While mainstream media blame Trump's inflammatory "fake news" rhetoric for half a dozen bombs mailed to prominent Democrats and CNN, the New York Times has just run a short story envisioning Trump's assassination.

Frustrated by the failure of the Mueller investigation to turn up the requested dirt on their nemesis-in-chief, the media "resistance" asked a few spy novelists to predict a more appealing future in the Times' literary supplement. The results revealed some shoddy writing work, even putting aside their predictable endings (spoiler alert – he was colluding with the Russians all along!).

Zoe Sharp's story was apparently written while she was held hostage in a Bond movie with a bunch of Soviet bad guys. A Russian agent (of course) checks into a hotel, meets another Russian carrying a briefcase with a Makarov pistol and Stolichnaya (because Russia), and gets drunk. The next morning, he tries to shoot the president, but the gun misfires. The crisis – what will Putin think, now that I've failed him?! – is averted when a Secret Service agent lends a helping hand. Get it? It's funny, because even Trump's staff want to murder him!

Yesterday:New York Times: Be sure to read the story we published depicting Trump getting assassinated.Today:New York Times: We need to have a serious conversation about Trump’s rhetoric. — Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) October 25, 2018

Social media was appropriately appalled, particularly given the timing of the story's publication.

"[The Russian] opened his eyes. The Secret Service agent stood before him, presenting his Glock, butt first.“Here,” the agent said politely. “Use mine. …” Jesus Christ. The left has become so deranged after the 2016 election that this is now their masturbatory fantasy. — Richard Alejandro (@realejandro85) October 24, 2018

Nice timing. Ricin, Pipe bombs, and assassinations, oh my. Enjoy the inevitable fallout. God I hope this murder porn doesn’t inspire any further political violence. — Infinito Absurdum (@DeciduousWoulds) October 24, 2018

Sharp's lazy fact-checking was called out as well – it takes a two-second Google search to find out that Glocks are not the Secret Service sidearm of choice.

Two things about that Trump assassination porn story published by the NY Times:- Makarovs don't misfire. As one knowledgeable user told me, "It either works, or falls apart in your hands."- Secret Service doesn't use Glocks. — Nebojša Malić (@NebojsaMalic) October 24, 2018

The other stories are a marginal improvement, each describing their own (curiously similar) version of a reality in which the Mueller investigation has vindicated their conspiracy theories and Trump is on his way to impeachment, prison, or the morgue. All include petty digs at the president's hair, speech patterns, or other obvious foibles.

Trump's election has hastened a decline in journalistic standards that has seen once-respectable media outlets like the Times jettison fact-checking, accountability, and taste standards in favor of grinding their political axe. Journalists' concerns about the Trump regime are not unfounded, however – his Justice Department has prosecuted more whistleblowers and leakers than even media darling Barack Obama, who previously held the record.

So I guess fantasizing about a mass shooter going in and wasting the entire editorial department at the times is perfectly acceptable since after all it is fiction. You are one sick piece of work. — Jim Andreu (@AndreuJim) October 24, 2018

While the 2018 elections have been marked by vicious rhetorical attacks from both parties, Clinton, Eric Holder, and Maxine Waters have all been accused of calling for their supporters to physically attack GOP candidates and their voters. Several candidates actually have been attacked in the last month, and one man was arrested for mailing ricin to the White House and Pentagon.

Still, Trump was prepared to temporarily bury the hatchet in light of today's events. He called for the country to "come together," calling for a federal investigation of the mailings and unequivocally condemning the perpetrators. That wasn't enough for CNN's Jeff Zucker, though, who countered: "There is a total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media."