The speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, reminded us that the decent and eloquent expression of sound sentiment has not departed our public life:
My colleagues: There are strong emotions throughout this House today. We are all horrified by this dreadful attack on our friends and colleagues, and those who serve and protect this Capitol. We are all praying for those who were attacked and their families: Steve Scalise, Zachary Barth, Matt Mika, Special Agent David Bailey, Special Agent Crystal Griner. We are all giving our thoughts to those currently being treated for their injuries at this moment. And we are united. We are united in our shock; we are united in our anguish. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. I know we want to give our thanks to the first responders and the Alexandria Police Department, who were on the scene in minutes. And I know this House wants to state unequivocally that we are, as ever, awed by the tremendous bravery of the Capitol Police. . . . My colleagues, there are many memories from this day we will want to forget, and many images we will not want to see again. But there is one image in particular that this House should keep. And that is a photo I saw of our Democratic colleagues gathered in prayer this morning after hearing the news. You know, every day, we come here to test and challenge each other. We feel so deeply about the things we fight for and believe in. At times, our emotions can get the best of us. We are all imperfect. But we do not shed our humanity when we enter this chamber. For all the noise and fury, we are one family. These were our brothers and sisters in the line of fire. These were our brothers and sisters who ran into danger and saved countless lives. So before this House returns to its business, I want us to slow down and reflect, to think about how we are being tested right now. Because we are. I ask each of you to join me in resolving to come together . . . to lift each other up . . . and to show the country—show the world—that we are one House. The people’s House—united in our humanity. It is that humanity which will win the day. It always will.
The shooter turned out to be an ardent follower, after a fashion, of Senator Bernie Sanders. When Senator Sanders discovered that fact, he delivered a strong and fitting statement on the Senate floor:
I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball practice is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign. I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be: Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Real change can only come about through nonviolent action, and anything else runs against our most deeply held American values. My hopes and prayers are that Representative Scalise, congressional staff, and the Capitol Police officers who were wounded make a quick and full recovery. I also want to thank the Capitol Police for their heroic actions to prevent further harm.
The officeholder whose words receive the closest attention is always the president. This president hasn’t always chosen his words with the greatest care or consideration. He doesn’t always say the right thing. But he did on Wednesday morning, just a few hours after the shooting, speaking with compassion and dignity:
As you all know, shortly after 7:00 a.m. this morning, a gunman opened fire on members of Congress and their staffs as they were practicing for tomorrow’s annual charity baseball game. . . . Many lives would have been lost if not for the heroic actions of the two Capitol Police officers who took down the gunman despite sustaining gunshot wounds during a very, very brutal assault… Congressman Scalise, . . . I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation and, frankly, the entire world. America is praying for you and America is praying for all of the victims of this terrible shooting. . . . I have also spoken with Chief Matthew Verderosa . . . of the Capitol Police to express our sympathies for his wounded officers and to express my admiration for their courage. Our brave Capitol Police perform a challenging job with incredible skill, and their sacrifice makes democracy possible. We also commend the brave first responders from Alexandria Police, Fire and Rescue who rushed to the scene. Everyone on that field is a public servant—our courageous police, our congressional aides who work so tirelessly behind the scenes with enormous devotion, and our dedicated members of Congress who represent our people. We may have our differences, but we do well, in times like these, to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country. We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace, and that we are strongest when we are unified and when we work together for the common good. Please take a moment today to cherish those you love, and always remember those who serve and keep us safe. God bless them all, God bless you, and God bless America.
We normally speak for ourselves in our editorials. We often speak critically. Not here, and not now. On this day and on this occasion, Speaker Paul Ryan, Senator Bernie Sanders, and President Donald Trump speak for us.
