Barack Obama at a campaign rally in Las Vegas
(Picture: Getty Images)Barack Obama has warned “more people are going to get hurt” unless the US political climate changes in the wake of the hammer attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
At a rally for Democratic midterm election candidates in Nevada last night, the former president said he had spoken to Paul Pelosi recently and “he’s going to be OK”.
But Mr Obama expressed grave concern about “this erosion of just basic civility and democratic norms”, in a country where supporters of Republican former president Donald Trump violently attacked the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.
He said: “This increasing habit of demonising political opponents creates a dangerous climate. If that’s the environment that we create, more people are going to get hurt.”
Mr Obama was in Las Vegas to support candidates for the Senate and governor before next Tuesday’s election. He has also visited Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia.
David DePape, 42, appeared in court yesterday over the attack on Mr Pelosi, 82, in San Francisco on Friday.
He pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, elder abuse, false imprisonment and threatening a public official.
DePape is accused of plans to kidnap Ms Pelosi, who was in Washington at the time. According to court documents, he told police he was on a “suicide mission” and had planned to target more politicians.
