Today was the day Donald Trump went to tour the human misery caused by two of the latest mass shootings in America, in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas. (Trump did not visit other cities in which mass shootings recently took place, for reasons which will remain mysterious.)
Trump made the trip despite widespread opposition by those who consider him to be an instigator, rather than a consoler. El Paso Rep. Veronica Escobar publicly told Trump the victims did not want him to come, and privately rejected a White House invitation to appear with him.
In Dayton, protesters lined streets and carried signs condemning Trump or demanding he take action. The White House not only ignored the protests, but used Trump's visit as fodder for a campaign-styled video promoting Trump. Trump social media head Dan Scavino took to Twitter to claim that Trump was "treated like a Rock Star" during the visit with hospital staff, families, and shooting victims.
Trump then left for El Paso. He spent the flight raging against and insulting Ohio officials, potential election opponents, and news hosts that offended him because he is completely incapable of feigning compassion.
Trump's campaign also continued to run campaign ads using the white nationalist rhetoric of "invasion" to describe non-white migrants and refugees—a word that featured prominently in the El Paso terrorist's own "manifesto."
Perhaps because El Paso residents were considerably more hostile to Trump's visit than in Dayton, his visit there took place in near-total press blackout. It was left to other leaders, like the Rev. William Barber and former House member Beto O'Rourke, to speak out on his visit.
Despite widespread public outcry, there is still no sign Senate Republicans will take any action on gun violence.