you to find a clip where there are Democrats with a platform like Donald Trump's who is speaking like that. You won't find one."
Rye defended Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.) from the charge that she called for supporters to "attack" Republicans. Waters has, however, advocated harassing and intimidating Republicans in public, and direct action by progressive protesters has ramped up, prompting criticism that Democrats have created a "mob."
Other Democrats have used violent images or called for suspending civility in political discourse. It has also been argued on the left that Republican policies, such as tax cuts, will kill people, but Rye said Trump is uniquely culpable.
"What we have to tone down is how we frame conversations," she said, mentioning Trump's campaign rhetoric.
Rye defended her friend and Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum (D.), who Trump said is corrupt. Gillum, however, is dealing with mounting evidence of corruption while in office as Tallahassee mayor.
Jen Psaki, a former communications aide in the Obama administration, said that past Republican presidents like George W. Bush would have handled the current bomb incidents better.
"There are moments that really test a president's leadership," Psaki said. "And Donald Trump has failed repeatedly."
Psaki said Trump will make matters worse if he continues blaming others.
"It's going to get worse if he does not change his tone," she concluded.