MSNBC host Katy Tur became visibly angry on Thursday when conservative radio host and blogger Erick Erickson noted that inflammatory rhetoric from the political left, not just the political right, has contributed to the current divisions in the United States, leading them to have a heated exchange.
Erickson began by saying that President Donald Trump should be a unifier and "lay off the American press ... as the enemy of the American people." He then added that "there are folks on the other side who need to tamp down the rhetoric as well," pointing to a recent ricin attack against Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) and protesters chasing Republican officials out of restaurants.
"I think both sides need to calm down," Erickson said, adding that it is unhelpful to argue about who first created a toxic political environment in the country. "What we need to come to a consensus on is that both sides need to stop turning the base over to the fringe and the angry mob and actually return to the better angels of ourselves and try to get things done. But I don't know that either side really wants to."
Tur appeared to take exception to Erickson, a critic of Trump, not ascribing blame solely to the president.
Acknowledging that "everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions and their own way in which they respond to this presidency," Tur said, "But I do think it's pretty clear when you're talking about this toxic political environment that it did start mostly with Donald Trump in 2015. He began his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists. He repeatedly cheered on crowds that were screaming 'lock her up' for Hillary Clinton. He told supporters he would pay their legal bills if they punched protesters."
Erickson jumped in, referencing former President Barack Obama's comment from 2008 about bringing a gun to a knife fight and the actions of the Weather Underground in the 1960s.
"Hold on, I'm still going," Tur interjected. "He's also—no stop. Have you ever heard a politician—Erick, let me finish, this is my show. Have you every heard a politician other than Donald Trump say I'm so proud or give kudos to another politician who body-slammed a reporter? Have you ever heard that from anybody else other than Donald Trump?"
Tur was referring to Trump praising Rep. Greg Gianforte (R., Mont.) last week for previously body-slamming a reporter.
"I think that Donald Trump is a symptom of what's going on in this country," Erickson said. "Your blood pressure going up over Donald Trump right now is a symptom of what's going on in this country."
"My blood pressure's going up because he advocates violence or he celebrates violence for reporters and for other people," Tur responded.
"I think everybody needs to take responsibility for their own actions," Tur said later. "But to say it didn't get lowered, that the bar did not demonstrably lower when Donald Trump started running for office is just not true and it's offensive. I'm sorry."
"I think he's more a reflection of politics and not a cause," Erickson added.
Tur and Erickson's back-and-forth occurred as authorities are investigating who sent pipe bombs and suspicious packages to several prominent Democrats and media figures in recent days. The packages have been sent to Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, former Attorney General Eric Holder, Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.), former CIA Director John Brennan, billionaire liberal activist George Soros, and actor Robert De Niro. The package addressed to Brennan was delivered to CNN's office at the Time Warner Center in New York City, forcing the network to evacuate the building.
Trump said Wednesday that the government will get to the bottom of the suspicious packages.